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October 27, 2006 |
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WE HOPE THAT PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY WILL PREVAIL AMONG ALL MUSLIMS AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE MUSLIM NATION IS FACING GREAT CHALLENGES AND EID MAKE US FEEL OPTIMISTIC THAT WITH GOD'S WILL WE WILL OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES. THE KING AND CROWN PRINCE REMEMBER MEMBERS OF THE SAUDI SECURITY FORCES WHO WERE MARTYRED AND WISH THAT GOD WOULD REWARD THEM BY GRANTING THEM PLACES IN PARADISE. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General called upon Muslims to uphold the Islamic values of tolerance and humanness. In a joint message to the nation on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, King Abdullah and Prince Sultan urged Muslims to strengthen their unity and solidarity to confront the growing challenges. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General addressed citizens in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, congratulating them on the occasion of the advent of the blessed Eid Al-Fitr and wishing them many happy returns. The message, which was read out on Saudi Television by Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani, urged Muslims to make the great values they acquired through Ramadan fasting as part and parcel of their daily life and manners. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz said in their speech that as we celebrate today the advent of Eid Al-Fitr after fasting the holy month of Ramadan, we pray to Almighty Allah to accept our fasting, prayers, charity, visiting relatives and good deeds. "We have to make these values as a permanent hallmark of our manners as individuals in an Islamic society," he explained. We hope that the values and aims of this blessed month will be permanent characteristics of our behaviors as individuals in a Muslim society. This will only be achieved by individuals' cohesion which in turn will be achieved by the individual's participation in building his country, belief in the nation and accomplishment of humanity. The King and Crown Prince also called upon every Saudi to do their duty in the nation-building process. "You should also have strong faith in the Ummah and work for the welfare of the whole humanity." The two leaders hoped that the Eid would usher in a new era of progress and prosperity for the people all over the Islamic world. "The last Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was sent as a blessing for the whole world. His is a message of love, tolerance, benevolence and goodness," the message said. We pray to Almighty Allah that Eid Al-Fitr will be an opportunity to spread the meanings of love, fraternity and participation in joy, the joy prevails in the homeland which was bestowed by Allah's blessings and commitment to Islam. We also hope that progress, prosperity and the good will prevail among all Muslim societies and all over the world, since Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him, as the last prophet, was sent a mercy for all humankind and for the completion of good manners. As a prophet for all human beings, Prophet Mohammed's message is a message of love, tolerance, mercy, solidarity and benevolence. They urged Saudis to make use of Eid Al-Fitr as an occasion to spread love, brotherhood and happiness among all members of society. "We should engage in righteous deeds and the wealthy among us should help the poor in order to make all people in our country happy," they added. King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan referred to the great blessings bestowed by God on the Kingdom, being the cradle of Islam and emphasized the government's strong commitment to Islam as a faith, law and way of life. In their Eid message, the King and Crown Prince remembered the members of the Saudi security forces who were martyred fighting Al-Qaeda militants over the past three years and wished that God would reward them by granting a place in Paradise. The message also called upon Saudi citizens to stand united and work together to strengthen the country's security and stability. Since the situation of the Muslim nation necessitates that we prove our identity, and we, as societies, face great challenges, and our individuality is short of completion, then Eid and its meanings make us optimistic that we are able to achieve all that, by God's will. As for Saudi people in this dear homeland, all Muslims and human beings, we pray to Almighty Allah to bestow blessings upon our Eid, wishing many happy returns for all, for martyrs of duty Eid in paradise and for our homeland permanent unity, stability, security, peace and religion . King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, meanwhile, sent messages of Eid greetings to world leaders including Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, President Mahmud Ahmedinejad of Iran, Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, King Abdallah of Jordan, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan. King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan took part in Eid Al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah along with nearly two million faithful including foreign pilgrims. King Abdullah, who arrived in Makkah on Oct. 12, had a very busy itinerary. He received a number of world leaders including Jordan's King Abdallah, Sanegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. He also met with Iraqi religious scholars who came to take part in a reconciliation meeting, and wished them every success in their efforts to bring peace and stability to the war-torn country. |
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