Shaikh Sulaiman Bin Abd Al Aziz Al-Rajhi Winner King Faisal International Prize For Service to Islam 2012.

Acceptance Speech 

by Shaikh Sulaiman Bin Abd  Al Aziz Al-Rajhi  

Winner 2012/1433H King Faisal International Prize For Service to Islam 34th Ceremony

Tuesday 6/3/2012 - 13/4/1433H

Praise be to Allah and Peace and Prayers be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers our Prophet Muhammad, and all his family, companions and followers till the Day of Judgment.

Your  Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Abd  Al-Aziz, Minister of Defense,
Your Royal Highnesses,
Your  Eminences,
Your Excellencies
Prize Laureates,
Distinguished Guests.

Assalamu Alaikum

I would like to express my sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the King Faisal   Foundation for honoring scientists, intellectuals and all other individuals who  serve  our  nation  and  benefit  humanity.  May Almighty Allah have mercy upon King Faisal and may He reward his family members and all the workers in the Foundation for their faithful services.

Dear brothers,

I am humbled and thrilled to find myself  joining the glorious group of monarchs  and Heads of Islamic States who have previously been awarded the Prize for Service to Islam.

Distinguished Guests,

The  bounties  bestowed  upon  us by  Almighty  Allah  are  incessant  and incalculable.  Of  these  invaluable  bounties  is  Islam,  which  Allah  guided  us to  follow,  making  us  among  the  best  nations  of mankind. For  this  reason, we  must  strive  relentlessly  to  serve  Islam  and  Muslims. 

In  this  land,  may Allah  protect it,  we  enjoy  the  bounty  of  peace  and  faith  which  enabled businessmen  to  institute  vast  projects  which  contributed  substantially  to fulfilling  the  needs  of  the  poor  and  helped  in  moving  them  from  the  circle of  poverty  to  that  of  self-sufficiency  and  productivity,  and  in  providing them  with  education  and  appropriate  health  care. 

This  is  a  great  bounty  if one thinks about it. As the Prophet says: "One  who  wakes  up  safe  in  his  home  and among his  people,  healthy  in  his body and possessing his daily needs, is like one who owns the entire world. "And by thanking Allah, these bounties will last. Among Allah bounties in many Islamic and even non-Islamic countries is the   success   of   pure   Islamic   banking   -   which   is   a   blessing   for   our subsistence.  So, thanks to Allah at all times.

Your  Royal  Highness,  I  would  like  to  take  this  opportunity  to  request your  permission  to  donate  the monetary value of this Prize to the "Quranic Memorization Society" in Riyadh region, hoping that its reward goes to the Founder  of  this  country,  King Abd   AI-Aziz,  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon
him.

I  conclude  by  asking  Almighty  Allah  to  enable us  remain  firmly committed   to   our   faith   and   to   follow   the   tradition   of   our   Prophet Mohammad,   Peace   and   Prayers   be   upon   him,   and   our   venerable predecessors. May   I   also   ask   Allah   to   guide   us   along   the   path   of righteousness,  bless  our  efforts  and  accept  our  deeds  purely  for  His  sake, and  may  He  unite  the  word  of  Muslims,  accept  their  good  deeds  and  guide them.  Our  last  call  is:  "Praise be   to  Allah,  the  Sustainer  of  the  Two Worlds."