All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation and the best outcome is for the pious. Peace and blessings be on His servant, Messenger, Khalil (close friend), trustee of His revelation, and the chosen one from among His creation; our Prophet, and leader Muhammad ibn `Abdullah, upon his family, his Companions, and those who followed his guidance until the Day of Judgment. Indeed I thank Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) for this great blessing of meeting with our Muslim brothers visiting the sacred House of Allah. May Allah bless this gathering and make it useful for all Muslims, helping them to obey Allah and combat false doctrines and corrupt ideas. I thank Him (He may be Glorified) for prescribing the obligation of Hajj (pilgrimage) to His Sacred House where Muslims from all over the world meet each other: That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allâh on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul­Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice), [at the time of their slaughtering by saying: (Bismillah, Wallâhu­ Akbar, Allâhumma Minka wa Ilaik)]. They gather to worship Him alone, single Him out with all forms of good deeds, and submit their needs to Him at His Ancient House as well as in the Sacred Rites. They supplicate to Him at `Arafat and Muzdalifah to ask for His forgiveness, accepting their Hajj, saving them from Hellfire, circumambulating His Ancient House, and walking between Al­Safa and Al­Marwah, seeking His Mercy and fearing His punishment as did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Companions. They come from every place to perform this great obligatory rite and perform

different acts of worship to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), advise one another, help one another in righteousness and piety, discuss their problems, devote thought to issues that may benefit them in this world and in the Hereafter and urge one another to hold fast to Truth and call to it. Undoubtedly, the benefits of Hajj are countless. It is a Divine grace that Hajj is observed annually and required only once in one's lifetime. Allah (may He be Praised and Glorified) prescribed it yearly as a supererogatory act in order to draw closer to Him. As for the obligation, it must be fulfilled once in a lifetime for those who can afford it. Allah made this honorable mosque, Al­Masjid Al­Haram (the Sacred Mosque in Makkah) and the Prophet's Masjid (peace be upon him) in Al­Madinah Al­Munawwarah a meeting place for His pious servants, scholars, and Muslims from all over the world to benefit from their Hajj and visit the Prophet's Mosque in order to draw near to their Lord, worship Him alone, benefit from the scholars, Du`ah (callers) to Allah, and from the sessions of knowledge that are held in the two Sacred Masjids. This is one of the favors of Allah, which He confers on the pilgrims and those who visit the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque as well as those who live around them.

This blessed forum is about Islam and Muslims in Southeast Asia. There is no doubt that this region is in dire need of Islamic activity, the efforts of the callers to Allah, the establishment of Islamic associations, centers, universities, schools, and institutions where Islamic facilities, such as hospitals and institutions, should be available to help Muslims there to know their religion and fight against their enemies. This region has been afflicted with destructive ideas and concentrative efforts from the enemies of Allah to Christianize and call its people to Communism, Buddhism and other destructive and wicked beliefs promulgated by many of the enemies of Allah.

Defending Islam is obligatory on the scholars of Islam in Southeast

Asia, more than others, because they live in the midst of these destructive movements and see and hear about them. So, it is obligatory upon them to strive sincerely to combat these destructive ideas, devilish beliefs, and deviant sects. They must expose falsehood and cooperate concertedly and sincerely to spread Islam, call to it, clarify its rulings, merits, and respond to its opponents. They should also explain the falsehood, deviation, and evil ends of such falsehood mongers. It is obligatory on Muslim countries all over the world to help Muslims of this region that is afflicted with destructive beliefs, missionaries, Communism, Buddhism, libertinism, etc. Scholars of Islam everywhere must exert efforts to help their Muslim scholars and callers in this region to stop this imminent danger and to cooperate in fighting them by all legal means. There is no doubt that establishing Islam in that region, calling to it, and resisting opponents require great effort and continuous care. We hope that the future there will be good as well as in other regions. We ask Allah to make the efforts of callers, reformers, and scholars successful.

It is obligatory on the scholars and callers to Allah everywhere to address the problems of East Asia region first and collect information about them carefully. Moreover, local scholars, callers to Allah, and other foreign callers have to identify its problems and the means of the enemies in missionary movements in order to eradicate the disease and reach a final cure by the permission of Allah. There is no doubt that we need intensified efforts, patience, and perseverance in all countries; especially Indonesia because it is the

biggest Islamic country in terms of the number of Muslims, while Christianization efforts are intense. Therefore, it is obligatory on scholars of Indonesia and the local callers to Allah, and foreign callers to support one another and cooperate in finding suitable solutions and

prescribing an effective cure for these problems to resist these evil ideas and wicked beliefs. Hopefully, they will succeed. When they prove sincere in their cooperation and activities, and when they help one another seriously and sincerely, Allah will grant them victory, help them and protect them from the evil of their enemies. Allah (He may be Glorified) states: O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allâh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm. and: Verily, Allâh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allâh is All­Strong, All­Mighty.

This indicates that when Muslims help one another, cooperate, and are sincere, Allah promises them victory and good return. O callers, scholars, and Muslims everywhere, you should not despair but must hope for all good from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). We must exert all possible efforts and be sincere to Allah and to each other, taking all necessary lawful means to call to Allah and struggle against His enemies, hoping for victory and a good end from Allah. We have to resist our enemies, using the same weapons they use: culture, economy, sociology,

politics, etc. Let us scrutinize their efforts, actions, wicked plans, and weapons to resist them truthfully and diligently in sincere devotion to Allah and true cooperation among ourselves. This is along with asking Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) for success in our deeds, words, and all our endeavors. Our enemies are always there lying in wait for calamities to overcome us.

We have to prepare, help one another, and cooperate for the sake of Truth, calling to it and refuting falsehood and its mongers in conformity with Allah's commands: Help you one another in Al­Birr and At­Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety) and: And make ready against them all you can of power and: Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur'ân) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.

There are groups of callers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. May Allah make them a means of benefit and grant them sincerity in calling to Him, directing people to good, and resisting the destructive ways and ideas of the enemies.

We have two Da`wah (call to Allah/Islam) offices in Indonesia and Malaysia. We ask Allah to make them useful, bless the causes that help to spread the Islamic call and grant all callers to Islam and all Muslims sincere cooperation and full performance of the duties of Da`wah (calling to Islam) and encouraging them. We also ask Allah (He may be Glorified) to help the heads of Islamic societies, centers, institutes, and schools to undertake the duties of Da`wah in cooperation for good and piety.

We ask Allah (He may be Glorified) to guide those who work in Islamic hospitals

and clinics to carry out their duties. These ways and means are of the most successful factors in calling to the truth and thwarting the plots of the enemies of Allah and Islam. Allah states: And say (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ) "Do deeds! Allâh will see your deeds, and (so will) His Messenger and the believers.

Activists must work and devote their intentions to Allah and help one another sincerely in the Islamic way according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him). They must go forth, expecting the best from Allah and not despair of His victory. They must remain committed to overcome the perseverance of the enemies in their falsehood, to help one another more than the enemies do in their error, Kufr (disbelief), and deviation. They should know that the good end is for the righteous and victory is for the believing servants of Allah. Allah states: So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for Al­Muttaqûn (the pious) and: Verily, it is the Party of Allâh that will be the successful. and: And that Our hosts! they verily would be the victors.

I would be remiss were I not to thank our government, may Allah grant them success, especially King Fahd ibn `Abdul­`Aziz (may Allah protect him) for the great work and support for this League and the General Presidency for Scientific Research, Fatwa, Da`wah, and Guidance that strive to address the issues of Muslims worldwide and the blessed efforts the government exerts to solve the problems of Muslims, bring about peace and reconciliation between them, console and relieve them in times of crises, calamities, and disasters.

We ask Allah for continued success and support for good.

I cannot forget to thank the League for its efforts and activities and to the workers here, especially Secretary­General of the League Dr. `Abdullah Nasif ­ may Allah grant him success and guidance. I also thank the audience for their participation in this special night to gain benefits.

May Allah make us of those who guide and are rightly­guided and of the pious reformers. May Allah rectify our hearts and actions, and protect us all from the evils of ourselves, and from our bad deeds. I ask Him (He may be Glorified) to guide Muslims everywhere to that which brings about His Pleasure and purify Muslims' hearts and deeds. May Allah entrust the righteous with the affairs of Muslims and increase callers of guidance among them.

May Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) reform Muslim leaders and rulers everywhere and guide them to hold fast to His Din (religion) and turn to His Shari`ah for judgment. Indeed, referring to Shari`ah for judgment leads to all success, guidance, and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. In doing so, problems will be solved and victory will come. Thus, we regain our lost glory and past majesty