Speech by President El-Sisi during the Celebration of Laylat al-Qadr

The President’s Speeches
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar,
Reverend scholars,
Ladies and gentlemen,

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you,

Allow me, at the outset, to express my sincere appreciation and extend congratulations to you and the great Egyptian people on the occasion of today’s celebration of the blessed Laylat al-Qadr, the approaching end of the holy month of Ramadan, and the advent of the blessed Eid Al-Fitr. Many happy returns and may Egypt as well as the Arab and Muslim nations be blessed with safety and peace.

Also, allow me to extend greetings to our Christian brothers. Many happy returns and may you be blessed with safety and peace.

I would also like to welcome the dear guests of Egypt and congratulate our sons, the memorizers of the Holy Quran, from Egypt and all around the world, wishing them success. May the Holy Quran be a companion to them, in their consciousness and good behavior, thus achieving the ultimate goal of reading, understanding and pondering over it and living by its great values.

I also salute the men of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Ministry of Awqaf (Religious Endowments), imams, preachers and Quran readers, expressing the aspiration of the entire nation to continue the commendable effort to spread the moderate religious sciences, show the true Islam, and introduce its true essence, a tremendous driving force for humans aiming to achieve goodness, progress, and prosperity.

Distinguished guests,

Allah Almighty has chosen this night, singled out for more blessings and virtues, over other nights of the month of Ramadan to be the day in which he revealed the Quran, making it the night of safety, security, peace, mercy, enlightenment and guidance.

This great night is a good occasion for us to think and reflect on the size and extent of this tremendous change which was brought about with the message of Islam and reached all the world and affected all walks of life.

It is a massive and radical change whose pillars were having good deeds with pure intentions for the sake of Allah and His Prophet, striving toward hard work and diligence with unyielding determination, insisting on the construction of the land, having patience in adversity, and having endurance in order to achieve the lofty goals. Persistent work, continuous efforts, confident patience, and reassuring faith are inevitable factors for those who want to succeed.

This is the path that guides us and on which we walk while having faith in Allah Almighty, the abilities and potential of our great people, the faith that people have in Allah that He certainly never denies the reward of those who are best in deeds and that the reward of goodness shall be nothing but goodness.

The great people of Egypt,

Finally, on these blessed days, we pray to Allah to bless Egypt, the Arab and Muslim nations, and all humanity with his care and mercy.

May Allah Almighty guide humanity to rationality and reason in all matters, inspire all of us with righteousness, and surround us with His wisdom to help us make further efforts and do more work to please Him and fulfil our peoples’ hopes to have a better future.

Thank you and many happy returns.
May Egypt, the Muslim nation, and the whole world live in security and peace.
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.