In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful  

Praises be to God (Allah) for His kindness; thanks be to Him for the success and blessings He has granted; and peace and blessings be upon the honest Prophet Muhammad and upon all his household and companions.  

God has blessed our university – Umm Al-Qura University – with three honorable characteristics. The first one is the mission of learning, which extends from the mission of the Grand Mosque – the mosque from whose learning corners and circles graduated the scholars and jurists of the nation – and its role in the dissemination of science and knowledge. The second is the honor of being located near the sanctified house of God, the Kaaba. As for the third characteristic, it is embodied in the name this blessed university carries: Umm Al-Qura (Mother of Villages, a name given to Makkah), the city to which Muslims turn, in which lies the Kaaba; the place of revelation; the site where God’s message was received by our noble prophet and master Muhammad Ibn Abdillah – may the best peace and finest blessings be upon him. 

Therefore, we have to be conscious of these characteristics while performing the duty that we all have had the honor of being assigned to by our leaders – may God support them – for serving our homeland and society through this university. Besides, we must also realize the significance of the responsibility that we have been entrusted with and the functions we are in charge of as a team and as a system within this academic edifice. This is in addition to the strenuous endeavor to promote the University’s science, education, research, and community mission in order to achieve the national visions and objectives aspired to by our good leadership – may God grant them success. The University further must undertake its role and effectively participate in comprehensive national development.  

May God the Almighty grant all of us assistance and success, and direct us to the good of our country the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to the service of its citizens. 

His Excellency the UQU President

Prof. Abdullah bin Omar Bafail