‘Jordanians have translated late King Hussein’s legacy into genuine solidarity’

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday addressed Jordanians in a speech broadcast on the Royal Court’s social media platforms, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the late King Hussein's death.

His Majesty visited the tomb of the late King, laid wreaths and recited verses from the Koran at the tomb, a Royal Court statement said. 

Several Royal family members and senior officials and officers also visited the tomb. The occasion also marks the 20th anniversary of King Abdullah's assumption of constitutional powers.

Following is the full translation of His Majesty’s address:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful 

Brothers and sisters,

Citizens of our beloved Jordan,

It has been 20 years since the passing of Al Hussein — the father, the leader, the man, the builder of modern Jordan, the defender of rights and justice and the hero of peace.

Although he is no longer with us, Al Hussein’s legacy and principles live on; they have become our culture and modus vivendi. His motto, may his soul rest in peace, “our most precious asset is the individual citizen”, has always been and will remain my goal and compass in serving my dear people, and continuing the development and progress of our precious Jordan.

This motto is rooted in the consciousness of Jordanians, who have translated it into genuine solidarity with each other and with their Arab brothers and sisters [seeking refuge], welcoming them with open arms despite all difficulties, drawing on our shared Arab identity and humanity. And today, we can proudly say to Al Hussein: Jordanians have stood by their principles and honoured their duty.

And as we remember [Al Hussein] the hero of peace, we tell him that we remain committed to peace as the path to end the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinians, allowing us to provide future generations in our region with the real security and promising future they all deserve.

Honouring Al Hussein’s belief that Islam is a religion of love, tolerance, and dedication that shuns extremism and bigotry, Jordan has remained steadfast on this path — defending Islam, and leading the vanguard to fight terrorism and extremism, and counter the khawarij, the outlaws of Islam.

Over the past 20 years, we have been celebrating the legacy of the great late Al Hussein through perseverance in our daily lives, and we will continue to do so. We call on everyone to honour the memory of Al Hussein through dedication and hard work to achieve progress for Jordanians and all humanity.

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.