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Members of My family, members of the Jamat, this is a uniquely happy occasion in My life. And as you can tell I am a little emotional. But then who isn't when you reach the revered age of eighty. So I am there, but I feel I as though I am 40. Thanks to you. .

This has been a very, very happy occasion for Me and I would like to thank everyone who has participated in making this event happen.

I would like to thank our musicians for their wonderful performance and I would like to hope that each of you will retain this evening as a moment of special happiness in your lives. That is certainly going to be in My case and for all the members of My family who are here.

As I think about the past, I reflect where the Jamat has come from, and where it is today and where we it is going in the decades ahead. And I think we can conclude, that today the Jamat is a strong community, it is a global community, it is a community with strong institutions, with strong ethics and it is respected around the world.

What more could I wish for as the Imam of the Time? You could not give Me a greater gift than the ability and the right to say the things I have just said

So to all the Jamat leaders past and present, I say first of all on My behalf as Imam of the Time, thank you (applause)

As we look ahead the Jamat is likely to become, more and more, a global community. But the essence of the Jamat, the ethics of our faith, the principles which we believe in and which we seek to practice in our lives are the essence of how our community will stay united, even though it becomes more and more globalised over the years

So I say to the leaders of the Jamat who are here this evening that My wish for the decades ahead is that you stand firmly by the principles and the ethics of our faith, wherever you are, whatever age you are, whatever you are doing in your lives, it is essentially important to Me that the principles of our faith should be respected every day of your lives. This is My hope and this is my prayer

I say to you this evening that I have had a especially happy 80th Birthday. And if had known it was going to be so wonderful, I would have tried to bring it forward you know, and I would have tried to multiply it. (Laughter)

But in any event, I am there now and I want to thank you again for a most wonderful evening and for a particularly beautiful 80th birthday present

I hope that in the decades ahead you will remember this occasion as one of special happiness, as I do, and I wish you happiness, long life, good health and unity in your lives, in your families

Thank you