Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalaamu Alaikum.
Congratulations to the Islam Channel and the Muslim Council of Britain. 22,000 have so far been admitted through the door with another 10,000 expected.
I've been made to feel very much at home here this morning - I'm very grateful for the kind welcome from everyone I've met. We are here to listen. Her Majesty's Government will listen to what you have to say.
But I do have one complaint - I'm asked to speak on the same platform with one of Pakistan's most prominent cricketers, on the day after Pakistan beat England and deservedly. Congratulations to Pakistan. But at least I am Scottish so I do not mind as much!
Let me offer my commiserations to England and Wales and my wholehearted congratulations to the Pakistan cricket team. A well-deserved victory.
For me it is a great privilege to speak to an audience of British Muslims, particularly one so large.
You are the face of Islam - vibrant, engaged, tolerant, dynamic.
We thrive in this country in part because you thrive. You have brought so much. You are a permanent part of this society's culture. 7/7 does not change this.
British Muslims are visible in every area of public life - in politics, in academia, in law and in the arts; in the civil and social services, in humanitarian aid work, in teaching, in business and in finance.
I know there is still so much more to do - I know that British Muslims have more to give. As Lord Chancellor I am working to increase the diversity of the legal professions - I want to see more Muslim barristers, Muslim solicitors and Muslim judges. It is great that Judge Khurshid Dradu is here today. He is a great contributor to the judicial fabric of Britain. But we need more judges. If there are not more Muslims to the legal profession we will lose out on a great untapped pool of merit.
For Britain to continue to be as open and as successful as we all want it to be, we need diversity at every level, in every sphere.
This is, fundamentally, about the sort of society we all want to live in.
Where a society does not encourage diversity at all levels in society it loses its moral authority, and its leading edge. That means a permanent acceptance of the place of Muslims in our society.
Diversity is not some nice add-on. It is vital to continued strength and enterprise.
How strong a society would the UK be if it had not diversified and encouraged the participation of women both in the democratic process, and in university education in the early 20th century?
What sort of society do we want?
A society that recognises and celebrates our differences. And one which encourages all in society to participate economically, democratically, culturally at all levels.
Our society should be one where we preserve our cultural, social, regional and religious identities.
But also a society where we live and work and are educated together in an integrated way. A cohesive community is not one where everybody is the same. But it is one where people of different races and religions can and should go to the same school, and live in the same streets.
And feel that their differences do not prevent them being part, not just of their religious and racial community, but also of the community of their town, their county, their country, their profession, their football team.
That is the sort of Britain in which I want to live. That is the sort of Britain I want my children to live in. I think that is the sort of society you want your children to live in too.
We all shape the society we live in. Our democracy ensures we all have an equal voice in choosing our government.
It is part of what makes this country work - democracy, tolerance and the rule of law are the values that make Britain the country it is. We all contribute to this.
But we need to cherish, nurture and protect these values. This is not a passive responsibility - but an active duty.
This is why today's theme - unity - is so important.
We are all part of one moral universe. Humanity is connected like different parts of a human body.
What we share is a belief in fair play, in social justice and in equality not just for some, but for all.
We must look to the well-being of our whole community.
The poet Ghalib tells us:
'My companion's condition is a reflection of my soul. My companion's need unfulfilled is a blemish on my soul. The path I contemplate is only of use if it fulfils my companion's need. Who then is my companion? My companion is every creation of God.'
This is what we mean by unity. And this is why today's event is so important - it reminds us of our common humanity. A humanity that transcends where we come from, what we look like, even - dare I say it - what cricket team we support.
This is at the forefront of our minds, when the most tragic events occur.
The humanitarian response to the Indian Ocean tsunami brought an unprecedented response from across the globe.
The earthquake that hit Pakistan in October, killing over 70,000 people and leaving millions of homes in ruins, brought sadness to people in almost every nation on earth.
And just as important as the urgent need to unite to help the victims of natural disaster is the constant fight against world poverty.
That is why in 2005 - the year when Britain is president of the G8 and EU - the Government has proposed to write off the historic debt owed by the poorest countries to the richest, including more of the debt they owe to international organisations.
We are determined to help secure the future of all our children.
These steps are not about us doing the expedient thing or the easy thing. It is about doing the right thing. It is about unity, common purpose.
And the terrorist attacks of 7 July that killed 52 innocent people - people of all faiths, races and creeds - reminded us of the need to condemn those who would divide and separate us.
We have so much to learn from Islam, and we must listen to the British Government, particularly about unity and about common humanity. The understanding of Sadaqah - that 'we are not true believers until we want for our brother what we want for ourselves' - is a morality that brings us together.
And my own countryman Robert Burns, the greatest Scottish poet teaches us, "that man to man the world over shall brothers be for all that."
This is why we saw such a remarkable response to the Tsunami. And this is why we have pledged £128 million towards relief and reconstruction after the earthquake in Kashmir.
And why we have sent thousands of blankets and tents to Pakistan, and Pakistan and Indian administered Kashmir. Every day the cold creeps down the mountains and the need for more tents and shelter increases. Our hearts go out to the families who suffer, and their many relatives here.
We are truly a global family.
It shows we have obligations beyond our own doorstep: our destinies are interwoven and dependent on each other.
Of course, the way we connect with each other has changed.
The world around us is moving at a pace that is sometimes difficult to comprehend. What used to be distant and foreign is closer and more familiar.
Today's event recognises that we are at our best when we work together. Unity is about the whole being greater - stronger - than the sum of its parts.
Our society is strengthened by our diverse cultures, languages and religious beliefs.
We must promote diversity at every level if we want it to remain strong.
Unity isn't the same as uniformity - it doesn't mean we all have to think the same, dress the same, or look the same.
Unity is about common ground. Joining together. Respect for each other. Standing up for what we believe in. And living together in one community.
Secure in our society whether agreeing or not with the policy of the government.
Tolerance strengthens and underpins our success and our prosperity.
And what I see in this room is thousands and thousands of British Muslims doing just that.
It has been a privilege to be able to speak to you today.
Let me end with a few words about Shahara Islam.
Shahara, born to Bangladeshi parents, grew up in Whitechapel - a stone's throw from where we are today. Shahara was successful and popular at school.
She was 20, when she was killed on the no 30 bus in Tavistock Square in London on the 7July.
Her father said on the day of her funeral:
'Today our dear daughter, cause of our joy and light of our eyes - our Shahara is returning to her Lord - an innocent and blood-stained martyr.
She was an Eastender, a Londoner and British, but above all, a true Muslim and proud to be so. The flame of her life has been cruelly extinguished from this beautiful young woman in her prime, who had the whole world ahead of her.
We are not finding it easy to come to terms with our immeasurable loss, our sorrow, our grief.
Let us all recognise that whatever our nationality, our religion or the colour of our skin, we are brothers and sisters.
We are together.
Thank you.