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First sermon

All praise is due to Allah. He has let us reach Ramadan, the month of charity and perfection. We extol Him for all His bounties as is befitting to Him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship, except for Allah alone without any partners or peers. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is within them. And He is over all things competent. He has given us strenght to fast and stand the night prayers.

I also witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger; he was one of the most generous and compassionate people. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

O Servants of Allah, I urge you and myself to be mindful of Allah the Almighty and obey Him, in light of what He says, "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." (Al Baqara: 183). He has also said, "So give good tidings to My servants who listen to speech and follow the best of it." (Azzumar: 17-18).

O those who fast,

Allah the Sublime has blessed us with Ramadan, a season of charity and perfection, a month of Quran and virtues. In it the diligent amongst people exert themselves in doing good deeds and rushing to get closer to Allah with acts of worship. It is beneficial therefore for a fasting person to seize this opportunity to do whatever can draw him nearer to Allah by, for example, observing Allah, guarding his limbs from wrongdoings and standing the night prayers for obtaining Allah's satisfaction and forgiveness. On this matter our Prophet pbuh said, "Whoever prays during the night in Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven."

In order to get full reward of Ramadan nights, it is advisable that the worshipper observes the night prayers until the Imam leaves. Our Guide Muhammad pbuh said in this regrad, "If a man prays with the Imam until he leaves, that will be continued for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer." It is also advisable that he reads Quran day and night, brings his family together for acts of obedience and reminds them of things that benefit them in this life and the next.

Furthermore, a fasting person should take the occasion of Ramadan to increase his supplications to Allah, especially at the fastbreaking time. He should remember Allah's promise that a fasting person has a prayer that cannot be rejected. In this regard, the Prophet pbuh said, "there are three whose supplications are not turned back: a just ruler, and a fasting person until he breaks his fast. And, the supplication of one who has been wronged."

Invoking Allah is equally recommended when standing for night prayers, mostly at the last third of it. The Prophet pbuh says, "our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"

Dear Servants of Allah,

We are in a blessing month, whose reward is great, and is rightly appreciated by those who have anticipated goodness and responded to the call of piety. He would call out, "O seeker of good, proceed, O seeker of evil, stop." So the generous amongst the people will respond to the call and extend a helping hand to the needy. This is because they cannot enjoy food while others somewhere else are distraught, not able to afford enough food or dress to prortect them from heat and chill.

In light of this spirit, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may Allah protect him, has launched a campaign from this blessed country to dress one million poor children around the world in the month of Ramadan. It is no surprise that this intiative has come from our leadership and people, who have been educated on the basis of Islamic noble values. Indeed it is a generous move that reaveals sincere faith and noble sentiments.

Our Prophet pbuh praised those who share others their  concerns as in this Hadith: "any Muslim who clothes another Muslim who is naked, Allah will clothe him from the green garments of Paradise. Any Muslim who feeds a Muslim who is hungry, Allah will feed him from the fruit of Paradise, and any Muslim who gives drink to a Muslim who is thirsty, Allah will give him a drink from the Sealed Nectar."

The campaign is dedicated to children because they are the most vulnerable group of society that needs special care. From this perspective caring for children is crucial to their good education, so they eventually can benefit themselves, their families and nation. Failing to do so may lead them to acquire unhealthy character, which will in return harm them, their families and nation. For this reason, children care is a serious matter to consider for whover aspires to the future.

So let us then strive to do good and contribute to this campaign by following the example of our Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

It was narrated that some people from the tribe of Mudar came to the Messenger of Allah pbuh and the colour of the face of the Prophet pbuh underwent a change when he saw them in poverty. He then entered (his house) and came out and commanded Bilal (to pronounce Adhan). He pronounced Adhan and Iqima, and he (the Holy Prophet) observed prayer (along with his Companion) and then addressed (them reciting verses of the Holy Quran): "0 people, fear your Lord, Who created you from a single being" to the end of the verse, "Allah is ever a Watcher over you" (Annisaa: 1).

 (He then recited) a verse of Sura Al Hashr: "fear Allah. And let every soul consider that which it sends forth for the morrow and fear Allah" (18). (Then the audience began to vie with one another in giving charity). Some donated a dinar, others a dirham, still others clothes, some donated a saa (measure) of wheat, some a saa of dates; till he (the Holy Prophet) said: (bring) even if it is half a date. Then a person from among the Ansar came there with a money bag which his hands could scarcely lift; in fact, they could not (lift). Then the people followed continuously, till I saw two heaps of eatables and clothes, and I saw the face of the Messenger pbuh glistening, like gold (on account of joy).

 

The Messenger of Allah pbuh said: "he who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is a reward for him for this (act of goodness) and reward of that also who acted according to it subsequently, without any deduction from their rewards; and he who sets in Islam an evil precedent, there is upon him the burden of that, and the burden of him also who acted upon it subsequently, without any deduction from their burden."

Dear Muslims,

To please Allah, a Msulim should spend from what he owns, whether much or little, for a dirham is better than a thousand dirhams.

On this account, the Messenger of Allah pbuh said, "a Dirham was better than a hundred thousand Dirhams." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, how?" He said, "A man had two Dirhams and gave one in charity, and another man went to part of his wealth and took out a hundred thousand Dirhams and gave them in charity."

With this in mind, we seek Allah's favour to let us be among His virtuous servants and help us to obey Him and those He has ordained upon us to obey in compliance with His injunctions: "O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you." (Annisaa: 59).

May Allah direct us all to the blessings of the Glorious Quran and benefit us all in whatever is in it of the Ayas and the Wise Dhikr. I say this and ask Allah the Great, the Most Honoured for forgiveness for me, you and all the Muslims for every sin, so invoke Him for forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Secon sermon

Praise be to Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Him, having no associates. I also bear witness that our Master Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his pure family, his companions and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

O Servants of Allah, please obey Allah as it should be by observing Him in private and in public, and be aware that some of the goals a fasting person should achieve is engaging in acts of obedience for they are an evidence of acceptance from Allah. He the Exalted says, "Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him]." (Al Maeda: 27). You are urged therefore to seek all avenues of goodness: provide food, observe fast, extend greetings, pray at night when people are asleep and you will enter Paradise in peace.

Dear Servants of Allah,

Bear in mind that you are asked to offer prayer and greetings upon our most noble Prophet pbuh for Allah says, "Indeed, Allah and His angels sends blessing upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace." (Al Ahzab: 56).

On the same matter, the Prophet pbuh said, "for everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah." May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad pbuh, his family and all his Companions.

May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

O Allah, may we ask You to help us with what gets us closer to Paradise and furthers us from hell. O Allah we seek Your grace to admit us, our parents, whoever has done a favour to us and all Muslims to Your Paradise.  O Allah guide us to perform good work and give up misdeeds.

O Allah, make Iman (faith) beloved to us and beautify it in our hearts, and make us hate disbelief, immorality and disobedience. O Allah, I seek from You guidance, virtue, purification of the soul and being self-sufficient. O Allah, let us see the Truth as Truth and grant that we follow it. And let us see Falsehood as Falsehood and grant that we avoid it.

May Allah also mend our intentions, grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes and make success be an ally to us. O Allah, we seek Your favour to raise our status, increase our good deeds, remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.

O Allah, we implore You at this instant not to let a sin unforgiven, a distress unrelieved, an illness unhealed or a handicapped without relief, a dead without mercy or a debt unsettled. Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.

May Allah grant our leader HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Deputy, HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, success and provide strength and assistance to his brothers, Their Highness The Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

O Allah, forgive all of the Muslims, men and women, living and dead, and make blessings follow us and them. May Allah have mercy on Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Maktoum and all their brothers, the Late UAE Sheikhs. O Lord, forgive and show mercy, You are the Ever Merciful and there is no strength or power save with Allah, the High, the Great.

We pray to Allah, the Most Gracious, to continue blessing the UAE and all Muslim countries with safety and security.

O servants of Allah, remember Allah and He will remember you. Be grateful for His benevolence He will increase His blessings to you. Allah, the Most High, says, "And establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do." (Al Ankaboot: 45).