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The First Khutbah

All praises are due to Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. The One who loves His slaves when they make much remembrance of Him and enters them into the Paradise of endless bliss. And I bear witness, with every facet of my being, that there is nothing worthy of absolute love and adoration, except Allah, the Uniquely One, having no competing second in that One-ness. And I bear witness that our Leader and Master, our Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), is the perfect example of servanthood unto Allah, and is His sent Messenger unto the entirety of the created universe.

To Continue: I advise you, dutiful servants of Allah, and myself, to adhere to a heartfelt consciousness (Taqwa) of Allah. For He, the Most Gloriously Transcendent, states: وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

And remember Allah during [specific] numbered days. Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third] - there is no sin upon him - for him who fears Allah . And fear Allah and know that unto Him you will be gathered. [Qur'an:2:203]

O Muslims:

Allah, exalted be He, has commanded us to be of those who make much remembrance of and praise Him, for He states in His majestic Book:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا* وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance*And exalt Him morning and afternoon.*  [Qur'an: 33:41-42]

The remembrance of Allah is from the best forms of devotion, from the greatest of worship and of the most elevated of ways in drawing close to Allah. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، وَأَزْكَاهَا عِنْدَ مَلِيكِكُمْ، وَأَرْفَعِهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِكُمْ؟

Should I not inform you of the best of your deeds, and the purest of them with your Lord, and the highest of them in your ranks?

They said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah." He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. [Tirmidhi]

Know that there is in the remembrance of Allah a lofty station with the Lord of all the Worlds. For this reason Allah has commanded the Prophets and Messengers to do this. Hence Allah said to the Prophet Moses (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

Indeed, I am Allah . There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. [Qur'an: 20:14]

Similarly Allah informed Zakarriya (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِبْكَارِ

And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."

[Qur'an: 3:41]

Similarly Allah encouraged our Prophet, Sayyidina Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to make proficient his dhikr, saying:

وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless. [Qur'an: 7:205]

Allah also said: وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

And mention the name of your Lord [in prayer] morning and evening [Qur'an: 76:25]

O you making remembrance of Allah:

Indeed there is in the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) tremendous effects and just as abundant fruits. For through it hearts come to life, and souls are purified, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِي لَا يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ؛ مَثَلُ الْحَيِّ وَالْمَيِّتِ

"The example of the one who celebrates the Praises of his Lord (Allah) in comparison to the one who does not celebrate the Praises of his Lord, is that of the living compared to the dead."

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Dhikr is also the means by which a person attains true happiness of heart and contentment. As Allah says:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah . Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. [Qur'an: 13:28]

For whosoever makes dhikr of Allah, will find Allah expands his heart, brings tranquillity to his soul, forgives him his sins, all the while increasing his reward. As Allah says:

وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

 the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. [Qur'an: 33:35]

Whenever the Angels raise unto Allah the dhikr of those remembering Him, raising unto Him every glorification, every praise and every sanctification, Allah informs them: أُشْهِدُكُمْ أَنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ

Bear witness that I have forgiven them.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

The person who remembers Allah is remembered in turn by Allah in a company that is greater. As Allah says: فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ

So remember Me; I will remember you.

[Qur'an: 2:152]

Allah also says in a Hadith Qudsi:

مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَمَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُ

[I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me.] And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in Myself, and if he remembers Me in company I remember him in company better than his. [Muslim]

So whoever for the sake of their Lord becomes from those who make dhikr much, shall find their true happiness in this life, and they will have everlasting success in the hereafter.  As Allah says:

وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

and remember Allah much that you may be successful. [Qur'an: 8:45]

Allah also says:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّى* وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى

He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself * And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.

[Qur'an: 87:14 -15]

O Servants of Allah:

The Messenger of Allah has guided us to the merits of increasing our dhikr of Allah, mentioning how it brings about great rewards, great effects and is from the most beloved things to Allah. For he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

أَحَبُّ الْكَلَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَرْبَعٌ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ. لَا يَضُرُّكَ بِأَيِّهِنَّ بَدَأْتَ

The dearest phrases to Allah are four: Subhan Allah (Glorified be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La ilaha illa-Allah (There is nothing worthy of worship but Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greater). There is no harm for you in which of them you begin with (while remembering Allah).

[Muslim]

These four phrases are short in their words, but great in the reward they hold, so let us increase in saying them in these days of tremendous blessings. For these are days in which Allah has called us towards investing our time therein in the best of ways of dhikr, occupying them in His praise, thanking Him for His blessings, for He says: وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ

and mention the name of Allah on the known days

[Qur'an: 22:28]

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in commentating on this verse said: "The 'known days' are the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah, whereas when Allah says: وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ

And remember Allah during [specific] numbered days. [Qur'an: 2:203]

These 'numbered days' are the days of Tashriq, which are the three days after Eid. [As narrated in the Tafsir of Tabari]. About these days the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

فَأَكْثِرُوا فِيهِنَّ مِنَ التَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّحْمِيدِ وَالتَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ

So increase therein [your remembrance] from tasbeehah [saying: 'subhan-Allah'], tahmeedah [saying: 'al-hamdu lillah'], tahleelah [saying: 'laa ilaha illAllah'] and takbeerah [saying: 'Allahu akbar'] [Musnad Ahmad]

So whoever says 'subhan-Allah' and 'al-hamdu lillah' will find the scrolls which record their deeds being filled with good deeds and they will get a reward multiplied many times over. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلَأُ الْمِيزَانَ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلَآنِ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fills the scale, and Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fill up what is between the heavens and the earth. [Muslim]

And whoever says: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

Is from the best of those who make dhikr, attaining the greatest of reward, for indeed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: أَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

The best of remembrance is La ilaha il Allah [Tirmidhi]

In this regard when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Is 'La ilaha il Allah' from good deeds?, he (peace and blessings be upon him) responded by saying: نَعَمْ، هِيَ أَحْسَنُ الْحَسَنَاتِ

Yes, [in fact] it is from the best of good deeds. [Bayhaqi]

Similarly, Takbir (saying 'Allahu Akbar') is a tremendous dhikr and tremendous worship that gives glad tidings to the one who says it, with the tidings of Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: مَا كَبَّرَ مُكَبِّرٌ قَطُّ إِلَّا بُشِّرَ

No person ever made takbir (saying 'Allahu Akbar') except he was given glad tidings.

The companions asked the Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, is this [glad tidings] of Paradise?" He responded: Yes.

So O Allah assist us in your dhikr and in thanking You, and having a good opinion of Your slaves. And may He  assist us all in the way of piety and obedience. Piety towards Your trustworthy Messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the ability to be dutiful towards those You have commanded us to be dutiful towards, in accordance with Your words: O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. [Qur'an: 4:59]

May Allah bless me and bless you with the Noble Qur'an and with the Way (Sunnah) of His Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I say this, and I seek forgiveness for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness, for He is the All-Forgiving and the All-Merciful.

The Second Khutbah

All praises are for Allah, the One who raises the ranks of the people of dhikr. Who rewards them in accordance with this, with a great reward. And I bear witness, with every facet of my being, that there is nothing worthy of absolute love and adoration, except Allah, the Uniquely One, having no competing second in that One-ness. And I bear witness that our Leader and Master, our Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon his name), is the perfect example of dutiful servanthood towards Allah, and is His sent Messenger unto the entirety of the created universe. O Allah: We ask you to bestow Your peace, blessings and grace upon him; his family; all of his companions; and whomsoever follows and seeks to emulate him in the best of ways till the Last Day. I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, with Taqwa of Allah (glorified be He).

O People of dhikr:

These days coming upon you are tremendous days. In them is the Day of Arafat, a day in which it is especially recommended that one busy themselves with the dhikr of Allah. It is a day to turn towards Him with sincere supplication, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: خَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ دُعَاءُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ، وَخَيْرُ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ قَبْلِي: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

The best of supplication is the supplication of the Day of 'Arafat. And the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, Alone, without partner, to Him belongs all that exists, and to Him belongs the Praise, and He is powerful over all things. (Lā ilāha illallāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa 'alā kulli shai'in qadīr). [Tirmidhi]

Know that to fast the Day of Arafat atones for the sins of two years, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

صَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ يُكَفِّرُ سَنَتَيْنِ: مَاضِيَةً وَمُسْتَقْبَلَةً

Fasting on the day of Arafat is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year. [Muslim]

Then after that we shall encounter the Day of Eid and Days of Tashriq, for these are the days described by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as:

أَيَّامُ أَكْلٍ وَشُرْبٍ وَذِكْرٍ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

[The days of Tashriq] are days of eating, drinking and remembering (dhikr) of Allah, the Most Great and Glorious. [Muslim]

They have been described as such, for in them Allah has decreed the slaughtering of the sacrifice, for His glorification and to establish His dhikr. As Allah says:

كَذَلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.

[Qur'an: 22:37]

The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to make much takbir on these days, and used to initiate their takbir after the Prayers. They used to start from the Prayer of Dhuhr on the first Day of Eid, and continue till the Fajr on the thirteenth Day of Dhul Hijjah. The form in which such a Takbir would be done is that narrated by Abdullah Ibn Masud, wherein he used to say: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ

So let us be avid to do much dhikr of Allah, in all of our times, and in all of our states, and let us teach this to our children, to both our sons and our daughters.

And with this, let us send our peace and blessings upon the one we have been commanded to send our peace and blessings upon, as Allah says: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace. [Qur'an: 33:56]. So, O Allah, bestow Your peace, blessings and grace upon our Master, our Prophet and upon his family and all of his companions. And may Allah be pleased with the Righteous Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali; and the noble companions of the Prophet, the Sahaba, may Allah be pleased with all of them. O Allah, we ask You for soundness in our faith, and trust in good character, and a true success that will be followed by eternal bliss. O Allah, we ask You for Your mercy, for true prosperity, for Your redemptive forgiveness and Your pleasure. O Allah, make us from those who are obedient, respectful, those who venerate their parents, honoring their mothers and their fathers, embodying excellent character towards their families and wider societies.

O Allah, grant success to the UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and guide him to all that is good. O Allah, we seek Your favour in granting him continued good health and care. O Allah, we also ask You to grant success to the Vice-President, the Crown Prince and his Brothers, their Highnesses, the Rulers of the Emirates.

O Allah, we ask You to forgive all of the Muslims, both the men and women, the living and dead. O Allah, bestow your mercy on the late Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Maktoum and the other late UAE Sheikhs who have passed on to the mercy of their Lord. O Lord, grant them from your abundant mercy and bless them with Your kindness and satisfaction. O Allah, we ask you to admit them into Paradise, being given bounties therein without being taken to account. O Lord, forgive and show mercy on our parents, relatives and whosoever may have a right upon us.

O Allah, we ask You, from your loving kindness, for the immensity of your forgiveness, for the reward of all righteousness, for the safety and protection from all sin. O Allah, we ask you for the ultimate success in attaining Paradise, and the ultimate respite in being saved from the Fire. O Allah, do not allow us to sin except that You forgive us, nor to have any worry except that you relieve us therein, nor for any debt to come upon us except that You see it compensated, nor for there to be any sick amongst us except that You see them healed. Let there be no dead, except that You have covered them in Your mercy, and let there be no pressing need, amongst any of us, except that You see it met and fulfilled. O most Noble of the Noble, You are capable over all things, and You are the most generous in responding to those who call upon You.

We ask You, O Allah, the Lord of all domains, to continue blessing the UAE with stability, welfare, increase in its bounties, knowledge, civilization, happiness, beauty and tolerance. O Allah, please continue blessing it with safety and security. O Allah, have mercy on the honorable martyrs of our nation and gather them with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favour of the Prophets. O Allah, make the dwelling of the martyrs, their families, parents and relatives with the righteous. Indeed, You are ever-responsive to those who call upon You. O Allah, grant to the people of Yemen that which is good, and unite them upon that which is True and Sacred, and provide for them all manners of prosperity, O most Noble of the Noble.

O Allah, spread peace and security amongst all the Muslim nations,  and the entirety of the world. O our Lord, we ask You for the best of this World, the best of the Hereafter, that You will protect us from the punishment of the Fire, and that You enter us into Your paradise with the righteous. Indeed You are the Most Generous and Most Forgiving.

O Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Majestic, and He will remember you. Thank Him for His blessings and He will increase you therein. And establish the prayer. So stand up for prayer.