The United Arab Emirates Friday:02-08-2019

General Authority of Islamic

Affairs & Endowments Corresponding to:

"By Dawn and the Ten Nights"

The First Khutbah
All praises are due to Allah, who has blessed upon us
the season of goodness. And urged us to honour our
time therein. 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
ََ ََََ‫ََنََواََََاتَقَوا‬
Transcendent, states: ََ‫اّللََ َوَلََتََنَظََر‬ ‫آم‬ ََ
َ ََ‫ين‬
َ ََ‫ََيَأََيَ َهَاََالََذ‬
َ‫اّللََخَبَيََََِبَاََتََعَ َمَلَوَن‬ ََ ََََ‫تََلََغَ َدََ َوََاتَقَوا‬
ََ َََ‫اّللََإَن‬ َ َ‫سََََماَقَدََم‬
َ َ‫نَف‬
O you who have believed, fear Allah . And let every
soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow -
and fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with
what you do. [Qur’an:59:18]
O Believers:
Allah, exalted be He, states in His majestic Book:
 ‫َََََيَ َلََإَََذَاَي‬
ََ‫ََََ َسَرَ*َ َهَ َلََََِف‬ ‫َوَالََََوَتَرَ*َ َوَالل‬ َ َََ‫وَالَََفَ َجَرَ*َوَلَي‬
َ ََ‫َعَشَرَ*َ َوَالََشَفَع‬
َ ََ‫ال‬ َ َ
َ ََ َ‫َََسَمََلَََ َذ‬
‫يَحَ َجَ َر‬ َ ََ‫ذَل‬
َ َ ‫كََق‬
By the dawn * And [by] ten nights * And [by] the
even [number] and the odd * And [by] the night
when it passes * Is there [not] in [all] that an oath
[sufficient] for one of perception?
[Qur’an: 89:1-5]
So in these noble verses, our Lord takes an oath by a
specific blessed time. Indicating not just the immensity
of the oath, but also the immensity of the time. For the
oath is built upon the immensity of the honour of the
time and its exalted rank with Allah. It thus should
draw the attention of those with perceptive hearts to the
necessity of taking care in this time, to invest therein,
for its benefits are multiplied both in this life and the
next. As Allah says: ‫جَ َر‬ َ ََ َ‫َََسَمََلَََ َذ‬ َ ََ‫َهَ َلََََِفََذَل‬
َ َ‫يَح‬ َ َ ‫كََق‬
Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one
of perception? [Qur’an: 89:5]
So basically Allah is telling us that in these verses is a
message for those possessing intellects, calling them to
invest themselves in its time and to not waste its
opportunity. These moments are what are referred to as
‘the gentle breezes (nafahaat) from the Mercy of
Allah’, that a person should avail by investing himself
in and that he strives to not waste. So the time we are
talking about is from the ‘the gentle breezes from the
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Mercy of Allah’, that requires a person to best utilize it
and not lose. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) said: ََ ََ َََ‫ََ َْحَ َة‬
َ،َ‫َاّلل‬ َ َ‫َوَتَعَرَضَواَل‬، َ ََََ َ‫َافَ َعَل‬
َ ‫َر‬ َ َ‫ََََنََفَ َحََات‬ َ َ ََ َ‫َدَ َهَرَكَ َم‬
َ َ ََ‫واَاْلََيََر‬
ََ‫ادَه‬ َ ‫ََ ََم‬
َ ََ‫َعَب‬ َ ََ‫ص‬ َ ََ ‫ََنََر‬ َ َ ََََ‫فََإ َن‬
َ ََ‫ََ َن‬َ‫َََ َنََيَََشَاء‬
‫اَم‬
َ ََ‫يبَََِب‬
َ ََ‫َي‬،َ‫ََ َْحََتَه‬
َ َ ‫َّللَََنَفَ َحََاتََم‬
Do good throughout your time, and open yourselves
towards the ‘gentle breezes (nafahaat) from the
Mercy of Allah’, for indeed there are for Allah
‘gentle breezes from His Mercy’, which He causes to
come down upon those He wishes from His
servants. [Tabarani]
So Allah begins His oath with the time of Fajr, so He
says: َ‫جَر‬
َ َ‫ َوَالَََف‬By Dawn [Qur’an: 89:1]
For it is an immense Time. It embodies signs of the
omnipotent Power (Qudra) of Allah in how He
originates His creation. For after the onset of Dawn, the
Sun shines, brightens and illuminates the day, as Allah
says: َ‫َسَفََر‬‫َوَالََصََبَ َحََإَََذَاَأ‬
َ َََ
And [by] the morning when it brightens,
[Qur’an: 74:34]
Then the light of the day appears and soon a breeze
would spread, as if the morning begins to breath as its
َََ‫َوَالََصََبَ َحََإَََذ‬
light extends, as Allah says: َ‫اَتَنََفَس‬
َ
And by the dawn when it breathes [Qur’an: 81:18]

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Then the day would start to unravel and reveal itself in
its illumination, heralding its activity as people begin
to move towards their going to work. As Allah says:
‫اََتََلَ َى‬
ََََ‫َََإَََذ‬
‫َهَا َر‬
َ َ‫َوَََالن‬
And [by] the day when it appears [Qur’an: 92:02]
These are all initial stages of a Day that Allah swears
by, all as a way of indicating His all-encompassing
Wisdom, His Omnipotent Power, for He is:
ََ َ‫بْصَبََا‬ َََََ‫فَالَََ َق‬
َ ‫َال‬
[He is] the cleaver of daybreak [Qur’an: 6:96]
He is the One who disposes His creation as He pleases.
He is One who brings renews life and breath after He
causes some to die. He is the One who awakens after
He causes some to sleep, so that there can be striving
and work in the Earth. For the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) when he would wake up would
say: َََ
‫ور‬ ‫َوَإَلََيَ َهََالن‬،‫ا‬ ‫ََََ َذَيَأ‬ َََََ‫اَْلَمَد‬
َ َ‫َََََش‬ َ َََََ‫َََََمََاتَن‬
‫َحَيَََ َاَنَََبَََعَدََمَاَأ‬
َ َََ ‫َّللََال‬ ََ
‘Praise be to Allah Who restored unto us life, after
having caused us to die and unto Him shall be the
Resurrection’
[Muslim]
So a person should really make the most of this time,
by which a new day begins. And the best way to do
this is to busy oneself with the dhikr of Allah, as a way
of acknowledging His Majesty and Immensity. So such
a person offers and does not slacken in his prayers, and
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finds his resolve continuing thereafter throughout the
day. So the day becomes a means not only by which he
earns his livelihood, but also the means by which he
increases in knowledge, through which he performs or
initiates great work. Hence it was from the supplication
of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him),
whenever he would pray Fajr:
َ َ َ‫ََََهَمََإََََّنََأَََسَأَل‬
َ َ َََ‫َعَلََم‬
َ‫ََتََقَبَ ًَل‬
‫َم‬ َ َََََ‫َوَرَزَقَاَََطَيََب‬،‫ا‬
َ َ‫َوَ َعَ َمَ ًَل‬،‫ا‬ َ ََََ‫اََنَفَ َع‬ َ ََ‫ك‬ َ َ َ ‫الل‬
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly
provision and acceptable deeds. [Ibn Majah]
O Contemplators of the words of God:
Indeed Allah swears in these verses by the first Ten
Days of Dhul Hijjah, so He says: َ‫َعَشَر‬ َ َََ‫وَلَي‬
َ ََ‫ال‬ َ
And by the Ten Nights [Qur’an: 89:2]
For these are blessed days, that Allah has blessed over
and above other days of the year. As the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said:
‫أَفَضَ َلََأَيََمََال‬
َ ‫َََدَنَيََاَََأَيَ َمََالَََََع‬
َ‫شر‬
"The best days in this world are the (first) ten days
(of Dhul Hijja)." [Musnad Bazzar]
By the ‘ten days’ the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) meant, the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. The
Scholars say the reason why Dhul Hijja has been
singled out is the joining of all the major forms of
worship therein. For in it is Hajj, fasting, praying,
charity, recitation of Qur’an, remembrance of Allah
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and all manners of excellent spiritual conduct. Indeed
worship in these days is from the most beloved acts of
worship to Allah, being of the highest level of reward,
as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
َََََ‫َهَ َذَه‬
َ‫َاأََيََم‬ ‫َاّللَ ََم‬
َ ََ‫ََ َن‬
ََ َََ‫بََإَََََل‬
َ َ‫َح‬ َ ‫ََََعَمَلََال‬
َ ََ‫َََصَالََ َحََأ‬
َ َ‫م‬
َ َ ََ‫َََ َنََأ‬
َ َ َ ‫َيَمََال‬ ‫اَم‬ َ
There is no virtue more to the liking of Allah in any
day than in these days (i.e. the first ten days of Dhul
Hijja) [Bukhari]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also
َ َ‫َاّللَََعَزَََوَجَلَََوَََلََأَََعَظَمََأَََجَر‬
َ َ ََ َ‫َََنَََعَمَ َلََأَََزَك‬
َ
said: ََ‫َََ َن‬
‫اَم‬ََ َ َ َ َ َ َ َََ‫ىَعَنَد‬ َ َ َ ‫َمَاَم‬
َ‫َاأَضَ َحَى‬ َ ََ‫خََيَََيَََعَ َمَلَهَََََِف‬
ََََ‫َعَشَر‬
There are no actions purer and more wholesome
with Allah, and none greater in their reward than
the good that one does in the Ten [days of] of Dhul
Hijja. [Darami]
Then Allah swears by His Names the Shaf’ (‘even’)
and the Witr (‘odd’), saying: َ‫َوَتَر‬
َََ‫َوَال‬
َ ََ‫َوَالََشَفَع‬
And [by] the even [number] and the odd
[Qur’an: 89:3]
This oath includes the five daily prayers, for in them is
the ‘even’ (being Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr and Isha) and in
them is the ‘odd’ (being Maghrib). In this oath is also a
possible allusion to the two (i.e. even) rakats before the
one (i.e. odd) rakat of the prayer of Witr. So let the
Muslim adhere to the performing of his obligatory

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prayers and its supererogatory, so he avails the great
reward there is therein.
O servants of Allah:
In this noble verse, Allah swears by the night saying:
‫َََََيَ َلََإَََذَاَي‬
‫ََََ َسَ َر‬ ‫َوَالل‬
And [by] the night when it passes [Qur’an: 89:4]
In other words it comes and goes. In this is an
indication of the pace with which the night passes and
ends. So the one who is cognizant, is the one who
makes the most of it, such as dhikr, such as reflection
on His creation, whilst also using it as a time of rest
and rejuvenation for body and spirit, that too done for
Allah. As Allah says:
َ ‫يَجَعَلََلَََكَمََالل‬ َ َ‫وَهَوََال‬
َ‫َسَبَََ َات‬
َ ََ‫َوََم‬
ََ‫اَوَََالن‬ َ َََ‫ََََََيَ َلََلََب‬
َ َََ‫اس‬ َ َ َ َ ََ َ‫َََذ‬ ََ َ
And it is He who has made the night for you as
clothing and sleep [a means for] rest and has made
the day a resurrection. [Qur’an: 25:47]
So O Allah bless us in our time, and overlook our
faults, and make us from those who are successful. 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]
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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, abundant and proficient
praises as we are commanded to. We thank Him, for
He rewards those who thank Him. 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 Worshippers:
Indeed from the nature of a sound person is that he
pays attention when His Lord takes an oath on this
time. So he makes the most therein by investing
Himself in worship and devotion, so that He may attain
8
 with Allah, the highest degrees in Paradise. For Allah
says: ََ
َ‫َوَى‬ َ َ ‫واَوَ َعَ َمَلَواَال‬ َ َ‫أَمَاَال‬
َ َ‫َمَأ‬
َ َََ
‫َاتََال‬
َ ََ‫َجَن‬
َ ََ‫َََََصََاْلَََاتَََفَلَ َهَ َم‬ َ َََ ََ‫َََن‬
‫َآم‬
َ َ‫ين‬
َ ََ‫ََََذ‬
َ‫واَيَََعَ َمَلَوَن‬
َََ َََ‫َََان‬ ‫نََزَََلَ ََِب‬
‫َََاََك‬
As for those who believed and did righteous deeds,
for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as
accommodation for what they used to do.
[Qur’an: 32:19]
So let us be from those who make the most of their
time, starting from the Baraka of the moments of Fajr.
Renewing our connection to our Lord in these Ten
Days. For these time are a trust given to us, that we are
commanded to preserve. Let us also orient the energies
of our children such that they too can use it for the
good and be from those who are successful in this life
and the next, as Allah says:
َََ َ‫واَوَ َعَ َمَل‬ ََ َ
َ‫وا‬ َ َََ ََ‫َََن‬
‫َآم‬
َ َ‫ين‬َ ََ‫نسَاَنََلَََفَخَََخَ َسَ َر*َإَََلََالََذ‬ ََََ‫صَ َر*َإَ َن‬
َ َ‫َال‬ َ َ‫َع‬
َ ََ‫َوَال‬
َ َََ‫ابْصََو‬ َ َ
َ‫اَِبَلَصََب‬ َ ََ‫ابْصََوَاَََِبَْلَََق‬
َ ََ‫َوَتََو‬ َ ََ‫َوَتََو‬
َ ََ‫الََصََاْلَََات‬
By time * Indeed, mankind is in loss, * Except for
those who have believed and done righteous deeds
and advised each other to truth and advised each
other to patience. [Qur’an: 103:1-3]
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 [
9
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
10
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
11
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.

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