How Do We Welcome the Month of Ramadan

First Khutba All praise is due to Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, who has bestowed upon us the blessed month of Ramadan, so that we may increase in goodness and benevolence. He has opened for us the gates of Paradise, and we bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, the Almighty, the Most Honorable. We also bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the Seal of the Noble Messengers. May Allah’s blessings, peace, and mercy be upon him, his family, his companions, and all who follow them in righteousness. To continue: I advise you, as I advise myself, to have piety and taqwa of Allah. Allah the Exalted says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain piety. [Qu’ran: 2:183] O those who eagerly anticipate Ramadan! After eleven months of longing and waiting for Ramadan, after the hearts of the worshippers have prepared to make the most of its blessings, now it has come to us with its radiant lights and its divine blessings and secrets. Our Prophet ﷺ used to give glad tidings of its arrival, saying: أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ، شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ، فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ، تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ، وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مَرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ Ramadan has come to you, a blessed month, in which Allah has made fasting obligatory upon you. The gates of the heavens are opened in it, the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained. [Nisai] Indeed, the breezes of the blessed month of Ramadan have reached us! Blessed is the one who prepares for it properly, and joyful is the one who is determined to perfect their worship in it—one who seizes its moments for good deeds and turns its days and nights into a field of devotion. They are the true winners in Ramadan, those who reap its mercy and forgiveness. How can we be among them, O servants of Allah? The best way to welcome Ramadan is with a pure heart, a cleansed soul, and sincere intentions. For indeed, our hearts are the place of Allah’s attention. The Prophet ﷺ said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ ‌لَا ‌يَنْظُرُ ‌إِلَى ‌صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ Verily, Allah does not look at your appearances or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and deeds.[Muslim] And when the heart is upright, all deeds become upright, as our Prophet ﷺ said: أَلَا وَإِنَّ ‌فِي ‌الْجَسَدِ ‌مُضْغَةً، إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ Indeed, in the body, there is a piece of flesh; if it is sound, the entire body is sound, and if it is corrupted, the entire body is corrupted. Indeed, it is the heart. [Bukhari/Muslim] Among the most important ways to welcome Ramadan, O servant of Allah, is to set a schedule of righteous deeds for yourself and your family—one that minimizes distractions, reduces the use of electronic devices, and eliminates time-wasting activities. Instead, fill your home with acts of worship. The first thing to prioritize in your schedule should be maintaining the five daily prayers in the mosque, especially the Fajr prayer, as the Prophet ﷺ said: خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ افْتَرَضَهُنَّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، مَنْ أَحْسَنَ ‌وُضُوءَهُنَّ وَصَلَّاهُنَّ لِوَقْتِهِنَّ، وَأَتَمَّ رُكُوعَهُنَّ وَخُشُوعَهُنَّ؛ كَانَ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَهْدٌ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَهُ There are five prayers that Allah has enjoined upon His servants. Whoever performs them properly, observing their ablution, their prescribed times, their bowing, and their humility, has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him.  [Abu Dawud] Additionally, every Muslim should allocate time daily for reading and reflecting upon the Quran, for reciting the Quran in the month it was revealed is more rewarding and impactful: شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ The month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. [Qu’ran 2:185] O servants of Allah, increase your supplications in this blessed month. Raise your hands in earnest prayers, for Allah, the Almighty, has said: ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ Call upon Me; I will respond to you. [Qu’ran 40:60] Especially at the time of breaking the fast, for the Prophet ﷺ said: ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ، -وَمِنْهُمُ- الصَّائِمُ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ Three supplications are not rejected, including the supplication of a fasting person at the time of breaking his fast. [Tirmidhi] Do not neglect seeking forgiveness during the pre-dawn hours (Suhoor), as Allah has praised His righteous servants: وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ And those who seek forgiveness before dawn. [Qu’ran 3:17] Also, ensure that you give charity every night, even if it is just half a date, to feed the hungry or to provide Iftar for a fasting person, for the Prophet ﷺ said: َنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا Whoever provides Iftar for a fasting person will have the same reward as him, without reducing the fasting person’s reward in the slightest. [Tirmidhi] O Servants of Allah: Welcome Ramadan by fostering a loving and harmonious family atmosphere. Spend more time in family gatherings that strengthen familial bonds, increase mercy, and spread kindness. Expand the circle by reconnecting with extended family and resolving any disputes. Ramadan is an opportunity for reconciliation and closeness. Hasten to mend broken ties of kinship, for the Prophet ﷺ said: لَيْسَ الْوَاصِلُ بِالْمُكَافِئِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْوَاصِلَ مَنْ إِذَا قَطَعَتْهُ رَحِمُهُ وَصَلَهَا The one who maintains ties of kinship is not the one who merely reciprocates, but rather, the true maintainer of kinship is the one who continues to connect even when their ties have been severed. [Ahmad] By doing so, we welcome Ramadan with pure hearts, righteous deeds, strong family bonds, and a spirit of social unity. O Allah, help us in Ramadan to fast, pray, and recite the Quran! Accept our good deeds, O Most Merciful! Guide us to obey You and to obey those whom You have commanded us to follow, as You said: O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. [Qu’ran 4:59] I say these words and seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you. Second Khutba All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our trustworthy Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions, and followers. O Believers: As we approach the blessed month of Ramadan, we also commemorate a cherished national occasion—the UAE Education Day, which this year carries the slogan: We all teach, and we all learn. Furthermore, this month coincides with the beginning of March, which our wise leadership has designated as the ‘National Reading Month’ under the slogan: The UAE Reads. This initiative stems from the understanding that building minds is the foundation of building civilizations. Knowledge, reading, and continuous learning are the keys to progress and prosperity. Societies are built on knowledge,  thrive through culture, and civilizations are established by the efforts of scholars and the contributions of creative minds. Allah the Almighty says: يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. [Qu’ran 58:11] His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, President of the UAE, has also stated: There is no place in the future for those who lack knowledge and understanding. So, embrace learning in all its beneficial fields, dedicate yourselves to reading, and persist in acquiring knowledge, for it is the path to success in both this world and the Hereafter. May Allah bless us in Ramadan, guide us to righteousness, and grant us success in both our religious and worldly endeavors. O Allah, send blessings, peace, and grace upon our master and prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, companions, and followers. Be pleased, O Allah, with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, and with all the noble companions. O Allah, make us firm in faith in You, devoted in worship to You, repentant to You, diligent in making the most of Ramadan, seeking Your forgiveness in the early hours of the morning, and dutiful to our parents. Have mercy on them as they raised us when we were young, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, let Ramadan begin for us with security and faith, safety and Islam, and grant us success in all that You love and are pleased with.' O Allah, grant the United Arab Emirates continued stability, progress, and prosperity. Bestow upon us well-being, bless our sustenance, our spouses, and our children. O Allah, guide the President of the State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, his deputies, his brothers, the rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince to all that pleases You. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the founding leaders. Admit them, by Your grace, into Your vast gardens, and encompass the nation's martyrs with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on all Muslim men and women, believing men and women, both the living and the deceased. O Allah, send us abundant rain and do not make us among those who despair. O Allah, grant us relief. O Allah, grant us relief. O Allah, grant us relief. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire. [Qu’ran 2:201] Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic, and He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase them for you. And establish the prayer.