Better than a Thousand Months

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, the Most Generous and the Bestower of kindness. He has honored us with the last ten nights of Ramadan, making them an opportunity to multiply our good deeds and attain Paradise. So, to Allah belongs all praise, the Lord of the heavens and the earth. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, alone without a partner, the Most High in ranks. And I bear witness that our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, is the servant and messenger of Allah—the best of those who strive in obedience to their Lord and seek nearness to Him. O Allah, send Your blessings, peace, and mercy upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance. To proceed: O servants of Allah, have taqwa of Allah and obey Him, as He, the Most High, says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ * أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. [Fasting for] a limited number of days.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 183-184) O fasting believers! The month of Ramadan is coming to an end, and only a few days remain. Most of its limited days have passed, leaving behind the best of its moments—times of divine blessings, mercy, and rewards. These are the last ten nights of Ramadan. And what do you know about the last ten nights of Ramadan? They are among the most honored days, and within them lies the greatest night of the year: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ* فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ “Indeed, We sent it [the Qur’an] down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. On that night is made distinct every precise matter.” (Surah Ad-Dukhan: 3-4) And Allah, the Almighty, says about its status and the great events that occur within it: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ * وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ * لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ * تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ * سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ “Indeed, We sent it [the Qur’an] down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Surah Al-Qadr: 1-5) How can it not be a night of peace and security, filled with tranquility? On this night, the angels descend upon the believers, saying Ameen to the prayers of the devoted and witnessing the worship of the obedient. The Prophet ﷺ said: إِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَدَدِ الْحَصَى Indeed, the angels on that night are more numerous on earth than the number of pebbles. (Ahmad) How honorable is this night, how great is its rank, and how vast is its goodness! No rational person would neglect it, nor would a virtuous individual let it go to waste. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ encouraged us to seize its blessings and seek it diligently, saying: تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِى الْعَشْرِ الْأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ “Seek the Night of Decree in the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari and Muslim) The Prophet ﷺ was informed that the Night of Decree is in the last ten nights, so he taught us to be cautious and strive for it throughout these nights to ensure we do not miss its blessings. This was due to his great concern that we should attain its goodness and not be deprived of its virtues. He ﷺ said: مَنْ حُرِمَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ، وَلَا يُحْرَمُ خَيْرَهَا إِلَّا مَحْرُومٌ “Whoever is deprived of its blessings has been deprived of all good, and none is deprived of its goodness except the truly unfortunate.” (Ibn Majah) And he ﷺ also said: مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا؛ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ “Whoever stands in prayer on the Night of Decree with faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari and Muslmim) O seeker of goodness, strive! O negligent one, make up for your shortcomings before time runs out and Ramadan ends while you have not attained Allah’s forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ warned about such a person, saying: وَرَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ ‌رَمَضَانُ ثُمَّ انْسَلَخَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لَهُ “May the person be humiliated who witnesses Ramadan and then lets it pass without having his sins forgiven.” (Bukhari in Adab al-Mufrad) O those striving in worship! Put forth your utmost effort and follow the example of your Prophet ﷺ, for: كَانَ ﷺ يَجْتَهِدُ فِي الْعَشْرِ ‌الْأَوَاخِرِ، ‌مَا ‌لَا ‌يَجْتَهِدُ ‌فِي ‌غَيْرِهِ “The Prophet ﷺ would exert himself in worship during the last ten nights more than at any other time.” (Muslim) He would even wake up those around him so they would not miss its rewards. Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ، أَحْيَا اللَّيْلَ، ‌وَأَيْقَظَ ‌أَهْلَهُ “When the last ten nights began, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would stay up at night, wake his family, and devote himself earnestly to worship.” (Bukhari) So, exert yourself, encourage your family, and inspire those around you to make the most of these blessed moments.  O Allah, help us to remember You, thank You, and worship You properly. Grant us success in attaining the rewards of the Night of Decree, and bestow upon us Your immense rewards and blessings. “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” (Surah An-Nisa: 59) I say this and seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness.   Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Trustworthy, and upon his family, companions, and those who follow them. O Servant of Allah! Do you want to know how to attain the blessings of these sacred nights? Preserve your prayers in congregation, especially Fajr and Isha, to earn the reward of praying the entire night. For the Prophet ﷺ said: مَنْ ‌صَلَّى ‌الْعِشَاءَ ‌فِي ‌جَمَاعَةٍ؛ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَامَ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ. وَمَنْ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ؛ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَلَّى اللَّيْلَ كُلَّهُ “Whoever prays Isha in congregation, it is as if he stood in prayer for half the night. And whoever prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he prayed the whole night.” (Muslim) Do not neglect Taraweeh prayer in the mosque, for the Prophet ﷺ said: إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا ‌صَلَّى ‌مَعَ الْإِمَامِ ‌حَتَّى ‌يَنْصَرِفَ؛ حُسِبَ لَهُ قِيَامُ لَيْلَةٍ “Whoever prays with the Imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer.” (Abu Dawud) Increase your recitation of the Qur’an, remember Allah often, and frequently supplicate. Allah, the Almighty, says in the midst of the verses about fasting: وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 186) Especially say the supplication the Prophet ﷺ taught Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to say if she finds the Night of Decree: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ‌تُحِبُّ ‌الْعَفْوَ ‌فَاعْفُ عَنِّي “O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive me.” (Tirmidhi) Be kind to your parents, maintain ties with your relatives, and engage in acts of charity and reconciliation. Avoid disputes, conflicts, and time-wasting on social media. Do not engage in arguments, offensive speech, or improper behavior, as these diminish one's rewards. Allah says: لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا “There is no good in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity, or good conduct, or reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking the approval of Allah, We will give him a great reward.” (Surah An-Nisa: 114) O Allah, send Your blessings, peace, and mercy upon our master and prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his companions, and those who follow them. And be pleased, O Allah, with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, and with all the noble companions. O Allah, You have commanded us to fast, and we have obeyed. You have commanded us to stand in prayer, and we have responded. So accept from us and forgive our past and future sins, our hidden and open deeds, and all that You know of us. O Allah, You are the Most Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive us. O Allah, grant us the opportunity to witness Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Decree) and bless us with the honor and great reward You have prepared for Your servants in it. O Allah, grant the United Arab Emirates continued stability, progress, and prosperity. Bestow upon us well-being, bless us in our provisions, 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 loyal Crown Prince to what You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the founding leaders, and admit them, by Your grace, into Your vast gardens. Encompass the martyrs of the nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on all Muslim men and women, and all believing men and women—those who are alive and those who have passed away. O Allah, send down upon us beneficial rain and do not make us among those who despair. O Allah, grant us rainfall, O Allah, grant us rainfall, O Allah, grant us rainfall. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire. Servants of Allah, remember Allah the Almighty and He will remember you. Be grateful for His blessings, and He will increase them for you. And establish the prayer.