The United Arab Emirates Stability and Prosperity

First khutbah All praise is due to Allah, who guided His servants to what benefits them in their worldly lives and brings them happiness in the Hereafter. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace, blessings, and mercy be upon him, his family, his companions, and all who follow him. To proceed: I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to have taqwa of Allah, as the Exalted says: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ﴾. O you who have believed, have taqwa of Allah and be with those who are true. O Believers, Among the greatest blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us, and one of His most generous gifts to us, is the blessing of this secure, stable, giving, and prosperous homeland. It is a blessing equal to the entire world and all that is in it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ، مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ، عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ؛ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا» Whoever among you wakes up feeling secure in his surroundings, healthy in his body, and has his food for the day, it is as if the whole world has been gathered for him. So how can we not appreciate the blessing of stability? It is a matter of the utmost importance, indeed, it is an essential necessity, for through it, people are able to fulfill the basic requirements of life and ensure a dignified and comfortable existence. And part of truly appreciating this blessing is to preserve the stability of our homeland, to strive for greater prosperity in our society, and to raise awareness and vigilance within our families by adhering to the commandments of our religion. The foremost of these commandments is the saying of our Creator: ﴿وَاشْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ﴾ “And be grateful for the favor of Allah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.” Whoever continues in gratitude, Allah will continue His blessings upon him, reward him for his thankfulness, and increase him out of His bounty. So, praise be to Allah, in the beginning and the end, outwardly and inwardly. All thanks are due to Him for the blessing He has bestowed upon us: — the stability under which we worship our Lord, — the peace through which we perform our religious duties and daily responsibilities, — the environment in which we educate our children, — the opportunities through which we contribute to building our society, — the means by which we develop our resources, pursue our interests, and work for our common good. And we thank Allah for all the honor and generosity He has granted us. And the second directive is that we approach our work with seriousness, dedication, sincerity, and excellence, in accordance with the words of Allah: ﴿وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ “And say, ‘Do [good] deeds, for Allah will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers.” So, let us be occupied with building our nation and shaping our future. Let us avoid engaging in what does not concern us. Our Prophet ﷺ advised one of his companions, when people became enamored with their own opinions, to focus on his responsibilities and avoid getting entangled in the talk of the masses. عَلَيْكَ بِأَمْرِ خَاصَّةِ نَفْسِكَ وَدَعْ عَنْكَ أَمْرَ الْعَامَّة)) ‏ “Attend to your own affairs, and leave alone the affairs of the generality”   The third directive, O servants of Allah, is drawn from the words of our Prophet ﷺ: «إِنَّمَا الْإِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ»  “Indeed, the leader (Imam) is a shield.” This means the head of state is like a protective shield for his people, he safeguards them from harm. Therefore, we must embody true citizenship by standing united behind our nation's leader, considering his decisions as our own, holding his directives as a trust upon us, and sincerely praying for his continued blessings and success. We must listen to him and obey, in times of ease and hardship, just as our Lord has commanded: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾ “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” I say these words of mine, and I ask Allah for forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness, for He is ever forgiving and merciful.   Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, as He deserves to be praised. May peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, His Prophet and Servant, and upon his family, his companions, and all who follow his guidance after him. O believers: Stability is a conscious choice and a shared responsibility. It requires unity and cooperation, effort and sacrifice, awareness and vigilance. It is the cornerstone of safety and peace. Our Lord, Exalted is He, says: ﴿فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ* الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ﴾ Let them worship the Lord of this House, who has fed them against hunger and secured them against fear. Thus, O servants of Allah, we must safeguard the stability of our homeland by verifying the information we receive, ensuring that we only take news from official sources, and seek knowledge from trusted and reliable authorities. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾ O you who have believed, if a wicked person comes to you with news, verify it  Let us also avoid spreading rumors, for rumors are the spark of discord and the ember of evil.  Our Prophet ﷺ said: «‌كَفَى ‌بِالْمَرْءِ ‌إِثْمًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا ‌سَمِعَ» It is enough of a sin for a person to go on narrating whatever he hears. So, to those who preoccupy themselves with following the news and spreading it without verification: enough wasting your time and engaging in what may harm you, for a single false report that you circulate could cause harm to society and stir up discord. It is far better for you to spend your time praying for your country, following the example of our master Ibrahim, peace be upon him, when he supplicated to his Lord: ﴿رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ﴾ My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits. It is our duty to sincerely pray for our country, the United Arab Emirates, for it has always been, and continues to be, a symbol of peace and stability. The President of the State, may Allah protect him, has said: The United Arab Emirates will always remain a supporter of peace and stability in our region and around the world, a helping hand to both allies and friends, and a voice of wisdom and cooperation for the good and progress of humanity. O servants of Allah, Allah the Almighty says: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾ Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace. O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and grace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions. O Allah, grant us to be among those who believe in You, worship You sincerely, and give thanks for Your blessings. Protect us from the evils of rumors and distress. O Allah, make us dutiful to our parents, and have mercy on them as they raised us when we were young. O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, forgive all who have established charitable endowments seeking Your pleasure and reward. Accept it from them. O Allah, continue to bless the United Arab Emirates with stability, progress, and prosperity. O Allah, preserve the President of the State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and endow him with wisdom and sound judgment. Guide him, along with his deputies, his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince, to the path that earns Your favor and pleasure. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the rulers of the UAE who have passed away. Admit them by Your grace into the vast gardens of Paradise and envelop our nation’s martyrs in Your mercy and forgiveness. O servants of Allah, remember Allah, the Great and Glorious, and He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.