Our Country in the Summer

First Khutbah Praise be to Allah, the Possessor of grace and bounty, continuous praise that lasts forever. Glory be to Him, Glory be to Him, who enacted His wisdom in the alternation of the seasons and the days, ﴿يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ﴾ “Allah alternates the night and the day. Indeed, in that is a lesson for those who have vision.” We bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. May Allah send His prayers and blessings upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. As for what follows: I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to have taqwa of Allah, to be grateful to Him, and to appreciate His blessings. Allah the Exalted said:  ﴿وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِي أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾ “And fear the One who provided you with what you know.” O Believers: We are living during this time in the atmosphere of the summer season; it is one of the seasons of the year in which Allah has placed His wisdom, mercy, blessings, and bounty. In it, the days grow longer, and we feel the blessing of time. In it, the heat intensifies, causing the trees to bear fruit and the fruits to ripen. When its intensity and heat increase, we seek refuge in Allah from the heat and blaze of Hellfire, and we ask Him, the Exalted, to make us among the people of Paradise who enjoy its blessings. Remember the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: «‌مَنْ ‌سَأَلَ ‌اللَّهَ ‌الْجَنَّةَ ‌ثَلَاثَ ‌مَرَّاتٍ قَالَتِ الْجَنَّةُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَمَنِ اسْتَجَارَ مِنَ النَّارِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ قَالَتِ النَّارُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْهُ مِنَ النَّارِ». Whoever asks Allah for Paradise three times, Paradise says: ‘O Allah, admit him to Paradise.’ And whoever seeks protection from the Fire three times, the Fire says: ‘O Allah, protect him from the Fire.’ O servants of Allah: Indeed, summer is a creation of Allah, ordained by His decree. It is not permissible to curse it or complain about it. Allah, the Exalted, said in the sacred hadith “qudsi”: «يُؤذِينِي ابْنُ آدَمَ؛ يَسُبُّ الدَّهْرَ وَأَنَا الدَّهْرُ، بِيَدِي الْأَمْرُ، ‌أُقَلِّبُ ‌اللَّيْلَ ‌وَالنَّهَارَ». The son of Adam hurts Me by cursing time, while I am Time; in My Hand is the command, and I alternate the night and the day. It does not befit us to grumble about the heat of summer, especially with the comforts and means of luxury that have been made easy for us. So why don’t we thank our Lord for these blessings and resources that our ancestors never enjoyed? They lived on this very land beneath the blazing sun, without coolers to ease the heat, without air conditioners to bring relief, and without vehicles to shorten long distances. They walked barefoot upon the scorching sands, rarely finding a tree to shade them. Yet, despite all of that, they were content with what their Lord had provided, patient in hardship, and grateful in every condition. They continue to be grateful and diligent in their lives. Let us remember their condition and see how Allah has blessed us in our summer now. So, be thankful to Allah, the Bestower, and submit to His wisdom in His creation. Your Lord, the Exalted, says: ﴿وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَالًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ أَكْنَانًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ﴾ “And Allah has made for you from what He has created shadows, and has made for you from the mountains shelters, and has made for you garments to protect you from the heat and garments to protect you from your violence. Thus, He completes His favor upon you that you might submit [to Him].” ﴿فَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ رَبِّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبِّ الْأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾ “So, praise be to Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds.”   We raise our hands in prayer for our beloved country and express our gratitude to our leadership for the services and comforts they have ensured, turning the summer in the Emirates into a season of beauty and ease, just like its serene winter. ﴿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 this and I ask Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, as is His rightful due, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all who follow his guidance after him. O Believers: During the summer, our nation’s institutions actively compete to offer beneficial programs and initiatives for the community, programs that are safe for our children and aimed at promoting progress and prosperity. Summer centers are operating, Qur’an sessions are open, and circles of remembrance are held in our mosques. So, take advantage of them, be keen to attend, and encourage your children to participate. You will earn a great reward when your children finish their summer break having memorized or read a portion or two of the Qur’an, having learned how to make wudu and perform prayer, how to recite the Book of their Lord correctly, and having developed refined character and elevated manners.   Also, do not forget their right to leisure and recreation. Allah, the Exalted, has blessed the UAE with beautiful and abundant places where souls rejoice and hearts find comfort. Visit these places to enrich your knowledge, energize your bodies, and renew your spirits. Do not let the summer pass by without gaining benefit. Instead, acquire practical skills, gain valuable knowledge, and dedicate part of your time to rest, recreation, physical activity, and strengthening your bodies. As the Prophetﷺ said: «فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا» . “Indeed, your body has a right over you”. O Servants of Allah: Send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammadﷺ. O Allah, send Your blessings, peace, and favour upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness. And may You, O Allah, be pleased with all the noble Companions. O Allah, make us among those who truly believe in You with sincere and complete faith, and who worship You with true devotion. Grant us success in making the most of our time during the summer and help us to understand Your wisdom in this season. Grant us the ability to be 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, protect the United Arab Emirates. Encompass it with Your care, guard it with Your protection, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, safeguard the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and continue to bless him with sound judgment and wisdom. O Allah, grant him, his deputies, his brothers the rulers of the Emirates, and his faithful Crown Prince success in all that pleases You. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the rulers of the Emirates who have passed away. Admit them, by Your grace, into the vastness of Your Paradise, and encompass the martyrs of our nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on all Muslim men and women, those who are alive and those who have passed away. O servants of Allah, remember Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, and He will remember you. Be grateful for His blessings, and He will increase you in favour. And establish the prayer.