I Am Pleased by Good Omens

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, who has prescribed for us His straight religion, urging us towards optimism and hope, diligence and action. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow him. To proceed: I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself first, to have taqwa of Allah, the Exalted, says: ﴿وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ “And fear Allah; and let the believers put their trust in Him.” O Believers: Optimism is a value that instills joy in the souls, revives the heart with energy, and motivates a person to shape their tomorrow and build their future. Optimism means expecting good from the Lord of the worlds and rejoicing in what is praiseworthy. Allah has opened the gates of hope and optimism for us through Qur’anic verses. He says: ﴿لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمْرًا﴾ “You do not know; perhaps Allah will bring about after that a matter” When a believer reflects upon this verse, the lights of hope illuminate his heart, and the meanings of optimism blossom in his spirit. It is the same optimism with which the prophets and messengers were distinguished, and with which the wise and righteous adorned themselves. «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ ‌الْفَأْلَ ‌الْحَسَنَ» Indeed, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved good omens.” The foremost value and pillar of optimism, and its greatest source and cause, is having a good opinion of Allah (Husn al-Zhann). It is the key to optimism, as the believers reflect upon the words of their Lord in the Sacred Hadith Qudsi: «أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي» “I am as My servant thinks of Me.” Their hearts find tranquillity, their souls are reassured, and they anticipate good. They hope for righteousness from Allah, and indeed, Allah, Glory be to Him, is as they expect of Him, just as He has promised: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ﴾ “Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.” Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، مَا أُعْطِيَ عَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ قَطُّ شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنْ حُسْنِ الظَّنِّ بِاللَّهِ، وَلَا يُحْسِنُ عَبْدٌ الظَّنَّ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ظَنَّهُ “By Allah, there is no servant who is a true believer who has ever been given anything better than having a good opinion of Allah. And no servant maintains a good opinion of Allah except that Allah grants him what he expects of Him.” Glory be to Him, He manages the affairs of His servants with wisdom and mercy, and He only decrees what is good for them. Therefore, O servants of Allah, persist in having a good opinion of your Lord in all circumstances, and let your motto be: ﴿حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾ “Sufficient for us is Allah; He will give us of His bounty.” Keep optimism present in both your ease and hardship. Have you not heard your Prophet ﷺ say to his companion while they were in the cave, surrounded by dangers: «مَا ظَنُّكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ بِاثْنَيْنِ اللَّهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا؟» “What do you think, O Abu Bakr, of two, Allah being the third of them?”.” This is optimism and having a good opinion of Allah. And has the story of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) not reached you? When she heard the Prophet ﷺ say: «مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ تُصِيبُهُ مُصِيبَةٌ، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي ‌فِي ‌مُصِيبَتِي، ‌وَأَخْلِفْ ‌لِي ‌خَيْرًا ‌مِنْهَا، إِلَّا أَجَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مُصِيبَتِهِ، وَأَخْلَفَ لَهُ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا»، “No servant is afflicted with a calamity and says, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something better,’ except that Allah will reward him in his calamity and replace it for him with something better.”  When her husband passed away, she followed the Prophet’s ﷺ instruction with certainty, and indeed, the Best of Creation ﷺ married her thereafter. This is the outcome of every person who maintains hope and trust in their Lord, no matter how severe the trials. As Allah says: ﴿سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا﴾ “Indeed, Allah will bring about ease after hardship.” Some of the wise have said: “In every calamity that befalls you, make use of having a good opinion of Allah in its relief.” The believer continues to maintain a good opinion of his Lord and strives in His obedience, until Allah admits him into Paradise. O servants of Allah, hope in Allah is among the greatest values of optimism. It is the provision of those who strive on their path, and it drives them to diligence in their work. Without hope, action would cease. Consider how Prophet Ya‘qub (peace be upon him) commanded his sons to hold onto hope and to take the necessary means while placing sincere trust in Allah. He said his immortal words: ﴿يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِنْ يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ﴾ “O my sons, go and investigate about Yusuf and his brother, and do not despair of Allah’s relief.” So, plant hope within your children and families, in your workplaces, and in all areas of your lives, so that hope may remain a prevailing moral value, and optimism a firmly established path. Allah, the Exalted, says: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾ “O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you; so, seek His forgiveness. Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, besides whom there is no deity, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, after whom there is no prophet. To proceed: O believers, among the values of optimism and its causes is rejoicing in good. The believer remains constantly optimistic and cheerful, expecting good in his present and his future. He avoids the whispers of evil and those who promote it, and he keeps in mind the words of his Lord: ﴿لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَكُمْ، بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ﴾ “Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you.” With this firm certainty, the believer brings happiness upon himself. For this reason, our Prophet ﷺ encouraged us to seek out glad tidings and spread them, saying: «‌بَشِّرُوا ‌وَلَا ‌تُنَفِّرُوا» “Give glad tidings and do not repel people.” Yes, O servants of Allah, spread glad tidings through kind words, words that instill hope in hearts and optimism in souls. The Prophet ﷺ said: : «يُعْجِبُنِي ‌الْفَأْلُ ‌الصَّالِحُ، ‌الْكَلِمَةُ الْحَسَنَةُ» “I am pleased by a good omen: a kind word.” How much we are in need of choosing kind words in our dialogue and selecting words of glad tidings in our dealings, such as saying “good,” “rejoice,”  «خَيْرٌ» «أَبْشِرْ» and the like, words that stir feelings of optimism within the soul and lay the foundation for positive thinking, which is among the most important values of optimism. Through this, a person does not stand helpless before challenges; rather, he strives with insight to resolve difficulties. So, will you not adorn yourselves with a positive spirit that leads you toward further progress? By the grace of Allah, you are capable of that, and worthy of it. And accompany patience and contentment, for they are gateways to goodness and sources of optimism.  ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with them both): إِنَّ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ فِي الرَّضَا، فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَرْضَى، وَإِلَّا فَاصْبِرْ. “All goodness lies in contentment. If you are able to be content, then do so; otherwise, be patient.” These, O servants of Allah, are some of the values of optimism: its pulse is hope, its pillar is certainty, and its fruit is success. Through them, a person becomes reassured in his life, progressive in his work, fulfilling the rights of his family, strengthening the stability of his society, building his homeland, and attaining the pleasure of his Lord. O Allah, send Your peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, his companions, and those who follow them. O Allah, be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali, and with all the noble Companions. O Allah, make us believers in You, worshippers devoted to You, repentant to You, adherent to the means and values of optimism, dutiful to our parents; and have mercy upon them as they raised us when we were young, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, indeed, the State of the Emirates has not left a path to benevolence except that it has taken it, nor a door to goodness except that it has knocked upon it. How many afflicted it has relieved, how many poor it has comforted, how many needy it has assisted, how many distressed it has brought joy to, and how many orphans it has sponsored, seeking Your Countenance and in gratitude for Your blessings. So, make this a lasting treasure for it and perpetuate Your favour upon it. O Allah, preserve the State of the Emirates with Your protection, take it under Your care, encompass it with Your providence, and perpetuate its unity and compassion, its stability and prosperity. Protect it from the envy of the envious, the plots of the schemers, the aggression of transgressors, and the evil of enemies and the spiteful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, preserve the one endowed with wisdom, courage, and generous deeds, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the President of the State, and grant him continued success, support, and sound judgment. Grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trusted Crown Prince, in all that You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed on to Your mercy. Admit them, by Your grace, into the spacious gardens of Paradise, and encompass the martyrs of the nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy upon the Muslim men and Muslim women, those living among them and those who have passed away. O Allah, send down rain upon us and do not make us among the despairing. O Allah, grant us relief. O Allah, grant us relief. O Allah, grant us relief. O servants of Allah, remember Allah, the Great and Majestic—He will remember you. Give thanks to Him for His blessings—He will increase you. And establish the prayer.