The United Arab Emirates Friday:21-06-2019

General Authority of Islamic

Affairs & Endowments Corresponding to:

What are the best of deeds?

The First Khutbah
All praises are due to Allah, the Gloriously
Transcendent. Who has commanded us to the best of
deeds. And I bear witness, with every facet of my
being, that there is nothing worthy of absolute love and
adoration, except Allah, the Uniquely One, having no
competing second in that One-ness. And I bear witness
that our Leader and Master, our Prophet, Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon his name), is the perfect
example of servanthood unto Allah, and is His sent
Messenger unto the entirety of the created universe.
To Continue: I advise you, dutiful servants of Allah,
and myself, to adhere to a heartfelt consciousness
(Taqwa) of Allah. For He, the Most Gloriously
Transcendent, states:
ِِ ِ ِ ِ‫وق‬
‫سنُوا ِِف‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫ين أ‬ َ ‫ين اتَّ َق ْوا َماذَا أَنْ َز َل َربُّ ُك ْم قَالُوا َخ ْي ًرا للَّذ‬
َ ‫يل للَّذ‬
َ َ
ِ ِ ِ ُّ ِ‫َه ِذه‬
َ ‫سنَةٌ َولَ َد ُار ْاْلخ َرة َخ ْي ٌر َولَنِ ْع َم َد ُار ال ُْمتَّق‬
‫ي‬ َ ‫الدنْ يَا َح‬
And it will be said to those who had Taqwa of Allah
, "What did your Lord send down?" They will say,
"[That which is] good." For those who do good in
this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is
better. And how excellent is the home of the
righteous - [Qur’an:16:30]
O Muslims:
Allah states in the Surah al-Kahf:

ًً ‫س ُن ََ َم‬ ‫َح‬‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ُ ‫َي‬

ُّ ‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫و‬ ‫ل‬
ُ ْ ‫ن‬
َِ‫ِ ِينَةً َا ل‬
ِ ‫إِ َّّن ََ َعلْنَا َما ََلَ ْاَْ ْر‬
َ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ
Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth
adornment for it that We may test them [as to]
which of them is best in deed. [Qur’an:18:7]
In other words, Allah created this world and beautified
it, originating it and perfecting it; all so that people can
be tested. He looks to see which of us are most
obedient towards Him and most avid in hastening
towards His contentment therein. For Allah has given
mankind from everything in order that they in turn may
put forward their best. He has created them in the best
of forms and dispositions as He states:

‫س ِن تَ ْق ِو مي‬ ْ ‫سا َن ِِف أ‬

َ ‫َح‬ ِْ ‫لََق ْد َخلَ ْقنَا‬
َ ْ‫الن‬
We have certainly created man in the best of
stature; [Qur’an: 95:4]
He revealed to them the best of Books and Rulings, as
He says:

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ُ ُ‫ش ِع ُّر ِم ْنهُ َُل‬
‫ود‬ َ َ‫يث كِتَ ًاًب ُمت‬
َ ‫ش ِاِبًا َمثَ ِاِنَ تَ ْق‬ ِ ‫َحسن ا ْْل ِد‬ َّ
َ َ َ ْ ‫اَّللُ نَ َّز َل أ‬
َِّ ‫ودهم وقُلُوب ُم إِ ََل ِذ ْك ِر‬
‫اَّلل‬ ِ ِ َّ
ْ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ ُ‫ي َُل‬ ُ ‫ش ْو َن َربَّ ُُ ْم ُُثَّ تَل‬
َ ْ‫ين ََي‬
َ ‫ا لذ‬
Allah has sent down the best speech: a consistent
Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver
therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their
skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of
Allah. [Qur’an: 39:23]
Allah has sent in the Qur’an the best of stories, each of
these stories being full of instruction and example, for
He says:

َ ‫ص ِِبَا أ َْو َح ْي نَا إِلَْي‬

‫ك َه َذا الْ ُق ْرآ َن‬ ِ ‫ص‬
َ ‫س َن الْ َق‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ‫كأ‬َ ‫ص ََلَْي‬
ُّ ‫ََْن ُن نَ ُق‬
We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the best of
stories in what We have revealed to you of this
Qur'an although you were, before it, among the
unaware. [Qur’an:12:3]
So let each person reflect and follow the best of ways
that will allow a person to reach the contentment of
Allah.
Allah has ordered us to act upon on the Qur’an in the
best of ways, through praiseworthy deeds, for He says:

‫س َن َما أُنْ ِز َل إِلَْي ُك ْم ِم ْن َربِ ُكم‬ ْ ‫َواتَِّْعُوا أ‬

َ ‫َح‬
And follow the best of what was revealed to you
from your Lord [Qur’an: 39:55]
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And Allah praises His servants who truly follow Him:
َّ ‫اه ُم‬ ِ َّ َ ِ‫الَّ ِذين يستَ ِمعو َن الْ َقو َل فَ ي تَِّْعو َن أَحسنَهُ أُولَئ‬
ُ‫اَّلل‬ ُ ‫ين َه َد‬
َ ‫ك ا لذ‬ َْ ُ َ ْ ُ َْ َ
ِ َْْ‫ك ُه ْم أُولُو ْاَْل‬
‫اب‬ َ ِ‫َوأُولَئ‬
Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those
are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people
of understanding. [Qur’an: 39:18]
For such servants are those of sound intellects and of
an upright nature. They are those who hear the Qur’an
and Hadith of the Prophet and act in accordance with
them.
O Servants of Allah:
From the best and most pure of deeds, the most lofty, is
the remembrance of Allah, and the establishing of
prayer, as well as the paying of Zakat. For Allah says:
‫الص ًَةِ َوإِيتَ ِاء‬ َِّ ‫ال ََل تُلْ ُِي ُِم ِِتَارةٌ وََل ب يع َن ِذ ْك ِر‬
َّ ‫اَّلل َوإِقَ ِام‬ ْ َ ٌ َْ َ َ ْ ٌ ََ ‫ِر‬
َّ ‫ار* لِيَ ْج ِزيَ ُُ ُم‬
ُ‫اَّلل‬ ُ‫ص‬ َ ْ‫وب َو ْاَْب‬
ِ ِ َّ‫الزَكاةِ ََيَافُو َن ي وما تَتَ َقل‬
ُ ُ‫ب فيه الْ ُقل‬ ُ ً َْ َّ
‫شاءُ بِغَ ِْْي‬
َ َ‫اَّللُ يَ ْرُِ ُق َم ْن ي‬ ْ َ‫س َن َما ََ ِملُوا َويَ ِزي َد ُه ْم ِم ْن ف‬
َّ ‫ضلِ ِه َو‬ َ ‫َح‬
ْ‫أ‬
‫ِحس م‬
‫اب‬ َ
[Are] Men whom neither commerce nor sale
distracts from the remembrance of Allah and
performance of prayer and giving of Zakah. They
fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will
[fearfully] turn about. That Allah may reward them
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 [according to] the best of what they did and
increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives
provision to whom He wills without account.
[Qur’an:24:37-38]
Sayyidina Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)
stated: ‫َّاس‬
ُ ‫الن‬ ‫س ُن َما يَ ْع َم ُل‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫الص ًَةُ أ‬
َّ
As-Salat (the prayers) is the best of all deeds.
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Also from the best of deeds is piety towards one’s
parents. For Allah says: ‫اّن‬
ً‫س‬ ِ
َ ‫إ ْح‬ ‫سا َن بَِوالِ َديْ ِه‬ ِْ ‫ص ْي نَا‬
َ ْ‫الن‬ َّ ‫َوَو‬
And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents,
kind treatment. [Qur’an: 46:15]
Allah promises those who are kind to their parents that
He will accept their deeds, and that He will look after
them in the best of manners, for He says:
‫س َن َما ََ ِملُوا َونَتَ َج َاوُِ ََ ْن َسيِئَاِتِِ ْم‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫ين نَتَ َقَّْ ُل ََ ْن ُُ ْم أ‬
ِ َّ َ ِ‫أُولَئ‬
َ ‫ك ا لذ‬
َ ُ‫الص ْد ِق الَّ ِذي َكانُوا ي‬
‫وَ ُدو َن‬ ِ ‫اب ا ْْلن َِّة و َْ َد‬
َ َ ِ ‫َص َح‬ ْ ‫ِِف أ‬
Those are the ones from whom We will accept the
best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds,
[their being] among the companions of Paradise.
[That is] the promise of truth which they had been
promised.[Qur’an: 46:16]
O Muslims:
Allah has encouraged us that we always employ the
best of what we can say from speech. For He says:

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 ِ ِ ِِ
‫س ُن‬ ْ ‫َوقُ ْل لعَْادي يَ ُقولُوا الَِِّت ه َي أ‬
َ ‫َح‬
And tell My servants to say that which is best.
[Qur’an: 17:53]
This is also why He calls us to establish and sow love
between people by saying:
َ َ‫س ُن فَِإ َذا الَّ ِذي بَ ْي ن‬ ِ
ٌّ‫ك َوبَ ْي نَهُ ََ َد َاوةٌ َكأَنَّهُ َوِِل‬ ْ ‫ا ْدفَ ْع ًِبلَِِّت ه َي أ‬
َ ‫َح‬
‫اها إََِّل ذُو َح مظ ََ ِظ ميم‬ َ ‫صَْ ُروا َوَما يُلَ َّق‬
َ ‫ين‬
ِ َّ
َ ‫اها إَِلَّ الذ‬
َ ‫يم* َوَما يُلَ َّق‬ ِ
ٌ ‫ََح‬
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel
[evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon
the one whom between you and him is enmity [will
become] as though he was a devoted friend.
[Qur’an:41: 34-35]
For indeed, interacting with others with beautiful
character, showing good towards them, repairing
hearts, is what eventually brings about their love and
affection.
And from the best of speech that strengthens
relationships amongst people, is responding to
greetings with greetings better than them. Acting in
accordance with the words of Allah: ‫َوإِ َذا ُحيِيتُ ْم بِتَ ِحيَّ مة‬
‫اَّللَ َكا َن ََلَ ُك ِل َش ْي مء َح ِسيًْا‬
َّ ‫ُّوها إِ َّن‬ ِ ‫فَحيُّوا ِِبَح‬
َ ‫س َن م ْن َُا أ َْو ُرد‬ َْ َ
And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in
return] with one better than it or [at least] return it
[in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all
things, an Accountant. [Qur’an:4:86]
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So if someone sends their salaams upon you, then
return in turn with a greater salaams or the like of the
salaams they gave to you. This is one example of great
communication and connection.
O Muslims:
Indeed interacting with others with the best of manners
is the most beloved of things towards Allah. In this
way we have in the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) the best of examples. For it is
narrated on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah
be pleased with him) that he said:
The Messenger of Allah was of the best of people in
his character. He used to be avid in interacting at all
times, with all people, with the best of manners, calling
upon Allah in his supplication saying:
َ ْ‫سنِ َُا إََِّل أَن‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َّ
،‫ت‬ َ ‫ ََل يَ ُْدي َْ ْح‬،‫س ِن ْاَْ ْخ ًَق‬ َ ‫الل ُُ َّم ْاهدِِن َْ ْح‬
َ ْ‫ف ََ ِّن َسيِئَ َُا إََِّل أَن‬
‫ت‬ ْ َ‫ف ََ ِّن َسيِئَ َُا ََل ي‬
ُ ‫ص ِر‬ ْ ‫اص ِر‬
ْ ‫َو‬
O Allah, guide me to the best of deeds and the best
of manners, for none can guide to the best of them
but You. And protect me from bad deeds and bad
manners, for none can protect against them but
You. [Sahih Muslim]
He encouraged us to the same, by saying:
ِ ‫إِ َّن ِخيارُكم أَح‬
‫اسنُ ُك ْم أَ ْخ ًَقًا‬ َ ْ ََ
The best among you are the best in character
(having good manners). [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]
7
So he used to always interact with gentleness, ignoring
their mistakes, teaching them with tenderness, seeing to
their rights being fulfilled. Giving them more than their
rights, in fact, as a way of soothing their hearts, saying:
ِ
ً‫ضاء‬
َ َ‫سنُ ُُ ْم ق‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫َّاس أ‬ َ َ‫إِ َّن خي‬
ِ ‫ار الن‬
The best person is he who discharges his debt in the
best manner. [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]
So may Allah guide us to the best of deeds and sayings,
and comprehensive manners, and may He assist us all
in the way of piety and obedience. Piety towards Your
trustworthy Messenger, Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him), the ability to be dutiful
towards those You have commanded us to be dutiful
towards, in accordance with Your words: O you who
have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger
and those in authority among you. [Qur’an: 4:59]
May Allah bless me and bless you with the Noble
Qur’an and with the Way (Sunnah) of His Noble
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I say this,
and I seek forgiveness for me and for you, so seek His
forgiveness, for He is the All-Forgiving and the All-
Merciful.

The Second Khutbah

All praises are for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. And I
bear witness, with every facet of my being, that there is
nothing worthy of absolute love and adoration, except
Allah, the Uniquely One, having no competing second
8
in that One-ness. And I bear witness that our Leader
and Master, our Prophet, Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon his name), is the perfect example of
dutiful servanthood towards Allah, and is His sent
Messenger unto the entirety of the created universe. O
Allah: We ask you to bestow Your peace, blessings and
grace upon him; his family; all of his companions; and
whomsoever follows and seeks to emulate him in the
best of ways till the Last Day. I advise you, O servants
of Allah, and myself, with Taqwa of Allah (glorified be
He).
O Muslims:
Allah, the Most glorified, states:
ً‫اْلًا ِم ْن ذَ َك مر أ َْو أُنْ ثَ َو ُه َو ُم ْؤِم ٌن فَ لَنُ ْحيِيَ نَّهُ َحيَاة‬
ِ ‫من ََ ِمل ص‬
َ َ َْ
‫س ِن َما َكانُوا يَ ْع َملُو َن‬ ْ ‫ََ َرُه ْم ِِب‬
َ ‫َح‬ ُ ‫طَيَِْةً َولَنَ ْج ِزيَن‬
ْ ‫َُّ ْم أ‬
Whoever does righteousness, whether male or
female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause
him to live a good life, and We will surely give them
their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best
of what they used to do. [Qur’an: 16:97]
Someone who is characterized by the best of deeds and
actions, and the best of characters in their interaction
with others, then for such a person there is the goodly
life that Allah blesses those He loves with in this
world. They will come on the Day of Judgment in a
state of security and contentment, in a state of delight
9
with regards to what Allah has promised them from
His tremendous reward and lofty ranks. For Allah
ِ َّ‫لِل‬
says: َ َُ ‫سنُوا ا ْْلُ ْس ََن َوََِِي َدةٌ َوََل يَ ْرَه ُُ ُو‬
‫وه ُُ ْم قَ تَ ٌر َوََل‬ َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫أ‬ ‫ين‬
َ ‫ذ‬
‫اب ا ْْلَن َِّة ُه ْم فِ َيُا َخالِ ُدو َن‬
ُ ‫َص َح‬ْ ‫كأ‬ َ ِ‫ِذلَّةٌ أُولَئ‬
For them who have done good is the best [reward]
and extra. No darkness will cover their faces, nor
humiliation. Those are companions of Paradise;
they will abide therein eternally. [Qur’an: 10:26 ]
So let us be avid and keen to ensure we have the best of
deeds in our prayer, our Zakat and our ties with our
parents. Let us devote ourselves to the best of speech,
busying ourselves with remembrance of Allah and kind
words. Above all, let us strive to imbibe the most noble
of character – for all of this is how a human being
becomes realized in his humanity. Becoming someone
raised up in ranks not just with Allah, but with
mankind at large.
And with this, let us send our peace and blessings upon
the one we have been commanded to send our peace
and blessings upon, as Allah says: Indeed, Allah
confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels
[ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [
Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah
to grant him] peace. [Qur’an: 33:56]. So, O Allah,
bestow Your peace, blessings and grace upon our
Master, our Prophet and upon his family and all of his
companions. And may Allah be pleased with the
10
Righteous Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali; and
the noble companions of the Prophet, the Sahaba, may
Allah be pleased with all of them. O Allah, we ask You
for soundness in our faith, and trust in good character,
and a true success that will be followed by eternal bliss.
O Allah, we ask You for Your mercy, for true
prosperity, for Your redemptive forgiveness and Your
pleasure. O Allah, make us from those who are
obedient, respectful, those who venerate their parents,
honoring their mothers and their fathers, embodying
excellent character towards their families and wider
societies.
O Allah, grant success to the UAE President HH
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and guide him to
all that is good. O Allah, we seek Your favour in
granting him continued good health and care. O Allah,
we also ask You to grant success to the Vice-President,
the Crown Prince and his Brothers, their Highnesses,
the Rulers of the Emirates.
O Allah, we ask You to forgive all of the Muslims,
both the men and women, the living and dead. O Allah,
bestow your mercy on the late Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh
Maktoum and the other late UAE Sheikhs who have
passed on to the mercy of their Lord. O Lord, grant
them from your abundant mercy and bless them with
Your kindness and satisfaction. O Allah, we ask you to
admit them into Paradise, being given bounties therein
without being taken to account. O Lord, forgive and

11
show mercy on our parents, relatives and whosoever
may have a right upon us.
O Allah, we ask You, from your loving kindness, for
the immensity of your forgiveness, for the reward of all
righteousness, for the safety and protection from all
sin. O Allah, we ask you for the ultimate success in
attaining Paradise, and the ultimate respite in being
saved from the Fire. O Allah, do not allow us to sin
except that You forgive us, nor to have any worry
except that you relieve us therein, nor for any debt to
come upon us except that You see it compensated, nor
for there to be any sick amongst us except that You see
them healed. Let there be no dead, except that You
have covered them in Your mercy, and let there be no
pressing need, amongst any of us, except that You see
it met and fulfilled. O most Noble of the Noble, You
are capable over all things, and You are the most
generous in responding to those who call upon You.
We ask You, O Allah, the Lord of all domains, to
continue blessing the UAE with stability, welfare,
increase in its bounties, knowledge, civilization,
happiness, beauty and tolerance. O Allah, please
continue blessing it with safety and security. O Allah,
have mercy on the honorable martyrs of our nation and
gather them with the ones upon whom Allah has
bestowed favour of the Prophets. O Allah, make the
dwelling of the martyrs, their families, parents and
relatives with the righteous. Indeed, You are ever-
responsive to those who call upon You. O Allah, grant
12
to the people of Yemen that which is good, and unite
them upon that which is True and Sacred, and provide
for them all manners of prosperity, O most Noble of
the Noble.
O Allah, spread peace and security amongst all the
Muslim nations, and the entirety of the world. O our
Lord, we ask You for the best of this World, the best of
the Hereafter, that You will protect us from the
punishment of the Fire, and that You enter us into Your
paradise with the righteous. Indeed You are the Most
Generous and Most Forgiving.
O Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Majestic,
and He will remember you. Thank Him for His
blessings and He will increase you therein. And
establish the prayer.
So stand up for prayer.

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