Part One


Praise be to Allah, the All-Mighty, the Most Forgiving, the Most Forbearing, and


the Most Appreciative of His servants’ good deeds. He records all people’s deeds and


will give them full due for them.


Surely! Allah wrongs not even of the weight of a small ant, but if


there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from Him a great


reward. (An-Nisaa: 40)


I praise my Lord and thank Him. I turn to Him in repentance and ask Him for


forgiveness. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and


Who is the All-Knower of what is hidden in the breasts, and I bear witness that our


prophet and master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the caller to every


righteous deed. O Allah! Bestow Your peace, prayers, and blessings upon Your servant


and messenger Muhammad and upon his family and Companions, and multiply our


rewards by doing so.


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O Muslims!


Fear Allah by seeking His good pleasure and abandoning what He has forbidden,


and He will grant you His good pleasure and His Paradise and protect you from His wrath


and punishment.


O Muslims!


There are great horrors, hardships, and afflictions that lie in your way to Paradise.


However, Allah, Exalted be He, will make it easy for the pious and the obedient to


overcome these ordeals. As for those who follow forbidden desires and their own whims,


they have indeed chosen the path leading to Hell.


People fall into sins because of the temptations and forbidden pleasures


surrounding them, but striving hard to show obedience to Allah is far better than


following desires. Piety is the road to happiness and all good, it leads to the best outcome


in this life and in the hereafter, and it is a sign of Allah’s good pleasure. Conversely,


disobedience to Allah is a token of misery and failure in this life and in the hereafter and


leads to an evil outcome and great loss. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


That home of the Hereafter (i.e. Paradise), We shall assign to


those who rebel not against the truth with pride and oppression in


the land nor do mischief (by committing crimes). And the good end


is for the Muttaqûn (the pious). (Al-Qassas: 83)


Allah, Exalted be He, also says:


On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah –


Islamic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said):


‘‘You received your good things in the life of the world, and you


took your pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed


with a torment of humiliation, because you were arrogant in the


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land without a right, and because you used to rebel against Allah’s


Command (disobey Allah)”. (Al-Ahqaf: 20)


Allah, Glorified be He, also says,


... Say (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)): “The


losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the


Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a manifest loss!” They shall


have coverings of Fire above them, and covering (of Fire) beneath


them. With this Allah does frighten His slaves: “O My slaves,


therefore fear Me!” (Az-Zumar: 15-16)


Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace


and blessings be upon him, said, “Hellfire is surrounded by lustful desires and


Paradise is surrounded by hardships” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Abu


Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, also narrated that the Prophet, peace and


blessings be upon him, said:


“When Allah created Paradise, He said to Jibril (Angel Gabriel), ‘Go


and look at it.’ He went and looked at it, then came and said, ‘By


Your might, there is no one who hears of it but will enter it.’ Then


Allah surrounded it with hardships and said to Jibril, ‘Go and look at


it.’ He went and looked at it, then came and said, ‘By Your might, I


fear that no one will enter it.’ And when Allah created Hellfire, He


said to Jibril, ‘Go and look at it.’ He went and looked at it, then came


and said, ‘By Your might, there is no one who hears of it and then


enters it.’ Then Allah surrounded it with lustful desires and said to


Jibril, ‘Go and look at it.’ He went and looked at it, then came and


said, ‘By Your might, I fear that no one will be safe from it.’”


(Reported by Abu-Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa’i)


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If the servant could imagine the last hardship and the greatest obstacle that stands


in his way to Paradise and if he could always bear it in mind, he would definitely mend


his ways and be careful to do righteous deeds in order to save himself from an intensely


hot fire that has a fathomless bottom and hooked rods of iron and attain Paradise, with its


infinite, never-ending delights.


Servants of Allah!


The Sirat, or the bridge that is set over Hellfire, is the insurmountable obstacle,


the greatest hardship, and the severest affliction on the Day of Resurrection. Allah has


decreed and ruled that no one will enter Paradise unless he goes over it and passes it.


Allah judges, there is none to put back His Judgement, and He is Swift at reckoning. No


one will be able to cross that bridge unless he has performed good deeds that please Allah


and are acceptable to Him. Those who are prevented by their evil deeds from crossing it


will fall into Hellfire. What an evil place to settle in! And your Lord does not wrong


anyone.


When this bridge is laid over Hellfire, excessive panic will spread among people


and fill their hearts with fear. Eyes will stare in horror and every one will be concerned


about his own affairs and will forget about anyone else. Even the prophets, peace and


blessings be upon them, will not remember their families at that time. Aisha, may Allah


be pleased with her, said:


“I once thought of Hell and I wept. The Messenger of Allah, peace and


blessings be upon him, asked me, ‘Why are you weeping?’ I replied, ‘I


have thought of Hell and that has made me weep. Will you (prophets)


remember your families on the Day of Resurrection?’ He said, ‘There


are three situations in which no one will remember anyone else: when


the scales [of weighing good and bad deeds] are set until one knows


whether his weight will be light or heavy; when the records of deeds


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are thrown until one knows whether his book will be placed into his


right hand, into his left hand, or behind his back; and when the Sirat


is placed across Hellfire until one crosses it.’” (Reported by Abu-


Dawud)


Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of


Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,


“…Then a bridge will be laid over Hellfire. I will be the first of all


messengers to cross it along with my ummah. No one will utter any


word on that day except for the messengers, whose words on that Day


will be, ‘O Allah! Grant safety! Grant safety!’ In Hell there will be


hooks similar to the thorns of Sa‘dan (a thorny tree). Have you seen


the thorns of Sa‘dan?” The Companions said, “Yes, we have.” He


said, “So the hooks over that bridge will be like the thorns of Sa‘dan


except that none but Allah knows how big they are. They will snatch


the people according to their deeds. Some people will be ruined


because of their evil deeds; some will be cut into pieces, but will be


saved afterwards…” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)


Abu Said Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger


of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,


“... Then the bridge will be set up over Hell, and intercession be


allowed.” The Prophet’s Companions then asked, “O Allah’s


Messenger! What is this bridge?” He said, “A path on which one is


likely to slip, with hooks, tongs, and spits like the thorn found in Najd


which is called Sa‘dan. The believers will then pass over it, some in


the twinkling of an eye, some like lightning, some like wind, some like


birds, and some like the finest horses and camels. Some people will


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escape and be safe, some will be lacerated and let go, and some will be


pushed into the Hellfire.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)


Hudhaifah ibn Al-Yaman and Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with them,


narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,


“Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, will assemble mankind, and the


believers will stand until Paradise is brought near them. They will


then go to Adam and say, ‘O our father! Ask Allah that Paradise may


be opened for us.’ He will reply, ‘There was nothing that put you out


of Paradise except your father’s sin. I am not the one to do that; go to


my son Ibrahim (Abraham), the Khalil (close friend) of Allah.’


Ibrahim, when approached, will say, ‘I am not the one to do that, for I


was only a friend and Allah did not speak to me directly. Ask Musa


(Moses) to whom Allah spoke directly.’ They will then go to Musa but


he will say, ‘I am not the one to do that; go to ‘Isa (Jesus), who is


Allah’s Word and a spirit from Him.’ ‘Isa will say, ‘I am not the one


to do that.’ So they will come to Muhammad (peace and blessings be


upon him) and he will stand and be given permission. Trust and ties


of kinship will be sent forth and will stand on the sides of the Sirat [the


bridge set over Hellfire] on the right and the left, and the first of you


will pass like lightning.” I said [that is Abu Hurairah], “May my


father and mother be sacrificed for you (O Messenger of Allah)! What


is the movement of lightning?” He said, “Have you not seen how


lightning goes and returns in the twinkling of an eye? The next [group


will pass] like the passing of the wind, the next like the passing of a


bird, and the next with the speed of a running man. It is their deeds


that push them. [During all this time] Your Prophet will remain


standing on the Sirat saying, ‘O my Lord! Grant safety! Grant safety!’


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until people’s deeds can no longer help them, such that a man can no


longer move except through crawling. ... On both sides of the Sirat


there will be hanging hooks placed under command, which will seize


those about whom they are commanded. Some people will be


lacerated and then saved and others will be pushed into Hell. By Him


in Whose Hand Abu Hurairah’s soul is, the pit of Hellfire is seventy


years in depth.” (Reported by Muslim)


Another version of the hadith has the following wording, “Some of them will indeed be


dragged on the Sirat.”


Those who disbelieve and are engulfed in their evil deeds will fall into Hellfire,


which will be presented to them as a mirage, the raging flames of which will be


consuming one another, and they will feel as hungry and thirsty as they have never been


before (as reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).


Before that, the Master of Mankind, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be


upon him, will be given permission for the Great Intercession for the servants with the


Lord of mankind when He judges amongst people. Our Prophet is permitted intercession


on other occasions. He will intercede on the plain where all mankind will be gathered for


judgement, and after that the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, the angels, and


the believers, will also intercede, all by Allah’s leave, Exalted be He. The intercession


will cover every person who does not associate any partner with Allah. Polytheists will


by no means benefit from this intercession. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them. (Al-


Muddath-thir: 48)


Even the intercession of our forefather Ibrahim (Abraham), peace and blessings


be upon him, for his father will not be accepted, for Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He,


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will say to him [on the Day of Judgement], “I have forbidden Paradise to the


disbelievers,” as reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari.


How happy and successful those are who will enter the Gardens of Delight! And


how wretched those are whose eternal abode will be Hellfire!


Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of


Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,


“The most miserable man [in this world] from the dwellers of


Paradise will be brought and dipped but once in Paradise, and then he


will be asked, ‘O son of Adam! Have you ever seen any misery? Have


you ever suffered any hardship?’ He will say, ‘No, by Allah, O my


Lord! I have never seen any misery, nor have I suffered any


hardship.’ The man who had the most luxurious life in this world


from among the dwellers of Hell will be brought and dipped in the


Fire but once, and then he will be asked, ‘O son of Adam! Have you


ever seen any good? Have you ever found any pleasure?’ He will say,


‘No, by Allah, O my Lord!’” (Reported by Muslim)


O you who are heedless of what lies ahead of you! O you who waste your days! O


you who are deceived by this worldly life! O you who are forgetful of your hereafter! O


you who have been enslaved by pleasures and desires! Will you not wake up before death


strikes? Will you not take lessons from the punishments that hit those before us? Will you


not draw morals form the signs that you can see?


Know that holding fast to Allah’s straight path in this world will keep your feet


firm as you pass on the Sirat set up over Hell in the hereafter. As you do, so you will be


rewarded or punished. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


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And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your


Lord (i.e. this Qur’an, do what it orders you to do and keep away


from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly


while you perceive not! Lest a person should say: “Alas, my grief


that I was undutiful to Allah (i.e. I have not done what Allah has


ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked [at


the truth! i.e. La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped


but Allah), the Qur’an, and Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon


him, and at the faithful believers]. Or (lest) he should say: “If only


Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among the


Muttaqun (the pious). Or (lest) he should say when he sees the


torment: “If only I had another chance (to return to the world) then


I should indeed be among the Muhsinun (good-doers). Yes! Verily,


there came to you My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,


revelations, etc.) and you denied them, and were proud and were


among the disbelievers. And on the Day of Resurrection you will see


those who lied against Allah (i.e. attributed to Him sons, partners) –


their faces will be black. Is there not in Hell an abode for the


arrogant? And Allah will deliver those who are the Muttaqun (the


pious) to their places of success (Paradise). Evil shall touch them


not, nor shall they grieve. (Az-Zumar: 55-61)


May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its


verses and wise words and benefit from the guidance and right sayings of the Imam of


Messengers. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah for myself,


for you, and for all Muslims for any sin we have committed. Ask Allah for forgiveness.


He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.


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Part Two


Praise be to Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise, the All-Hearer, and the All-


Knower. I praise my Lord and thank Him. I turn to Him in repentance and ask Him for


forgiveness. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, the


Most High, the Most Great, and I bear witness that our prophet and master Muhammad is


His servant and messenger, whose breast Allah opened for him and whose fame Allah


raised high when he said:


And verily, you (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him))


are on an exalted (standard of) character. (Al-Qalam: 4)


O Allah! Bestow Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon Your servant and


messenger Muhammad and upon his family and Companions, the supporters of this


straight religion.


O Muslims!


Fear Allah as He should be feared, and grasp the trustworthy handhold of Islam.


Servants of Allah!


Remember Allah’s favours to you and thank Him for blessing you with them by


hastening to show obedience to Him and by abhorring all that He has forbidden. How


bountiful Allah’s favours are to us and to all people! How great His mercy, generosity,


and munificence are!


One sign of Allah’s mercy to us is that He taught us the greatest, broadest, and


most beneficial supplication that contains all good, namely, the Qur’anic verse in which


Allah, Exalted be He, instructs and requires us to say to Him:


Guide us to the Straight Way. (Al-Fatihah: 6)


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This is the best and most encompassing supplication for safety from evil in Surat Al-


Fatihah (the Opening of the Noble Qur’an).


“The Straight Way” in the above verse has been interpreted as the Sirat, the


bridge set over Hell, and guidance to it has been interpreted to mean crossing it safely


without falling into Hellfire. “The Straight Way” has also been interpreted as Islam. It has


also been interpreted as Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. There is no


contradiction at all among all these interpretations, as each one of them implies the


others; for no one will be truly guided and no one will have his feet kept firm on the


bridge set over Hellfire and be able pass it safely except those who follow in the footsteps


of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and believe in his religion


(Islam), in which he followed the prophets before him, peace and blessings be upon them.


Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Then, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad, peace


and blessings be upon him, saying): “Follow the religion of Ibrahim


(Abraham) Hanif (Islamic Monotheism – to worship none but Allah)


and he was not of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, and


disbelievers). (An-Nahl:123)


Allah sent the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with a well-preserved


religion that cannot be changed or altered in any way. In this religion, Allah has shown us


the interpolations, changes, and alterations made by people in the religion of the previous


prophets, peace and blessings be upon them. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


And verily, this (i.e. Allah’s Commandments mentioned in the


above two Verses 151 and 152) is My Straight Path, so follow it, and


follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His


Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-


Muttaqun (the pious). (Al-An‘am: 153)


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Servants of Allah!


Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the


Prophet (Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)) and also


His angels (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe!


Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad (peace and


blessings be upon him)), and (you should) greet (salute) him with


the Islamic way of greeting (salutation, i.e. AsSalamu


‘Alaikum).


(Al-Ahzab: 56)


The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If a person asks Allah to


send blessings upon me once, Allah will send blessings upon him ten times over.”


So ask Allah to bestow His peace and blessings on the master of those who


preceded us and those who are yet to come and the Imam of Messengers. O Allah!


Bestow Your peace upon Muhammad and his family, as You bestowed Your peace upon


Ibrahim and his family; You are All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah! Bestow Your


blessings upon Muhammad and his family, as You bestowed Your blessings upon


Ibrahim and his family; You are All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah! Bestow Your


bountiful peace and blessings upon Muhammad and his family.


O Allah! Be pleased with all the Companions. O Allah! Be pleased with the


Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, along with all the


Companions. O Allah! Be pleased with the contemporaries of the Companions who


followed them and who did not see the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him


(Tabi‘un), and with those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. O


Allah! Be pleased with us together with them, by Your grace, munificence, and mercy, O


Most Merciful of all the merciful!


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O Allah! Keep us and all Muslims firm upon the Sunnah of Your prophet


Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. O Allah! O Lord of the Worlds! Make us


among his followers in this world and in the hereafter. You are Allah, the Owner of Great


Bounty!


O Allah! Show us the truth as it really is and help us follow it, and show


falsehood as it really is and help us avoid it. Do not make it confusing to us for fear we


might go astray, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We ask you for Paradise and every word or deed that brings us closer to


it, and seek refuge in You from Hellfire and every word or deed that brings us closer to it.


O Allah! We ask You to forgive us the sins that we have committed and the sins


that we may commit in the future, the sins that we have committed in secret and the sins


that we have committed in public, and what You know better than we do. You are the


Expediter and the Delayer. There is no god but You!


O Allah! Forgive the sins of our dead and the sins of all dead Muslims, O Lord of


the Worlds! O Allah! Ease the affairs of Muslims, men and women, and ease the affairs


of all believers, men and women.


O Allah! We ask You, O Owner of Majesty and Honour, to bring together all


Muslims’ hearts. O Allah! Unify the Muslims’ hearts upon the truth, O Lord of the


Worlds!


O Allah! Grant us and all Muslims sound understanding of Your religion, O Lord


of the Worlds!


O Allah! We ask You, O Owner of Majesty and Honour, to forgive us our sins, O


Most Merciful of all the merciful!


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O Allah! Grant us safety in our homelands and make good our rulers, by Your


mercy, O Most Merciful of all the merciful!


O Allah! We ask You to protect us. O Allah! Protect us. O Allah! Protect us and


our offspring from Satan, the outcast, and from his offspring, devils, and soldiers, O Lord


of the Worlds! O Allah! Protect all Muslims from Satan, the outcast, and from his


offspring, O Lord of the Worlds! You are Powerful over all things!


O Allah! You are Allah and there is no god but You! We ask You to have mercy


on us. O Allah! Send down rain upon us and do not make us among the despairing.


O Allah! Relieve the distress of Muslims. O Allah! Relieve the distress of


Muslims. O Allah! Protect Muslims from deluding trials. O Allah! Spare the blood of


Muslims in every place afflicted by turmoil, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Spare their


blood. O Allah! Protect their religion. O Allah! Protect the Muslims’ religion. O Allah!


Protect their property. O Allah! Protect their honour. O Allah! Provide food for the


hungry among them. O Allah! Provide clothes for the unclothed among them! O Allah!


Provide homes for the displaced among them, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! Take revenge upon those who have oppressed and tyrannized them, O


Lord of the Worlds, and take revenge upon those who fought against Your religion and


against the Sunnah of Your prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.


O Allah! There is no god but You! You are Powerful over all things. Do not leave


us to ourselves and do not leave Muslims to themselves for the blink of an eye; You are


Powerful over all things, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We seek refuge in You from deluding trials. O Allah! Save us from rise


in prices, plagues, usury, adultery, fornication, earthquakes, trials, and evil trials,


apparent and hidden.


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O Allah! Guide the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to do whatever You love


and accept. O Allah! Lead him to Your guidance and make all his deeds pleasing to You.


O Allah! Guide him to do what brings about victory to Your religion, O Lord of the


Worlds! O Allah! Grant him good health; You are Powerful over all things. O Allah!


Guide the Crown Prince to what You love and accept and to all that is good, O Lord of


the Worlds! O Allah! Guide both of them to all that is good and to whatever brings about


victory to Islam and Muslims.


O Allah! Protect our countries. O Allah! Protect our countries from every evil and


harm. O Allah! Protect our countries from the oppressors. O Allah! Protect our countries,


O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Protect us from the evil of all evildoers; You are


Powerful over all things! O Allah! Protect us from the evil within ourselves, from our


wrong deeds, and from the evil of all evildoers, O Lord of the Worlds!


Servants of Allah!


Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, has commanded you to pray to Him, and has


promised you to answer your prayers.


... Our Lord! Give us that which is good in this world and that


which is good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the


Fire! (Al-Baqarah: 201)


Servants of Allah!


Verily, Allah enjoins AlAdl


(i.e. justice and worshipping none but


Allah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and AlIhsan


[i.e. to be patient


in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah’s sake and in


accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet (peace and


blessings be upon him) in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to


kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them, e.g.,


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wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.);


and forbids AlFahsha’


(i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts,


disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false


witness, to kill a life without right, etc.), and AlMunkar


(i.e. all that


is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and


every kind of evil deeds, etc.), and AlBaghy


(i.e. all kinds of


oppression), He admonishes you, that you may take heed. And fulfil


the Covenant of Allah (Bai’a: pledge for Islam) when you have


covenanted, and break not the oaths after you have confirmed them,


and indeed you have appointed Allah your surety. Verily! Allah


knows what you do.) (An-Nahl: 90-91)


Remember Allah, the Most Great, the Sublime, and He will remember you. Thank


Him for His blessings and favours and He will give you more. Verily, remembrance of


Allah is greater than all, and Allah knows what you do.