Part One


Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah, Who has made Paradise the reward for


accepted pilgrimage. I praise Him, Glorified be He, and I thank Him for every favour and


bounty that He has made easy for us. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone,


Who has no partners and Who is the Oft-Pardoning, the Oft-Forgiving; and I bear witness


that our master and prophet, Muhammad, is His servant and messenger, who worshipped


his Lord with complete certainty and whose heart was filled with the joy of love for


Allah. May Allah bestow His peace and blessings upon him and upon his family and


Companions, whom those who love are supported and rewarded by Allah.


Now then,


I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has


ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden)


as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him,


and remember Him always], and die not except in a state


of Islam [as Muslims (with complete submission to


Allah)]. (Al ‘Imran: 102)


Thinking of Allah’s pardon fills the soul with peace and the heart with tranquillity


and increases certainty in what Allah has in store for the believers. Allah, Exalted be He,


says:


… and Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving. (An-


Nisa’: 99)


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He pardons sinners, forgives wrong-doers, and condones those who frequently make


mistakes:


And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and


forgives sins, and He knows what you do. (Ash-Shura: 25)


His pardon, Glorified be He, which encompasses all mankind, testifies that Allah


covers His servants’ faults and wipes away their evil deeds. Allah’s great pardon and


gracious forgiveness are among the treasures of Allah’s Throne. It is reported that Jibril


(Angel Gabriel), peace be upon him, once came down to the Prophet, peace and blessings


be upon him, in the best appearance in which he had never descended before, smiling and


cheerful, and said, “Peace be upon you, O Muhammad!” The Prophet said, “And peace


be upon you, O Jibril!” Gabriel said, “Allah has sent me to you with the gift of the


Throne’s treasures. He has honoured you with them.” He said, “What is that gift, O


Jibril?” He said, “Say, ‘O You Who reveal good things and conceal ugly things! O You


Who do not take a wrong-doer to task and do not expose his faults! O You Whose pardon


is great! O You Who graciously overlook Your servants faults! O You Whose


forgiveness encompasses everything! O You Who extend Your hands with mercy! O You


Who are present when every secret talk is made and Whom every complaint ultimately


reaches! O You Who grant noble forgiveness! O You Whose benevolence is infinite! O


You Who bestow Your favours on Your servants even before they become deserving of


them!’”


Servants of Allah! One aspect of Allah’s beautiful pardon is that He loves those


who repent and is pleased with their return to Him. What else do the disobedient want to


get from their Lord? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:


“Allah feels happier with the repentance of His believing servant


than a man in an arid, unlivable desert with his riding beast carrying


all his provision of food and drink. He fell asleep and woke up to


find that his riding beast went away, so he kept searching for it until


he suffered from a great thirst. Then he said to himself, “Let me


return to the place I was in and sleep there until I die.” He lay down


and pillowed on his arm, waiting for death. Then he woke up to find


his riding beast standing before him, still carrying his provision,


food, and drink. Allah feels happier with the repentance of His


believing servant than this man with his riding beast and his


provision.”


Among the other signs of Allah’s encompassing pardon is that He multiplies good


deeds and rewards His servants for intending to perform them, unlike evil deeds.


Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, narrated that the


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Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said about his Lord, Might and Majesty be to


Him:


“Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad deeds and


then has made them clear to His servants. If anyone intends to do a


good deed but does not do it, Allah will write it for him as a full good


deed, and if he intends to do it and actually does it, Allah will write it


for him multiplied from ten to seven hundred times, to many more


times over. And if anyone intends to do a bad deed but does not do


it, Allah will write it for him as a good deed, and if he intends to do it


and actually does it, Allah will write it down as one bad deed.”


Another sign of Allah’s beautiful pardon is that He turns evil deeds into good


deeds. If the servant gives up forbidden acts and performs acts which lead to repentance


and obedience to Allah, this will add to his faith, and proofs of sincere faith will be firmly


established in his heart and so Allah will bestow His gracious forgiveness on him. Allah,


Exalted be He, says:


So that Allah may expiate from them the evil of what they


did and give them the reward, according to the best of


what they used to do. (Az-Zumar: 35)


How vast and beautiful Allah’s pardon is, Glorified be He! Man shows disobedience to


Allah and commits various sins, but in spite of all that, Allah changes his sins into good


deeds. What great munificence! What infinite grace!


... Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic


Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will


change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Ever Oft-


Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al-Furqan: 68-70)


Another manifestation of Allah’s encompassing pardon is that His mercy precedes


His wrath and His pardon precedes His punishment. It is reported in Sahih Al-Bukhai that


Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah,


peace and blessings be upon him, say, ‘When Allah created the creation, He wrote in


a book placed with Him on His Throne, ‘My Mercy precedes My Wrath.’” In


another hadith narrated by Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, where


there is mention of those who will intercede, by Allah’s leave, for some people to take


them out of Hellfire, it is stated that Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, will say, “The


angels have interceded, the prophets have interceded, and the believers have


interceded, and no one remains to grant pardon but the Most Merciful of all the


merciful.” He will then take a handful from the Fire and bring out of it people who never


did any good at all and who will then have turned into charcoal. He will then cast them


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into a river at the entrance of Paradise, called the ‘River of Life’. They will come out as a


seed grows from flood silt.


Another aspect of Allah’s encompassing pardon is that He gives His servants


more than one opportunity before punishing them for their deeds. Allah, Glorified be He,


meets the servants’ ignorance with forbearance, their sins with forgiveness, their open


commission of wrongdoings with concealing them, and their ungratefulness with favours.


According to the hadith, “No one shows more patience in enduring an offence


which he hears than Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him. Some people associate


partners with him and ascribe children to Him, yet He grants them well-being and


provides them with sustenance.”


Another aspect of Allah’s all-embracing forgiveness is that there are various types


of acts that serve as expiation for sins. These include performing ablution (wudu’)


properly and thoroughly, remembering Allah after performing the five obligatory prayers,


frequently going to the mosque, fasting in the month of Ramadan, fasting on the Day of


‘Arafah (9th Dhul-Hijjah) and on the Day of ‘Ashura’ (10th Muharram), reciting Subhan


Allahi wa bi-hamdih (Glorified be Allah and Praise be to Him) one hundred times,


reciting the supplication that serves as expiation for any faults made during a meeting,


performing ‘umrah and hajj, performing the obligatory prayers, giving charity, showing


patience, attending gatherings where Allah is remembered, and asking Allah to bestow


His peace and blessings upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. All these are


means for expiating sins.


Another aspect of Allah’s encompassing pardon is that the punishment for evil is


confined only to its doer whereas the reward for good extends to those witnessing it.


Allah, Exalted be He, says:


So We punished each (of them) for his sins ... (Al-


‘Ankabut: 40)


By virtue of the generosity of Allah, Glorified by He, His mercy, just like rainfall,


encompasses everyone and is extended to those in company with the good, even if they


are not good themselves. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, described the


righteous saying, “They are the people in whose company no one becomes


miserable.”


Another aspect of Allah’s encompassing pardon is that He calls upon the


disbelievers to repent of disbelief. Allah, Glorified be He, says:


Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from


disbelief) their past will be forgiven ... (Al-Anfal: 38)


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If the disbelievers can have their past forgiven, this is all the more reason that the


disobedient believers should be forgiven if they repent of their sins.


Allah’s pardon, O servants of Allah, relieves distress and removes grief. In the


Battle of Uhud, the Prophet’s Companions were afflicted by grief and sadness after the


archers had disobeyed the orders of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, by


leaving the positions he had set for them. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


... But surely, He forgave you ... (Al ‘Imran: 152)


This means, ‘He forgave you so that you may not grieve and so that the sweetness of His


forgiveness may take away the distress of killing and wounds that afflicted you.’


It was the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to


consistently pray to Allah for pardon and wellbeing. Every morning and evening, he


would supplicate to Allah saying, “O Allah! I ask you for forgiveness and wellbeing


in my religion, in my life, in my family, and in my property.”


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


verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah,


the Most Great, for myself and for you. Ask Allah for forgiveness. He is the Oft-


Forgiving, the Most Merciful.


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Part Two


Praise be to Allah, through Whose blessings good things are accomplished. I


praise Him, Glorified be He, and thank Him for His abundant favours. I bear witness that


there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, the God of all creation; and I bear


witness that our master and prophet, Muhammad, is His servant and messenger. He is our


example to emulate and our model to follow in times of great confusion. May Allah


bestow His peace upon him and upon his family and his Companions, who were known


for their virtue and noble deeds.


O Muslims!


I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah.


Asking Allah’s pardon is more appropriate and more desirable in noble seasons


and in places when supplications are bound to be answered than it is in other times and


places. We are now in a great season and this day is a witnessed day. Aishah, may Allah


be pleased with her, narrated that she once said, “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which


night the Night of Decree is, what should I say in it?” He said, “Say, ‘O Allah! You are


Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me!’”


If a servant desires to receive Allah’s pardon, he should be sincere and true to


Allah, among those whose intentions are sincere and whose hearts and deeds are upright.


Allah, Exalted be He, says:


O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those


who are true (in words and deeds). (At-Tawbah: 119)


Whoever regularly demonstrates obedience to Allah will certainly receive Allah’s


pardon. Abu Tawil Shatab Al-Mamdud, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that he


once came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “If I have never left


any sort of sin, major and minor, but committed it, is there still a chance for me to


repent?” The Prophet said, “Have you embraced Islam?” He replied, “I bear witness


that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that you are the Messenger


of Allah.” The Prophet then said, “Yes. Do good deeds and abandon evil deeds,


and Allah will turn all your evil deeds into good ones.” He asked, “Even my deceitful


and immoral acts?” The Prophet said, “Yes.” The man said, “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the


Greatest)”, and he continued to repeat it until he went out of sight.


Those who forgive people and do good to them will certainly receive Allah’s


pardon. However, despite this great favour and abundant pardon, servants of Allah, one


must be careful not to be deceived regarding Allah’s pardon and great kindness. Allah,


Exalted be He, says:


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O man! What has made you careless concerning your


Lord, the Most Generous? (Al-Infitar: 6)


Al-Fudail ibn ‘Iyadh was once asked, “O Fudail! If you stood before your Lord, Glorified


be He, and He asked you, ‘My Slave! What deceived you regarding Me?’ What would


you say?” He said, “I would say, ‘It is Your drawn curtains (by which You concealed the


sins I committed) that deceived me.’”


Servants of Allah!


In these days we should openly celebrate Islamic rituals. These include the


recitation of restricted takbir (reciting the ‘Eid remembrance beginning with Allahu


Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)) after the obligatory prayers, beginning from the dawn of


the Day of ‘Arafah (the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah) until the ‘Asr prayer on the last day of the


Days of Tashriq (i.e. 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), Allahu


Akbar, Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illa-llah (There is no god but Allah). Allahu Akbar, Allahu


Akbar wa lillahil-hamd (Allah is the Greatest and Praise be to Allah).


Servants of Allah!


Ask Allah to bestow His blessings on the Messenger of Guidance, as Allah has


ordered you to do so in His Book. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


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. As-Salamu ‘Alaikum). (Al-


Ahzab: 56)


O Allah! Bestow Your peace upon Muhammad, his wives, and his offspring as


You bestowed Your peace upon the family of Ibrahim, and bestow Your blessings upon


Muhammad, his wives, and his offspring, as You bestowed Your blessings upon the


family of Ibrahim; You are All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious. O Allah! Be pleased with the


four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, along with their


families and the Prophet’s honourable Companions, and also be pleased with us together


with them, by Your forgiveness, generosity, and benevolence, O Most Merciful of all the


merciful!


O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Grant power and


glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims,


subdue disbelief and the disbelievers, and destroy Your enemies – the enemies of Your


8


religion. O Allah! Make this country of ours and all other Muslim countries safe and


secure.


O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet,


and Your believing servants!


O Allah! Bring Muslims together, unite their rows, and gather them around the


truth, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil intentions towards us and towards Islam


and Muslims preoccupied with his own problems and make his plotting the cause of his


own destruction, O All-Hearer of Supplication! O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil


intentions towards us and towards Islam and Muslims preoccupied with his own


problems and make his plotting the cause of his own destruction, O All-Hearer of


Supplication! O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil intentions towards us and towards


Islam and Muslims preoccupied with his own problems and make his plotting the cause


of his own destruction, O All-Hearer of Supplication!


O Allah! You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon us! O Allah!


You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon us! O Allah! You are Oft-


Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon us!


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! Make good for us our religion, which safeguards our affairs, make good


for us this world in which we live, and make good for us the Hereafter, which will be our


eternal abode. Make our life an increase for us in all goodness and our death a respite for


us from all evil, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We ask You for the ways to good, the outcomes of good, the beginnings


of good, and the ends of good, and we ask You for all good. We ask You for the highest


ranks of Paradise, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We ask you for guidance, piety, chastity, and freedom from want. O


Allah! Lavish upon us some of Your blessings, mercy, grace, and provision. O Allah!


Lavish upon us some of Your blessings, mercy, grace, and provision.


O Allah! Be with us and not against us, render us victorious and not defeated,


plan for us and not against us, guide us and lead us to guidance, and grant us victory over


those who have oppressed us.


O Allah! Make us among those who remember You and praise You, who are


humble to You, and who often implore You and return to You in repentance.


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O Allah! Accept our repentance, forgive our sins, approve our cause, guide our


tongues to say the truth, and purify our hearts from envy.


O Allah! We ask You for steadfastness in adhering to the truth, for determination


in following the right path, for benefit from every good deed, for success in attaining


Paradise, and for deliverance from Hellfire.


O Allah! Guide our ruler to what You love and accept. O Allah! Lead him to


Your guidance and make his deeds pleasing to You, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah!


Guide his Deputy to what You love and accept, O Most Merciful of all the merciful!


O Allah! Relieve our distress, forgive the sins of our dead, cure the sick among


us, release our prisoners, protect us, and forgive us, O Most Merciful of all the merciful!


... Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive


us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall


certainly be of the losers. (Al-A‘raf: 23)


... Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have


preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred


against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed


full of kindness, Most Merciful. (Al-Hashr: 10)


... 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)


Verily, Allah enjoins Al-‘Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping


none but Allah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan


[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.


wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of


help), and forbids Al-Fahsha’ (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), and


Al-Munkar (i.e. all that is prohibited by Islamic law:


polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil


deeds), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression), He


admonishes you, that you may take heed. (An-Nahl: 90)


10


Remember Allah and He will remember you. Thank Him for His favours and He


will give you more. Verily, remembrance of Allah is greater than all, and Allah knows


what you do.