Part One
Praise be to Allah, the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving. He causes the night to
succeed the day and the day to succeed the night and everything with Him is in due
proportions. I praise my Lord and thank Him for His favours and His grace. I bear
witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, the One, the All-
Dominant, and I bear witness that our prophet and master, Muhammad, is His servant and
chosen messenger. O Allah! Bestow Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon Your
servant and messenger Muhammad and upon his family and righteous Companions.
Now then,
Fear Allah, Exalted be He, and obey Him, for obedience to Allah is the soundest
and most upright way. Take provisions for the hereafter and know that the best provision
is fear of Allah.
Servants of Allah!
If you think deeply about this transient worldly life, its despicable ornaments, and
its ever-changing nature, you will realize its real worth and true meaning. He who trusts
it will be deceived, and he who is inclined to it will be doomed. This world is as short as
one’s life in it. One’s life starts with a few hours, which are followed by further hours,
then days, then months, and then years. Then life comes to an end, and nobody knows
about the horrifying matters that await him after his death.
O Man! Are the lives of others after your death an extension of your own life? A
man’s life is but a single moment compared with the life of successive generations, and
even this present life in its entirety is nothing but a brief enjoyment. Allah, Exalted be
He, says:
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... Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick
passing) enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter that is the
home that will remain forever. (Ghafir: 39)
Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
And put forward to them the example of the life of this
world; it is like the water (rain) which We send down from
the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it,
and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry
and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is
Able to do everything. (Al-Kahf: 45)
Our Lord informs us about the brevity of people’s stay in their graves until the
day they are resurrected for judgement. He tells us that this long period will seem to them
on the Day of Judgement like an hour. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
And on the Day when He shall gather (resurrect) them
together, (it will be) as if they had not stayed (in the life of
this world and graves) but an hour of a day. They will
recognize each other. ... (Yunus: 45)
Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
And on the Day that the Hour will be established, the
Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will
swear that they stayed not but an hour – thus were they
ever deluded [away from the truth (i.e. they used to tell
lies and take false oaths, and turn away from the truth) in
this life of the world]. (Ar-Rum: 55)
Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
Therefore be patient (O Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him)) as did the Messengers of strong will and be
in no haste about them (disbelievers). On the Day when
they will see that (torment) with which they are promised
(i.e. threatened, it will be) as if they had not stayed more
than an hour in a single day. (O mankind! This Qur’an is
sufficient as) a clear Message (or proclamation to save
yourself from destruction). But shall any be destroyed
except the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious
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against Allah’s command, disobedient to Allah). (Al-Ahqaf:
35)
O Man! How long will you then live when it is all like an hour in a single day?
And what is your share in this hour? Blessed, then, are those who do good deeds and
shun prohibited acts, for that will win them the good pleasure of Allah and the delights of
the gardens of Paradise. And wretched are those who follow their lusts and neglect their
prayers and all religious obligations, as they will be doomed to the lowest depths of
Hellfire.
O You who have been deluded by your good health, and therefore have disobeyed
your Lord! O You who have been corrupted by your free time, and therefore have
engaged in distractions! O You who have failed to stand the test of your wealth, and
therefore have ruined yourself! O You who have followed your evil whims and desires,
and therefore have fallen into sin! O you who have been deceived by your youth, and
therefore have forgotten about death! O you who have dared to disobey your Lord
because you feel that you still have time to live and hopes to fulfil! When death snatches
you away, you will wish to return to this world to do deeds other than those you used to
do, but in vain!
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Remember the destroyer
of pleasures [i.e. death], for it is not remembered amidst many pleasures but it
makes them seem little [thus saving one from indulging in pleasures and making
one closer to Allah], and it is not remembered amidst few pleasures but it makes
them seem many.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also said, “Death is
sufficient as an admonition.”
O you who are heedless, neglectful and disobedient! Is it not time for you to turn
to your Lord in repentance? Is it not time to wake up from your deep sleep and respond to
the call of Allah? Will you not draw lessons from the previous generations and deserted
dwellings? Will you not draw lessons from those who left all their grandeur and glory
and have now become history?
There are lessons and morals to be drawn from the coming and passing of years.
You will continue to leave a day behind and welcome another until your appointed time
is over and your hopes come to an end. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
And that man can have nothing but what he does (good
or bad). And that his deeds will be seen. Then he will be
recompensed with a full and the best recompense. And
that to your Lord (Allah) is the End (Return of
everything). (An-Najm: 39-42)
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Therefore, strive to enter Paradise, the eternal abode whose bliss will never end,
decrease, or perish, and about which Allah says:
“Enter you therein in peace and security; this is a Day of
eternal life!” There they will have all that they desire, and
We have more. (Qaf: 34-35)
And strive to escape Hellfire, whose torment of its dwellers will never abate, by obeying
Allah’s certain command and avoiding his great wrath. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
... Then as for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will
be cut out for them, boiling water will be poured down
over their heads. With it will melt (or vanish away) what is
within their bellies, as well as (their) skins. And for them
are hooked rods of iron (to punish them). Every time they
seek to get away therefrom, from anguish, they will be
driven back therein, and (it will be) said to them: “Taste
the torment of burning!” (Al-Hajj: 19-22)
Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
... and send (good deeds, or ask Allah to bestow upon you
pious offspring) for your ownselves beforehand. And fear
Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the
Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers (O
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)). (Al-
Baqarah: 223)
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 all
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 Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
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Part Two
Praise be to Allah, Who knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden. He
takes charge of every soul and knows all that it has earned, and takes account of all deeds
and will recompense for them with the fullest recompense. 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. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.
I also bear witness that our prophet and master, Muhammad, is His servant and chosen
messenger. O Allah! Bestow Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon Your servant and
messenger Muhammad and upon his family and Companions, who are known for their
forbearance and piety.
Now then,
Fear Allah as He should be feared, and grasp the trustworthy handhold of Islam.
Servants of Allah!
Allah has opened for you the doors to His mercy by commanding you to do good
deeds and to refrain from vice. Therefore, do not close the door to Allah’s mercy against
yourselves by defying Him through the commission of sins. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
... and My Mercy embraces all things. That (My Mercy) I
shall ordain for those who are pious, and give Zakat, and
those who believe in Our signs. (Al-A‘raf: 156)
Benefit from the time when you are healthy, O servant of Allah, for a day that
passes never comes back again. Fill your days with as many good deeds as you can, and
do not stain your Record with evil deeds. Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with
him and his father, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him, said, “There are two blessings in which many people incur loss: health and
free time.” Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, narrated
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be in this world as
though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.” Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be
pleased with him and his father, often said, “In the morning do not expect to live until the
evening, and in the evening do not expect to live until the morning. Take advantage of
your health before times of sickness, and take advantage of your life before your death.”
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
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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)
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.”
Therefore, ask Allah to bestow His peace and blessings upon 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 and Imams, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, along with all
Your Prophet’s Companions, with the Tabi’un (the contemporaries of the Companions
after the Prophet’s death), and with those who follow them in righteousness until the Day
of Judgement. O Allah! Be pleased with us together with them, by Your grace,
generosity, and mercy, O Most Merciful of all the merciful!
O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims and subdue disbelief and
the disbelievers, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, and the Sunnah of Your
prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
O Allah! Make the light of Islam reign supreme everywhere, O Lord of the
Worlds! O Allah! Make the power and glory of Islam reign supreme everywhere, O Lord
of the Worlds!
O Allah! Purify our hearts from hypocrisy and our deeds from showing off. O
Allah! Forgive us the sins that we have committed and the sins that we may commit in
the future; forgive us the sins that we have committed in secret and the sins that we have
committed in public; and forgive us what You know better than we do. You are the
Expediter and the Delayer! There is no god but You!
O Allah! Make all our affairs end in goodness and save us from disgrace in this
world and from torment in the hereafter.
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O Allah! We seek refuge in You from ill fate, from abject misery, from hard
affliction, and from the malicious rejoicing of our enemies. O Allah! We seek refuge in
You from the malicious rejoicing of Your slaves, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Protect us and our offspring from Satan, his soldiers, and his devils, and
from the devils of jinn and mankind, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Protect Muslims
from Satan, his devils, and his offspring, O Lord of the Worlds! You are Powerful over
all things!
O Allah! Guide our youth. O Allah! Guide our youth and all Muslim youth. O
Allah! Guide our youth and all Muslim youth, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Protect us and protect all Muslims from deluding trials. O Allah! Protect
us and protect all Muslims from deluding innovations in religion, O Lord of the Worlds!
You are Powerful over all things!
O Allah! Make us among those who follow and adhere to the Sunnah of Your
Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
O Allah, our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have
guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower.
O Allah! Help the debtors in paying off their debts. O Allah! Cure our sick and
the sick among all Muslims. O Allah! Cure our sick and the sick among all Muslims. O
Allah! Bring together the hearts of Muslims, reconcile them, and guide them to the ways
of peace, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of all the merciful!
O Allah! Guide the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to what You love and
accept. O Allah! Lead him to Your guidance, make all his deeds pleasing to You, and
help him do all that is good, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Guide his two Deputies to
what You love and accept. O Allah! Guide them to all that is good for Islam and
Muslims, O Lord of the Worlds! You are Powerful over all things!
O Allah! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which
is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.
O Allah! We seek refuge in You from the evil within ourselves and from our
wrong deeds. O Allah! We seek refuge in You from the evil of all evil-doers. O Allah!
We seek refuge in You from the evil of all evil-doers.
O Allah! Save us from rise in prices, plagues, usury, adultery, fornication,
earthquakes, trials, and evil tribulations, apparent and hidden, by Your mercy, O Most
Merciful of all the merciful!
Servants of Allah!
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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.) And fulfil the
Covenant of Allah (Bai‘ah: 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)
