Friday Sermon, April 10: The UAE: heroism and victories

All praise is due to Allah, the All-Powerful, the Ever-Firm, who supports His servants with His clear victory. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, and upon all who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

As for what follows: I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to have taqwa. Allah the Exalted says:  And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all.” (Aal ‘Imran: 120)

O believers: Allah the Exalted says in His Noble Book: “And victory is not but from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Aal ‘Imran: 126).

Victory is in His hand alone. Have you not heard His saying,  Glorified be He:

 “Rather, Allah is your protector, and He is the best of helpers.” (Aal ‘Imran: 150).

Glory be to You, our Lord, you are our Guardian, and You are our Supporter:

 “So excellent is the Protector, and excellent is the Helper.” (Al-Hajj: 78).

And why should we not be certain of our Lord’s victory? Our blessed nation has supported the religion of Allah, without any distortion or using religion for politics. It has upheld the Noble Qur’an and the teachings of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). It has honored his wives, the Mothers of the Believers, and his noble and distinguished companions. It has spread the values of moderation, tolerance, and peace. It has stood against sectarian groups and forbidden discrimination and hatred. Whoever follows this path, Allah will support them; and whomever Allah supports, no one can defeat them:

'If Allah helps you, none can overcome you.' (Al-Imran: 160)

Servants of Allah: Our dear country, the United Arab Emirates, may Allah protect it, has been granted by Allah the means of victory. It has prepared well, equipped itself with everything needed, and elevated the readiness of its armed forces, the brave defenders of the nation. This is in accordance with the saying of the Prophet (PBUH):

'The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer' (Muslim).

 Therefore, success has always been its companion. The skies of the UAE have become a strong shield and a solid fortress. When the enemy tried to attack with treachery, they found it filled with vigilant guardians and ready soldiers who pushed back the enemy's plot and protected our land, air, and sea from their evil. Thus, the words of the poet truly describe us:

We are the defenders when we so choose,
Advancing wherever we will, we do not lose.
We guarded our skies with strength and might,
Repelling the missiles in steadfast fight.
In prayer we turned to the Giver for aid,
And Allah’s victory is certain, as He has said.

Servants of Allah: Allah has blessed us with sincere and wise leadership. They know exactly when and how to respond. They are peaceful toward those who seek peace, and firm against those who wage war. They lead our nation with knowledge and wisdom, truly reflecting Allah’s words: 

'Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah' (Al-Ahzab: 23).

 We pray that Allah rewards our leaders for their efforts, protects them, and guides them. We also thank Allah for the efforts of our brave soldiers, who stood firm against aggression like steadfast mountains. They made Emirati resilience a symbol of strength for the whole world to see. May Allah have mercy on their martyrs, heal their wounded, and grant recovery to those injured.

'O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you' (An-Nisa: 59).

I say this, and I seek Allah's forgiveness for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness 

All praise is for Allah alone. Peace and blessings be upon the final Prophet, after whom there is no other.

To proceed: O Muslims,

The victory of the UAE is achieved by the grace of Allah. It is supported by a united and strong people, who are  'Like a solid building, each part supporting the other' (Bukhari and Muslim).

Their hearts are joined, and their ranks are united to fail the plans of their cruel and cowardly enemy. This enemy wanted to divide us, but our bonds of love became even stronger. They wanted to stop us from doing good, but our generosity only increased. They wanted to test our abilities, but they were amazed by our strength

Do our enemies not know that the UAE is strong in power? As our leader said: its skin is thick and its meat is bitter. By the will of its Lord, it can guard its sky, land, and sea, and protect its citizens and residents. It stays firm in its principles and stands up for its values. Our Lord, we praise You for providing us with the means of victory. We call upon You with humility and remember You in worship, for You have said: 

 'O you who have believed, when you meet an enemy force, be firm and remember Allah much so that you may be successful' (Al-Anfal: 45).

 Our country is a land of safety and tranquility. All its affairs are good; when it receives blessings, it is grateful, and that is good for it. When it faces hardship, it remains patient, and victory becomes its constant companion. And why not? Our Prophet  accordance with the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): said: 'Victory comes with patience' (Ahmad).

It has also been said: 'Victory is but an hour of patience.'

O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and salutations upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, his family, his pure wives, the Mothers of the Believers, and his noble and distinguished companions. O Allah, be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, and with all the honourable companions.

O Allah, make us true believers in You, devoted worshippers to You, and grateful for Your victory. Make us kind to our parents and have mercy on them as they raised us when we were young, O Most Merciful.

O Allah, all praise is due to You; You have answered our prayers, granted victory to our nation by Your grace, defeated our enemies by Your power, and made our security firm. All praise is due to You, our Lord, for the wisdom of our leadership, the bravery of our soldiers, and the unity of our people.

O Allah, protect Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the President of the State. Be his Helper and Supporter, his Guide and Director. Bless his life and his deeds. O Allah, grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers the Rulers of the Emirates, and his loyal Crown Prince, in all that You love and are pleased with.

O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the Rulers of the Emirates who have passed away. By Your grace, admit them into Your vast Paradise. Grant Your mercy and forgiveness to the martyrs of our nation.

O Allah, have mercy on all Muslim men and women, those who are living and those who have passed away. O Allah, make the rain You have sent a source of mercy and blessing, increasing our bounty and bringing forth good things.

Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Great and Majestic, and He will remember you. Be grateful for His blessings, and He will give you more. And establish the prayer.