All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful ordained us to look after the orphan and treat them in kindness and respect. I bear witness that there is no deity save Allah, having no associates. I also bear witness that our Master Muhammad is the Servant of Allah and His Messenger. He urged Muslims to take care of orphans and highlighted that recompense of whoever takes charge of one will be Paradise and the satisfaction of Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his pure blessed family and companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

As to what follows,

I urge you, O servants of Allah, and myself to be aware that you are asked to obey Him, the Most High and Exalted, in line with His orders: "and fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly." (Al-Baqara: 281).

O Worshipers,

Islam devotes special interest to performing acts of goodness, the aim being to bring mercy to the humanity and touch people's heart with happiness. Indeed, the dearest to Allah, the Almighty, amongst His Creation is the most diligent in performing acts of kindness and the most beneficial to mankind and Allah's Creation. The Messenger of Allah pbuh said in this regard, "The most beloved to Allah amongst people is the most beneficial to others."

On this account, amongst the greatest aspects of showing kindness to others is taking care of orphans. To alleviate their sufferings, Allah the most Exalted orders charity to them when He says, "worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy..." (An-Nisaa: 36).

In this Aya, Allah, the Almighty, emphasises that righteousness involve taking care of orphans. After parents and relatives, He enjoins us to show kindness to orphans, an order that is associated with worshiping Him, the aim being to raise the status orphans and alleviate their distresses. In this sense, our Master Muhammad pbuh became an orphan after losing both his parents. So, Allah, the Most Compassionate, honoured him with these words, "did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?" (Ad-Dhuha: 6).

Indeed, there was a great implication to the Prophet being an orphan. In it, there was support to and mercy for the orphans as well as care for their interests. This is reflected in the Almighty's saying, "so as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]." That is: show kindness to them, treat them with compassion and be to them a merciful father.

To this effect, the Prophet pbuh was for the orphans a merciful father and a generous sponsor. He pbuh said, "I am closer to the believers than their own selves. So, if a believer (dies) leaves some property then his relatives will inherit that property; but if he is in debt or he leaves poor children, the responsibility (of paying off his debt and providing for the children) lies on me."

So, the Prophet pbuh used to sponsor the orphans and look after their interests. For instance, when he married Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, he provided for her orphans and treated them like his own children, telling her, "Verily, your children are my children."

In addition to being merciful and compassionate to the orphans, the Messenger of Allah pbuh urged Muslims to care for them and be their guardians. He pbuh said, "I and the one who takes the responsibility of an orphan will be in Paradise like this," joining his forefinger and middle finger together, in an indication to the raised status attained by those who sponsor orphans, dwelling near to the Prophets and Messengers in Paradise.

About this Hadith, the people of knowledge said, "Any believer hears this Hadith should follow its guidance so as to accompany the Prophet and the Messengers pbut on the Day of Judgment. Indeed, there is no greater rank to Allah than accompanying the Prophets on that Day."

It is such a success, then, for one who sponsors an orphan. It is a dear pursuit for whoever seeks salvation on the Day of Judgment, being with the Prophet pubh at the highest ranks in Paradise.

On another level, one of the merits of looking after the orphans is that it softens hearts and removes toughness from them. In evidence of this, it was narrated that Abu Huraira, may Allah be please with him, said that a man complained to the Messenger of Allah about the hardness of his heart. The Prophet pbuh said to him, "If you want your heart to become soft, then offer food to the needy and pat the head (with affection) of an orphan."

O Servants of Allah,

The divine instructions urged for providing for the orphans and looking after their interests. For example, according to these divine laws, offering food to orphans is a doorway to bring one closer to his Lord. Allah, the Most High, says, "or feeding on a day of severe hunger, an orphan of near relationship." (Al-Balad: 14-15).

This means to offer food to an orphan of near relationship during a period of famine when food would be very scarce.

Furthermore, caring for those who lost family assistance also involves spending for their needs if they were poor. In this, regard, Allah, the All-High, says, "they ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. Say, 'Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveller. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it." (Al-Baqara: 215).

Yet, if the orphan is wealthy, Allah, the Most Gracious, orders us to maintain their wealth and support them in their life affairs, just as He says, "and do not approach the orphan's property except in a way that is best until he reaches maturity." (Al-Anaam: 152).

In another place in the holy Quran, Allah, the Almighty, emphasised that the orphan's wealth is forbidden to be consumed. He says, "indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze." (An-Nisaa: 10).



Instead, Allah ordains that the one who has an orphan under his care and the orphan is wealthy, the guardian is to guard the wealth and invest it.

On another note, sponsoring orphans also involves integrating them within the community in line with Allah's commands: "and they ask you about orphans. Say, 'Improvement for them is best. And if you mix your affairs with theirs - they are your brothers." (Al-Baqara: 220).

In the this Aya, Allah the Almighty urges the sponsor of an orphan to offer them from the same food he eats, give them clothes that are of similar quality to what he chooses for himself, and to provide them the same level of education that he gives to his children. This way, one will be providing orphans with social care.

With this in mind, we pray to Allah, the Almighty, to make us amongst those who look after orphans in righteousness.

O Allah, we seek Your grace to guide us all to obey You and obey Your Messenger Muhammad pbuh and obey those You have commanded us to obey in line with Your orders: "O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you." (An-Nisaa: 59).

May Allah direct us all to the blessings of the Glorious Quran and the Sunna of His Messenger pbuh.

I say this and ask Allah for forgiveness for me and you, so invoke Him for forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I bear witness that there is no deity save Allah, having no associates. I also bear witness that our Master Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon ou­­r Master Muhammad, his pure family, companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

As to what follows,



Please be aware, O Worshipers, that the most important thing we should advise each other about is obeying Allah, the Most Exalted and Sublime, and perform acts of goodness that benefit mankind, be kind to orphans, sponsor them and look after their affairs. These are humane duties that Allah ordered us to undertake.

In this sense, the UAE has always shown keen interest to extending a helping hand to the poor around the world and strived to provide relief the needy, help to the victims of calamities, and care for orphans and the less fortunate people. Such acts of kindness are aimed at enrooting love and peace in the world and bringing goodness and harmony to it.

Emiratis, on this occasion, are proud of the martyrs of the nation who fell on the path of good while striving to fulfil their humanitarian duty.

So, congratulations to those heroes who added to UAE's record further bright pages of glory while offering food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, education to the needy and medicine to the sick. They were devoted to offering warmth and love to all those in need to whom they can reach around the world.

Indeed, the Emirati people are proud and the country raises its head up high for the sacrifices of its glorious martyrs. Allah, the Almighty, has blessed them with good ending as they fell while seeking to construct a shelter for the orphans and offer all that is good for the humanity. They are blessed because, on the Day of Judgment, by Allah's grace, good will await them just as the Prophet pbuh said, "Every servant of Allah will be raised (on the Day of Judgment) in (the same very) state in which he dies."

So, we seek Allah's grace to revive them as martyrs and admit them to the Gardens of Paradise. O Allah, please bestow Your mercy on them, for You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.

That is said, please bear in mind that you are instructed to invoke peace and blessings on the Prophet pbuh who said, "for everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah."

May Allah have mercy on the honourable martyrs of our country and those of the coalition and gather them with the righteous. May Allah make their dwelling with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favour of the prophets and the steadfast affirmers of truth, O the Most Gracious the Most Forgiving.



O Allah, please grant the best reward for the families of the martyrs and offer them patience and solace. May Allah grant victory to the soldiers of the Arab Coalition who gathered to restore the rights to their owners. O Lord, please be by their side and guide the Yemeni people to everything that is good. O Allah, make them rally for the word of truth and legitimacy, and bless them with welfare and stability, O the Most Generous.

O Lord, we beseech You to bless all the Muslim countries and the whole world with stability and peace.

May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and all of the Companions.

O Allah, we seek Your grace to admit us, our parents, whoever has done a favour to us and all Muslims to Your Paradise.

May Allah grant success and continued health and care to the UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. May Allah also ensure success to his Vice-President, trustworthy Crown Prince and his brothers, Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Emirates.

O Allah, please forgive all of the Muslims, men and women, living and dead. May Allah have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Maktoum and the Late UAE Sheikhs. O Lord, forgive and show mercy on our parents, relatives and whoever has done a favour to us.

O Allah, make this gathering one of compassion, and our dispersion after it one that is infallible. O Allah, do not let anyone amongst us be deprived or desperate.

We pray to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, to protect the UAE against any of the temptations, both apparent and hidden, and continue blessing the UAE with safety and security.

Our Lord, 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 implore you to send upon us wealthy rain and make us not amongst those who are desperate. O Allah, relieve us! O Allah, relieve us! O Allah, relieve us! O Lord, provide us from the blessings of the sky a beneficial rain and make our crops grow.



O Servants of Allah "indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded." (An-Nahl: 90).

Remember Allah and He will remember you. Be grateful of His benevolence and He will increase His blessings to you. Allah says, "and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do." (Al-Ankaboot: 45).