All praise is due to Allah, the Most Kind and the Bestower of favours. He prescribed for us to fast the holy month of Ramadan. 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 him, his pure blessed family 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 Exalted, in line with His orders: "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." (Al-Baqara: 183).

Dear Muslims,

In few days we will welcome the blessed month of Ramadan and, by Allah's Grace, rejoice its merits by fasting its days. Thus, let us pray to Allah, the Almighty, to prolong our lives to witness the holy month, bless it for us and accept our fasting. Let us also beseech Him to make it for us mercy in its beginning, forgiveness in its middle and liberation from the Hellfire in its ending.

So, congratulations for us on the advent of Ramadan, a month which is full of pleasure. When our Master Muhammad congratulated his companions on the occasion of the holy month, he said, "there has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Almighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gateways of heavens are opened and the gateways of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived."

Let us, then, supplicate to Allah to deprive us not from the virtues of Ramadan, the month that Allah has favoured over others. Indeed, Ramadan erodes misdeeds. That is: it effaces the wrongdoings with the good deeds. The Prophet pbuh said in this regard, "whoever fasts the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven."

Moreover, in Ramadan, people will be freed from the Hellfire and their supplications will be answered. The Prophet pbuh said, "At every breaking of the fast Allah has people whom He frees (from the Fire), and that happens every night. Every Prophet had a prayer that was answered."

Therefore, let us pray to Allah, the Almighty to protect us from the Hellfire on the Day of Judgment and answer to our invocations.

Another virtue of this sacred month is that the first Ayas of the Quran were revealed in it. Allah, the Most Exalted says, "the month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion." (Al-Baqara: 185).

On another account, in Ramadan fells the Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree) about which Allah, the Most High said, "indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn." (Al-Qadr: 1-5).

Ramadan is also a good time for increasing good deeds. For instance, whoever provides food for a fasting person to break his fast, will, by Allah's Favour, receive the same reward granted for the fasting person. About this, the Prophet pbuh said, "whoever provides a fasting person something with which to break his fast, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter."

O Observers of Fasting,

As we are approaching the holy month, we need to advise each other on how to avail ourselves from its goodness. Ramadan is a gracious month and fasting its days is one of the pillars of Islam, which Allah, the Most Exalted, enjoined us to observe in this Aya, "so whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it." (Al-Baqara: 185).

Thus, whoever witnesses the crescent of Ramadan while he is in his country and in good health; then he should start fasting once the sighting is confirmed. This was advocated by our Master Muhammad as he said, "start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwal)."

However, the sighting of the crescent of Ramadan is normally declared by the official religious authority in the country. So, let us pray to Allah to make us witness the month of Ramadan with blessings, piety, safety and peace. May Allah also make us receive it with sincere intention to fast its days and be diligent in acts of worship throughout its nights.

Amongst the most important things to do in Ramadan is to offer prayers in congregation and observe late night prayers. Observing these prayers is from the Sunna of the Prophet pbuh which was followed by all of his companions, may Allah be pleased with them. Indeed, whoever performs the late night prayers is promised to receive a great reward and win Allah's forgiveness and blessings. This was stressed by the Prophet pbuh when he said, "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven."

Ramadan is also one of the perfect times to remember Allah and engage in acts of obedience. For instance, it is advisable to eat Suhur at its prescribed time, starting after 2 a.m. This way, we will be following the guidance of the Prophet pbuh as he said, "Indeed, Suhur is a blessing that Allah has given to you, so do not neglect it."

In this Hadith, 'blessing' encompasses food and the time of Suhur, the hours before the dawn. During these hours, it is good to ask for Allah's forgiveness. Allah, the Almighty, praised those who seek His forgiveness at such time. He says, "they used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness." (Adh-Dhariyat: 17-18).

Before the dawn, Allah responds to invocations and believers can seek their Lord's grace. The Messenger of Allah pbuh said, "Our Lord, the Blessed the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Is there anyone to invoke me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking my forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? And so on, until dawn breaks out."

Dear Muslims,

There are many ways for one to get closer to Allah during the day hours of Ramadan. For example, fasting people should start their day with establishing the Fajr prayer in congregation. This way, they will be under the protection and care of Allah, the Almighty as mentioned in this Hadith, "Whoever offers the morning prayer in congregation, he is under the protection of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime."

After so doing, one can start for his work with full energy and complete preparedness to assume the most difficult tasks. This is because Ramadan strengthens our patience and endurance, which is the true meaning of fasting. Fasting is a spiritual and physical worship as the body gives up food and drink, while the spirit gets adorned with the best of conducts and qualities.

With such spirit, each day of Ramadan, as the fasting believers hear the call for Maghrib prayer, they feel grateful to Allah for granting them success to complete their fast. Thus, they thank Him, ending their day the way they started it at the time of Shuhur, by supplicating to Him. The Prophet pbuh said, "there are three whose supplications are not turned back: A fasting person until he breaks his fast, a just ruler and the supplication of one who has been wronged."

The Messenger of Allah pbuh used to say when he broke his, "Thirst has gone, the arteries are moist, and the reward is certain, by Allah's grace."

Furthermore, breaking fast with dates or water is a Ramadan tradition. It is healthier for the body and reflects adherence to the Sunna.

Ramadan is also a beautiful occasion for all the family members to gather for Iftar. This is conducive to getting them closer to one another and purifying their hearts. In Ramadan, relatives also visit each other, strengthening thereby the bonds of compassion amongst them, and receiving Allah's blessings in their provisions and lives. The Prophet pbuh said, "whoever is pleased that he be granted more wealth and that his life be prolonged, then he should keep good relations with his Kith and kin."

Indeed, the rewards and bounties in Ramadan are gracious. So, let us seize the opportunity and engage in more acts of worship and obedience to Allah, the Almighty.

With this in mind, we implore Allah to make us witness the sacred month and grant us success to fast its days and pray in its nights. O Allah, please also make us amongst those who will win Your Paradise.

O Allah, please 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 among 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 Lords 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 Servants of Allah, that you are asked to obey Allah as it ought to be, be steadfast on obeying Him and thank Him for the bounties He bestowed upon us.

Ramadan in the UAE has special traditions and atmosphere that reflect sincere piety. As such, we see during the Ramadan tents set up offering free Iftar meals for fasting people all over the country as well as the good doers competing to give for charity. We also see people more connected the parental relationship between the rulers and members of the community strengthened and the feeling of cohesion and belonging boosted.

In the UAE, the spirit of the blessed month is also enriched with increased programmes of preaching and Iftaa. To this end, the President, may Allah protect him, receives religious scholars from all over the world, who conduct many scientific seminars and give preaching lessons. In view of that, the mosques get further adorned with the remembrance of Allah and become a place for disseminating religious awareness based on the principles of moderation and forbearance.

Annual sports activities are also amongst the most popular events of Ramadan in the UAE. These include games that help strengthening the body and increase its energy.

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

O Allah, please confer Your blessings and grant peace upon our Prophet Muhammad pbuh, his family and all of the companions.

O Allah, we seek your grace prolong our lives to witness the holy month of Ramadan and bless it for us, O the All-Merciful.

O Allah, we implore to You to give us strength to engage in acts of worship and charity. O Allah, please accept our fasting and forgive us, O the Most Generous the Bestower of favours.

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.

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

O Allah, may we ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter. 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.

May Allah accept from all those who pay Zakat, compensate for them and bless their provisions.

O Allah, we pray to You to grant Your forgiveness and reward to who built this mosque and to his or her parents as well as to anyone who gave to this mosque.

O Allah, we also supplicate to You to forgive whoever built a mosque where Your name is remembered or donated a Waqf that goes for the best interest of Your servants or the benefit of their offspring.

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 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 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).