Continuation of good deeds after Ramadan

First Khutbah (sermon)

Praise be to Allaah Who has guided His believing servants to do acts of obedience and has made the ways of good and righteous deeds easy for them. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah Who has no partners, and that our leader and Prophet Muhammad is Allaah’s Messenger, the best of those who observed fasting and the optional night prayer, and the best of legislators who enacted laws and explained judgments. O Allaah grant Your mercy, blessings and peace on the leader of the righteous and the leader mankind and jinn, and on his family, Companions and those who follow their way until the Last Day.

Allaahu Akbar [Allaah is the Greatest] Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Wa Lillahi Al-Hamd [praise be to Allaah].

Praise be to Allaah Who has guided us to Islam. We can never be guided except with the help of Allaah. Praise be to Allaah Who has favored the month of Ramadan over all other months and made it a great opportunity to attain rewards by committing good deeds. During Ramadan, the believers compete in doing acts of obedience and spending in the cause of Allaah. During this month, righteous deeds are doubled, mistakes are remitted, ranks of men are raised and supplications are answered by Allaah. It is the month of benevolence and blessings. It is the month of mutual consolidation. During this month the provisions of Muslims increase, their faith becomes deeper and they compete in performing Tarawih prayer, late optional night prayer, recitation of the Quran and giving charity to the needy among relatives, neighbors and poor people in general. This is in accordance to Allaah’s saying which means: “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.” [Quran 3: 133]

Allaah also Says (what means): “…And do good; indeed, Allaah loves the doers of good.” [Quran 2: 195] 

The verses that encourage doing good in the cause of Allaah are many. Therefore, we should continue the good deeds that we have initiated in Ramadan and extend them after its termination. You should know that the sign of the acceptance of a good deed by Allaah is that you follow it with another good deed, and the sign of rejecting good deeds by Allaah is that you follow it by committing sins. This should be well understood by those people who feel happy and relieved after the termination of Ramadan as they think that with the end of Ramadan they will be free to commit whatever sins they wish, and rebel against the commands of their Lord. 

Allaah is the Greatest -- with every fasting and breaking of Fast, with each instance of growing of trees and the blooming of fruits, whenever a crescent appears and then grows and becomes a full moon, whenever rain falls and pours forth -- Allaah is the Greatest! Allaah is the Greatest! Praise be to Allaah.

Servants of Allaah! Turn in repentance to your Lord and supplicate Him sincerely by offering your duty to Him. Be sincere in worship, supplication, in your fear of Allaah and in your wish to attain His mercy. Rely on Allaah in all your affairs. Seek His aid and protection, as He is the best supporter and disposer of affairs. He is the Savior and the Answerer of whoever asks Him with sincerity. Allaah Says what means: “And when My servants ask you [O Muhammad] concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” [Quran 2: 186]  

Let us then listen to Allaah’s call and believe in His Messenger. Let this assemblage be a reminder of His assemblage of the Resurrection when all the creations be gathered naked and barefooted, as they were originally created. We will be gathered at one place. The believers will be received by the Angels with good tidings and congratulations for the salvation from torture. The Angels will say to the survivors on that day: "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised!” [Quran 41: 30]  

Allaah describes the state of the believers on that day saying: “[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright – Laughing, rejoicing at good news..” [Quran 80: 38-39]

As for the unbelievers on that day Allaah describes them as such: “And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust. Blackness will cover them. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.” [Quran 80: 40-42]

Allaahu Akbar[Allaah is the Greatest]Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar La Ilaha Illa Allaah [there is no god but Allaah]Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar Wa Lillahi Al-Hamd[praise be to Allaah] Allaahu Akbaras numerous as the number of our sins until they are forgiven (by the virtue of this expression).

Glorified be Allaah, Who is worthy of all glorifications? Allaah Says what means: “So exalted is Allaah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning. And to Him is [due all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And [exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.” [Quran 30: 17-18] 

O Allaah! As you have sent to us Your Prophet Muhammad, make our houses well maintained and full of life (due to worship practiced therein) and do not condemn us on account of our bad deeds and be merciful to us as You are the most Merciful of those who show mercy.

O Allaah! As You are The Most Gracious of those who show graciousness, and the Greatest of all those who claim greatness, make for us a way out of each distress and grief.  

O Allaah! Grant blessings on Prophet Muhammad, son of Abdullah, the Prophet of mercy and the Messenger of guidance, as many times as the number of those who offered prayers on him right from his mission until the Day of Resurrection.

O Allaah! Grant him intercession on our behalf and resurrect us in his group and under his banner and decree for us to drink from his font (the Hawd) so that we never feel thirsty thereafter.  

O Allaah! Grant us a joyful life, a bounteous provision and a righteous deed! O Allaah! Grant mercy on this gathering and grant us protection from error after departing! 

Servants of Allaah! Your actual joy of festivals should be through continuing to practice acts of obedience and good deeds, kindness to parents, maintaining the ties of kinship and kindness to relatives, the poor and orphans. Hasten in reconciliation among yourselves, since this occasion is the appropriate time for this purpose. Give measure and weight with full justice. Give preference to Allaah’s judgment above your whims. None of us can be a true believer until his liking complies with the teachings of Allaah’s Messenger. Know that: “Injustice will cause darkness on the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

The Prophet also said: “Whoever causes harm to others Allaah will harm him, and whoever makes it difficult for people Allaah will make it difficult for him.” [At-Tirmithi] 

Let us raise our children according to the precepts of Islam. Let us teach them to lead a frugal life and manage financial affairs well. Let us teach them how to spend their money properly on the occasion of the festival of 'Eed. Let us help those who have attained puberty to marry, in accordance with the Prophet’s saying: “O youth! Let those who can afford marriage among you marry! For marriage is apt to give stronger ability to restrain one’s gaze and protect one’s chastity.” O you youth who can afford marriage, let all of you hasten to marry. O you guardians of the girls, who are entrusted to you by Allaah, hasten to marry them without imposing too many restrictions and complications with regard to dowers, by the coming festival they should be married to their suitable mates.

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar Wa Lillahi Al-Hamd [Allaah is the Greatest. Praise be to Allaah.] I seek Allaah’s forgiveness for you, for me and all Muslims.

Second Khutbah (sermon)   

Praise be to Allaah, Who blesses us with repeated assemblies and festivals. He is the gatherer of mankind together against a Day about which there is no doubt, for Allaah never fails in His promise. I praise Him for the success and bounties that He offers. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah to Whom all creatures will return. He has power over all things. I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the leader of the righteous and the master of the followers of Allaah’s way. May Allaah grant blessings on him and all those who have followed his way until the Last Day.

Allaahu Akbar [Allaah is the Greatest], Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Wa Lillahi Al-Hamd [praise be to Allaah].

Servants of Allaah! Know that charity obliterates sin, extinguishes the wrath of the Lord and protects from evil destinies. On that day ‘Eed, a Muslim should not forget his brother Muslims who are deprived of the joy of the festival on account of perishing due to famines and destructive wars that are taking place in their countries. Know that whoever is not concerned about the affairs of Muslims will not be counted as belonging to them. Let’s then remember the poor and the needy, especially those inflicted by draught in Africa, and those who strive in the cause of Allaah. O Allaah support them with Your victory and give them dominance in their land. O Allaah support them and gather their hearts. You are the Answerer of all supplications.

O Muslims! Beware of arrogance and its manifestations, since the arrogant people will be resurrected the size of atoms and people will tread them with their feet. O pious Muslim women! Preserve your adornment and do not disclose it nor apply perfume in the presence of any men other than your Mahram relatives [those who are not allowed to marry you] or your husbands. Allaah Says what means: “And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance…” [Quran 33: 33]

Let’s enjoy the ’Eed festival without pride. Let’s entertain ourselves without neither exposure nor intermingling between the opposite sexes. Let’s proclaim Allaah’s greatness, since Takbeer [proclaiming Allaah’s greatness] is the slogan of Muslims during their festivals. Allaahu Akbar [Allaah is The Greatest], Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, La Ilaha Illa Allaah [There is no god but Allaah] Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Wa Lillahi Al-Hamd  [Praise be to Allaah.]

Lastly, do not forget to observe fasting for six days in the month of Shawwaal, as the Prophet said: “Whoever fasts (the month of) Ramadan then follows it with six days in Shawwal, will be considered as if he has observed Fasting during the whole year.” [Muslim].