Friday Khutbah: Our Youth: Aspiration and Values

This is the official Friday Khutbah (sermon) issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) of the UAE for August 14, 2026, delivered across mosques throughout the Emirates. This week's topic: Our Youth: Aspiration and Values.

First Khutbah

All praise is due to Allah, who has made youth a stage of strength and giving, and has placed within young people determination and the capacities for building and achievement. We bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and we bear witness that our master and Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. May Allah’s peace, blessings, and grace be upon him, his family, his Companions, and all who follow him.

To proceed: Servants of Allah, I counsel you and myself to be mindful of Allah, who says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

“O you who believe, be mindful of Allah, and let every soul consider what it has sent ahead for tomorrow. And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (Qur’an 59:18)

Believers, our sermon today is about one of the greatest stages of our lives, a stage in which Allah has placed the fullness of strength and the loftiness of aspiration. Allah describes it when He says: اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً

“Allah is the One who created you from weakness, then after weakness gave you strength.” (Qur’an 30:54)

Indeed, this is the stage of youth. Youth is strength in the body, elevation in the spirit, loftiness in ambition, and leadership in giving and achievement. It reaches its fullness and bears its finest fruits when it is guided by faith, directed by values, and governed by wisdom. The Noble Qur’an presents radiant examples of young people who combined lofty aspiration, noble values, and the strength of faith: إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى

“Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.” (Qur’an 18:13)

So, our young people, take great care of your faith in your Lord, for it is the path to your happiness. Has the glad tidings of the Prophet ﷺ not reached you concerning the young person who remains steadfast in obedience to Allah? He said: سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ -وَذَكَرَ مِنْهُمْ: وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ

“There are seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on a Day when there will be no shade except His shade,” and among them he mentioned, “a young person who grew up in the worship of Allah.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

And, our young people, take great care in your treatment of your parents. Honour them and be good to them, for they see in you the fruit of their upbringing and the focus of their hopes. They hope that you will be a source of support and strength for them, and a cause of pride and honour.

Take care also of the health of your bodies and recognise the value of your time. Listen to what your Prophet ﷺ advised a young man like yourselves when he said:

اغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ - وَذَكَرَ مِنْهَا- شَبَابَكَ قَبْلَ هَرَمِكَ، وَصِحَّتَكَ قَبْلَ سَقَمِكَ ... وَفَرَاغَكَ قَبْلَ شُغْلِكَ...

“Take advantage of five before five,” and among them he mentioned: “your youth before your old age, your health before your illness … and your free time before you become occupied.” (al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab al-Īmān)

Young people, ask yourselves: What are you doing with your time? What is your goal as you journey through life? And what are you contributing to your country?

Do not allow your days to pass without accomplishment. Whoever finds his two days equal has suffered loss; whoever finds that his yesterday was better than his today is joined to loss; and whoever is not increasing is diminishing. Let every day contain a book that you read and a skill that you acquire. Learn before you speak, for the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا، سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ

“Whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him through it a path to Paradise.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

And verify before you share information, in accordance with the words of Allah Almighty: إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا

“If a sinful person comes to you with news, then verify it.” (Qur’an 49:6)

Consult people of expertise before deciding whether to proceed or refrain, for your Lord, Mighty and Majestic, says: فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” (Qur’an 16:43)

Work to ensure that honourable character and chivalry are the hallmarks of your conduct, that chastity guides you in your private moments, that deliberation is the scale by which you make judgments, and that wisdom governs your minds. Allah says: وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا

“Whoever is granted wisdom has certainly been granted abundant good.” (Qur’an 2:269)

And Allah Almighty says: “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those entrusted with authority among you.” (Qur’an 4:59) I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness.

Second Sermon

All praise is due to Allah alone, and may peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no prophet.

To proceed: Young people, you are the hope, and upon you rests great reliance in building your nation. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, whenever confronted with a difficult matter, would call young people and consult them, seeking the sharpness of their minds.

So be diligent in serving your country, while benefiting from the experience of your elders, and embody the words of the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, may Allah have mercy upon him: “O young builder, hasten and rise to your efforts.” Draw your values from his legacy: from his wisdom, take sound judgment and foresight concerning the future; from his care for the human being, learn to build abilities and develop potential; from his determination, take perseverance and insistence upon achievement; from his respect for humanity, strengthen tolerance and coexistence; from his commitment to the Union, learn the strength of solidarity and collective action; from his vision of sustainability, learn to preserve blessings and resources; and from his generosity, learn the love of giving, sacrifice, and benefiting others.

Allah Almighty says: وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى

“Cooperate with one another in righteousness and mindfulness of Allah.” (Qur’an 5:2)

O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and grace upon our master and Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and Companions. O Allah, be pleased with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī, and with all the noble Companions.

O Allah, protect our youth, and adorn them with faith and mindfulness of You, with knowledge and wisdom. O Allah, perpetuate for the United Arab Emirates its honour and victory, its stability and prosperity, its goodness and wellbeing. O Allah, protect Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the State, with Your protection. Be his aid and support, and bless his life and his work. O Allah, grant him, his deputies, his brothers the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince success in all that You love and are pleased with.

O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the Sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed into Your mercy, and admit them, by Your grace, into Your spacious Gardens. O Allah, encompass the martyrs of the nation in Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy upon the Muslim men and women, the living among them and the deceased.

Servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and He will remember you. Give thanks to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you.

And establish the prayer.