Friday Khutbah: The Covenant of the Union

This is the official Friday Khutbah (sermon) issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) of the UAE for July 17, 2026, delivered across mosques throughout the Emirates. This week's topic: The Covenant of the Union.

First Khutbah

All praise is due to Allah, the Most Loving (Al-Wadūd), who has commanded us to fulfil our covenants. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger—the most truthful of people in his promises and the most faithful in fulfilling his covenants. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, his family, his Companions, and all who follow them in righteousness.

To proceed: I advise you, O servants of Allah and myself, to have taqwā (God-consciousness) of Allah, who says: بَلَى مَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَى فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

"Yes indeed! Whoever fulfils his covenant and is mindful of Allah, then surely Allah loves those who are mindful of Him." (Qur'an 3:76)

O believers: Your Prophet ﷺ was the most truthful of people in his speech and the most faithful in honouring his promises. His Companions pledged allegiance to him in obedience and protection. Then, when the hour of great trial approached before the Battle of Badr, they reaffirmed their covenant and said:

"We have believed in you, affirmed your truthfulness, and testified that what you have brought is the truth. We have given you our pledges and covenants to hear and obey. Proceed, O Messenger of Allah, with whatever Allah has commanded you. We are with you. By the One who sent you with the truth, if you were to lead us into this sea and enter it, we would enter it with you. Not one man among us would remain behind..." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delighted by their words and then said: سِيرُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا

"Proceed and rejoice with glad tidings." (Tārīkh al-Tabari)

This is the true meaning of fulfilling one's covenant: preserving one's word, remaining steadfast upon one's pledge, carrying out one's duties, and discharging one's responsibilities regardless of changing circumstances or shifting conditions.

Indeed, this is the covenant with which we welcome every new stage in the journey of our nation—with lofty aspiration and sincere determination. Through it we continue to write another radiant chapter in the history of the United Arab Emirates. It is a covenant by which we renew our resolve, strengthen our values, and advance towards a future of greater strength and honour, guided by faith in the Most Merciful.

It is a covenant that we worship Allah alone without associating any partners with Him; and that we honour His commands and avoid His prohibitions. For our Lord says: وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ

"Fulfil My covenant, and I shall fulfil your covenant." (Qur'an 2:40)

It is a covenant to honour our parents, to devote ourselves to their happiness, and to pray for them saying: رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

"My Lord, have mercy upon them as they raised me when I was small." (Qur'an 17:24)

It is a covenant to safeguard our families, to fill our homes with affection, and to treat our spouses with excellence, remaining faithful to the solemn covenant of marriage, as Allah says:

وَأَخَذْنَ مِنْكُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا

"They have taken from you a solemn covenant." (Qur'an 4:21)

It is also our covenant to be sincere in our occupations, to perfect our work, and to shoulder every responsibility with integrity and trustworthiness. We pledge this from the depths of our hearts, mindful of the words of our Lord: إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا

"Indeed, every covenant will be questioned about." (Qur'an 17:34)

I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah's forgiveness for me and for you.

Second Khutbah

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

To proceed: O you who are faithful to your covenants:

Faithfulness to one's pledge is manifested through principled decisions and righteous conduct. The Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed—may Allah have mercy upon him—and his fellow Rulers inscribed one of the greatest examples of fidelity. Allah describes such people by saying: رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ

"Among the believers are men who have been true to the covenant they made with Allah." (Qur'an 33:23)

They pledged themselves to establish the Union of the Emirates, and they remained true to that pledge. They built a proud nation and a dignified homeland. They established its Constitution and laid the foundations of a glory whose fruits we continue to enjoy to this very day.

Therefore, we live by the Covenant of the Union, we take pride in it, and we work sincerely for its preservation. On the occasion of the "Covenant of the Union", observed annually on the 18th of July, we renew our pledge to our homeland with sincere loyalty, unwavering belonging, steadfast protection of its security, and defence of its land, while praying to our Lord with the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him): رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا

"My Lord, make this land secure." (Qur'an 14:35)

We also renew our covenant of loyalty and obedience to the President of our State, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may Allah preserve him, in accordance with the command of Allah: "O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those entrusted with authority among you." (Qur'an 4:59)

This loyalty is completed through love, sincere allegiance, and heartfelt supplication. Have you not heard the words of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ? خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ، وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ

"The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, and for whom you pray and who pray for you." (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Meaning: you supplicate for them, and they supplicate for you. Accordingly, we renew our pledge to the President of the State, saying: We shall remain faithful to our covenant in obedience to our religion, in sincerity towards our homeland, in loyalty to our leadership, and in striving for everything that elevates and strengthens our nation.

O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon our master and Prophet Muhammad, upon his family and all of his Companions. O Allah, be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, and all the noble Companions.

O Allah, we ask You for every good, immediate and deferred, and we seek refuge in You from every evil, immediate and deferred. O Allah, continue to bless the United Arab Emirates with honour, victory, security, stability, prosperity, goodness, and abundant well-being.

O Allah, preserve Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, President of the State, under Your protection. Be his Helper and Supporter, bless his life and his work, and grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince in all that You love and are pleased with.

O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the departed rulers of the Emirates. Admit them, through Your grace, into the vastness of Your Gardens. O Allah, encompass the martyrs of our nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy upon all Muslim men and women, those who are living and those who have passed away.

Servants of Allah:

Remember Allah, the Most Great, and He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.