Friday Khutbah: Seizing the Blessed Ten Days

This is the official Friday Khutbah (sermon) issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) of the UAE for May 22, 2026, delivered across mosques throughout the Emirates. This week's topic: Seizing the Blessed Ten Days.

First Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, who has appointed for His servants sacred seasons through which they attain His pleasure, and days in which they draw ever nearer to Him, exalted is His Majesty. In them, He multiplies their rewards and grants them abundant recompense. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muḥammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, and all who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment.

To continue: I advise you, servants of Allah, and myself, to fear Allah, obey Him, and hasten toward what pleases Him. Allah Most High says in His Noble Book: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

“O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah; surely Allah is fully aware of all that you do.” (Qur’an 59:18)

O believers: among the greatest, purest, and most exalted days of our lives are days which, when they arrive, bring with them Divine breezes, descending mercies, and successive gifts and blessings. They are the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah — days whose rank Allah has magnified and whose status He has elevated, such that He swore by them in His Book: وَالْفَجْرِ * وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

“By the dawn, and by the ten nights.” (Qur’an 89:1–2)

 The scholars said: these are the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. They are also the “appointed days” concerning which our Lord says:  

وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ

“And that they may mention the Name of Allah during the appointed days.” (Qur’an 22:28)

Their station with Allah is immense, and His grace within them is abundant. Our noble Prophet ﷺ said: مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ

“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days (meaning the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah)” (Abu Dawūd)
During these blessed days, the sincere race toward their Lord, hoping for His mercy and knocking upon His door. And how could it be otherwise, when Allah has gathered within them the foundations of worship? In them are prayer and fasting, charity and pilgrimage, remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Qur’an, takbīr and supplication, repentance and seeking forgiveness, honouring one’s parents, maintaining family ties, and showing excellence toward people — acts of devotion that do not gather together in any other days besides these. Thus, the truly successful person is the one who seizes these days, invests their moments in obedience, and does not waste even a single instant of them.

Servants of Allah: among the greatest ways a believer welcomes these days is through sincere repentance — reviewing oneself, purifying the heart, and restoring people’s rights to them. The Prophet ﷺ said: مَنْ كَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ مَظْلِمَةٌ لِأَخِيهِ؛ فَلْيَتَحَلَّلْهُ مِنْهَا

“Whoever has wronged his brother in any matter, let him seek his pardon.” (Al-Bukhārī)

Let the constant motto of the believer in these days be the remembrance of his Lord, and an abundance of takbīr, tahlīl, taḥmīd, and tasbīḥ, in response to the command of the Prophet ﷺ who said: مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ فِيهِنَّ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ الْعَشْرِ، فَأَكْثِرُوا فِيهِنَّ مِنَ التَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالتَّحْمِيدِ

“There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, nor in which deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days. So, increase in them your declaration of lā ilāha illa Allāh, your takbīr, and your praise of Allah.” (Ahmad)

These are but a few simple words upon the tongue, yet they are immense in the sight of Allah. He raises them to the highest assembly, where they continue to mention the name of the one who uttered them. The Prophet ﷺ said: إِنَّ الَّذِي تَذْكُرُونَ مِنْ جَلَالِ اللَّهِ وَتَسْبِيحِهِ وَتَحْمِيدِهِ وَتَهْلِيلِهِ تَتَعَطَّفُ حَوْلَ الْعَرْشِ، لَهُنَّ دَوِيٌّ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحْلِ، يُذَكِّرْنَ بِصَاحِبِهِنَّ، أَفَلَا يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَزَالَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ شَيْءٌ يُذَكِّرُ بِهِ؟

“The words of glorification, praise, and declaration of Allah’s greatness and oneness that you utter circle around the Throne with a humming like the humming of bees, mentioning the name of the one who said them. Would not one of you love to have something with Allah that continues to mention him?” (Ahmad)

So, repeat them throughout all times. Guard your obligatory prayers and increase in voluntary prayers so that you may attain the love of the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Allah says in the sacred hadith: وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ

“My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him; and My servant continues drawing near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him.” (Al-Bukhārī)

So, do not neglect prayers that draw you nearer to your Lord. Fill your time with takbīr and tasbīḥ. Remain devoted to reciting the Book of your Lord. Give charity from what your Provider has granted you. Honor your parents. Maintain ties of kinship. Show goodness to others. Pardon those who wronged you — seizing these blessed days before they pass away.

For when a sacred season departs, it becomes only a memory; and when life itself passes, it becomes but a trace. Truly, the intelligent person is the one who takes from today for tomorrow, from health for sickness, from free time for busyness, and from life for what comes after death. Allah Most High 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 forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you — so seek His forgiveness.

 Second Sermon

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

As for what follows: O you who are eager to seize the blessings of these ten days — indeed, fasting during these days carries immense reward and tremendous virtue. So, strive to fast as many of them as you are able, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ, for: كَانَ ﷺ يَصُومُ تِسْعَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ

“He ﷺ used to fast the first nine days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.” (Abu Dawūd)

And let your greatest concern be the fasting of the Day of ʿArafah, for its merit is immense for those who truly recognize its worth. Listen to the words of the Prophet ﷺ encouraging its fast:

صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ؛ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ، وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ

“Fasting the Day of ʿArafah — I hope from Allah that it expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.” (Muslim)

What an immense gift this is! What a generous favour! A single day through which Allah forgives sins and burdens, and by which He frees souls from the Fire. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ عَبْدًا مِنَ النَّارِ، مِنْ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ

“There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of ʿArafah.”

So, invest every moment of that day in supplication, that you may attain from Allah the abundance of His generosity. The Prophet ﷺ said:

خَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ دُعَاءُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ، وَخَيْرُ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ قَبْلِي: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“The best supplication is the supplication of the Day of ʿArafah, and the best words that I and the prophets before me have said are: ‘There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things.’” (Al-Tirmidhī)

Reflect, then, on how the Prophet ﷺ made these words the greatest supplication on this mighty day — because within them lies complete exposure to the generosity and grace of Allah. For when the Majestic Lord hears sincere praise from His servant, He pours upon him from the vastness of His bounty. How truthful are the words of the poet: “If a man praises you one day sincerely,
his very praise suffices as his request.”

So, increase in praising Allah, and send abundant blessings upon the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. Begin your supplications with these two noble acts, and your hopes shall be answered. Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I was praying while the Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar were present. When I sat, I began by praising Allah, then sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then I supplicated for myself. The Prophet ﷺ said:  سَلْ تُعْطَهْ، سَلْ تُعْطَهْ

‘Ask, and you shall be given; ask, and you shall be given.’” (Al-Tirmidhī)

O Allah, all praise belongs to You, and all thanks belong to You — its outward and inward forms. To You belongs all praise until You are pleased, and to You belongs all praise after You are pleased, and to You belongs everlasting praise forevermore.

O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon our master and Prophet Muḥammad, the Seal of the Messengers; upon his family; his pure wives, the Mothers of the Believers; and upon his radiant and noble companions.

O Allah, be pleased with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and all the honored Companions.

O Allah, bless for us the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and aid us therein in remembering You, thanking You, and worshipping You beautifully.

O Allah, grant us success in seizing their blessings, accept from us the righteous deeds performed within them, and make us among those accepted and showered with mercy.

O Allah, help us to fast the Day of ʿArafah, and make it an expiation for our sins, an elevation of our ranks, and a cause for Your pleasure with us.

O Allah, accept the pilgrimage of the pilgrims to Your Sacred House, make their rites easy for them, and return them safely and rewarded to their families.

O Allah, protect the United Arab Emirates from every harm. O Allah, we entrust to You its leadership, its people, and all who live upon its land.

O Allah, preserve Sheikh Muḥammad bin Zāyid, the President of the State, with Your protection. Be for him a helper, supporter, guide, and granter of success, and bless his life and works.

O Allah, 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 Zāyid, Sheikh Rāshid, and the rulers of the Emirates who have passed into Your mercy, and admit them through Your grace into the vastness of Your gardens.

O Allah, envelop the martyrs of the nation in Your vast mercy and raise their ranks in Paradise.

O Allah, have mercy upon the Muslim men and Muslim women, the living among them and the deceased.

Servants of Allah: remember Allah, the Magnificent and Majestic, and He will remember you. Thank Him for His blessings and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.

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