Friday Khutbah: What Then Do You Think of the Lord of All Worlds

This is the official Friday Khutbah (sermon) issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) of the UAE for November 06, 2026, delivered across mosques throughout the Emirates. This week's topic: What Then Do You Think of the Lord of All Worlds.

First Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, whose mercy never ceases and whose power is never overcome. Whoever thinks well of Him will not be disappointed. We testify that nothing is worthy of worship except Allah, and we testify that our master and Prophet Muḥammad 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 remain mindful of Allah, who says: أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

“Indeed, the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve: those who believe and remain mindful of Him.” (Qurʾān, Yūnus 10:62–63)

Believers, our master Abraham, peace be upon him, called his people to worship their Lord and reminded them of His grace upon them. Yet they turned away from their Creator and supposed that He was unable to suffice them. Our master Abraham therefore confronted them with a question that awakens minds and shakes hearts: فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“What then do you think of the Lord of all worlds?” (Qurʾān, al-Ṣāffāt 37:87)

Indeed, servants of Allah, what do you think of the One who has bestowed His blessings abundantly upon His servants and encompassed them in His mercy and gentleness? What do you think of the One who does not turn away anyone who asks Him or disappoint anyone who places hope in Him? What do you think of the One who, when afflictions intensify, gently removes adversity, and when all means appear constrained, opens doors through His mercy? Glory be to Him! Exalted is His majesty, blessed is His name, and He is the Possessor of grace and favour: كَتَبَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ

“He has prescribed mercy for Himself.” (Qurʾān, al-Anʿām 6:12)

It is therefore incumbent upon us to think well of Him and place our trust in Him as He deserves: وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

“Place your trust in Allah, for Allah is sufficient as Trustee.” (Qurʾān, al-Nisāʾ 4:81)

Glory be to Him. He takes care of those who place their trust in Him and protects those who seek refuge in Him. If Allah is a person’s Trustee, who can forsake them? If Allah is their Protector, who can harm them? If Allah is their Helper, who can overcome them?

Servants of Allah, think well of your Lord, for He says in the divine ḥadīth: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي

“I am as My servant thinks of Me.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

Call upon Him as the righteous before you called upon Him: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّا نَسْأَلُكَ صِدْقَ التَّوَكُّلِ عَلَيْكَ، وَحُسْنَ الظَّنِّ بِكَ

“O Allah, we ask You for sincere reliance upon You and a good opinion of You.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah, al-Muṣannaf, 7:202)

Let your constant refrain be:

وَظَنِّي فِيكَ يَا رَبِّي جَمِيلٌ      فَحَقِّقْ يَا إِلَهِـي حُسْنَ ظَنِّي

My opinion of You, my Lord, is beautiful;
So fulfil, my God, my good opinion of You.

(The verse is attributed to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib; see Majmaʿ al-ḥikam wa-l-amthāl fī al-shiʿr al-ʿArabī, 4:192.)

You whose heart has become constricted by worries: what do you think of your Lord, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all, who says: أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ

“Who answers the distressed when they call upon Him and removes their suffering?” (Qurʾān, al-Naml 27:62)

You who are burdened by your needs: what do you think of the One in whose hand are the treasures of the heavens and the earth? You upon whom affliction has descended: what do you think of a Lord who answers prayer and whose relief is near? Remain hopeful in Allah’s gentleness and content with His decree. Consider when the Prophet ﷺ visited a man whom illness had severely weakened. He gave him glad tidings with words that revived within his heart a good opinion of Allah: لَا بَأْسَ، طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

“No harm; it is a purification, Allah willing.”

The man replied resentfully and pessimistically, “No, rather it is a fever that boils.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: فَنَعَمْ إِذًا

“Then so it shall be.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 3616)

That is, what you have spoken will befall you. We seek refuge in Allah from thinking badly of Him.

Servants of Allah, thinking well of Allah grants security from dangers and deliverance when the decrees of fate descend. Consider how certain our Prophet ﷺ remained of his Lord when hardships surrounded him. Allah protected him from the assaults of adversity and said to him in His decisive revelation: أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُ

“Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?” (Qurʾān, al-Zumar 39:36)

Allah commanded him to remain constant in worship, rely upon Him, and entrust all his affairs to Him. He—Majestic and Exalted—said: وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ

“To Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and to Him every matter returns. So worship Him and place your trust in Him.” (Qurʾān, Hūd 11:123)

Allah has granted His believing servants a share of His protection and support according to their faith in Him and the sincerity of their reliance upon Him. When the alarmists sought to terrify the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, to frighten them and shake their confidence in their Lord, this only increased them in faith and certainty: وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ * فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ

“They said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the finest Trustee.’ So, they returned with grace and bounty from Allah, untouched by harm.” (Qurʾān, Āl ʿImrān 3:173–74)

Glory be to Him—how generous He is! Whoever places their trust in Him will never be lost, and whoever acts upon His command will not be disappointed:

“Believers, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those entrusted with authority among you.” (Qurʾān, al-Nisāʾ 4:59)

I say these words of mine and seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you; therefore, 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: You who think well of the Lord of all worlds, you have a Lord who knows your secrets and private conversations, manages your affairs, and watches over you. Place your trust in Him, entrust your affairs to Him, and remain firm in your certainty. Remain fully aware of the affairs of your country, trust the wisdom of your leadership and the institutions of your state, and be certain that you stand upon truth and goodness. Whoever is in such a position has Allah with them. He says: فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ

“So, place your trust in Allah; indeed, you are upon the manifest truth.” (Qurʾān, al-Naml 27:79)

Servants of Allah, spread hope among people, impart reassurance, and revive the spirit of confidence and tranquillity. Turn away from baseless expectations and malicious predictions unsupported by knowledge or reliable evidence. The believer proceeds upon clear proof and is not swept along by whims and conjecture. Allah Most High says: أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ

“Is one who stands upon clear proof from his Lord like one whose evil deeds have been made attractive to him and who follows his desires?” (Qurʾān, Muḥammad 47:14)

Do not believe the rumours of those with malicious intentions, nor become transmitters of them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ

“It is sufficient falsehood for a person to relate everything they hear.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 5)

Rather, verify reports and obtain them from trusted official sources. Protect yourselves, your families, and your society through awareness, optimism, confidence in your leadership, and trust in the institutions of your country, so that your hearts may be reassured, your word may remain united, and your social cohesion may be strengthened.

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

O Allah, we ask You for sincere reliance upon You and a good opinion of You. Send tranquillity and reassurance upon our hearts, and preserve for us the blessings of safety and security. O Allah, make us believers in You, worshippers of You, reliant upon You, and certain of Your sufficiency. O Allah, perpetuate for the United Arab Emirates its honour and victory, stability and prosperity, goodness and well-being. O Allah, preserve Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the State, through Your protection. Be his aid and support, and bless his life and 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 with which You are pleased.

O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the Sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed into Your mercy. By Your grace, admit them into Your spacious gardens, and encompass the nation’s martyrs within Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy upon all Muslim men and women, the living among them and the deceased. O Allah, send us rain and do not make us among those who despair. O Allah, send us relief through rain. O Allah, send us relief through rain. O Allah, send us relief through rain.

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

Establish the prayer.