UAE Friday sermon: true believers will earn God's protection

Seek out ways to please Allah and you will be rewarded, worshippers will be told

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 26, 2017: Moon sighting at the Grand Mosque and pre-ramadan preperation on Friday, May. 26, 2017, at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak for The National *** Local Caption ***  CW_2605_PreRamadan_29.JPG
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Those who seek out ways to please Allah will be rewarded in this life as well as the next, worshippers are reminded today.

“The rewards of Allah the Almighty would be a source of happiness for the believer in this world and on the Day of Judgment,” imams will say.

"Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will appoint for them affection," says the Quran, meaning that they will surely be rewarded with a happy life.

Allah also promises true believers that He will answer their prayers and grant their wishes, and increase His favours upon them.

“And He answers those who have believed and done righteous deeds and increases (for) them from His bounty,” says the Quran.

“Another favour that Allah, the Most Giving, endows upon the believer in this world in return of their righteous deeds is the peace of mind and stable conditions of life,” continues the sermon.

Those who follow God’s orders are also protected by Him at times of distress.

By way of an example, the sermon cites an episode reported by prophet Mohammed.

“While three men were walking, it started raining and they took shelter in a cave in a mountain. A big rock rolled down from the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave. They said to each other, ‘Think of good deeds which you did for Allah’s sake only, and invoke Allah by giving reference to those deeds so that He may remove this rock from you’.”

“So, each one of them invoked Allah by giving a reference to righteous deeds that they did for Allah’s sake, and Allah removed the rock from the cave.”

The sermon goes on to describe the benefits of seeking forgiveness from Allah by repeatedly chanting 'Astafhferu Allah' (I seek Allah's forgiveness). 

Istighfar - the process of chanting Astaghferu Allah - not only brings benefits to the individual, but to a nation as a whole, worshipers are told.

“It (Istighfar) is a cause of sending the rain from the sky, granting offspring, and increasing wealth and blessings,” says the sermon.

The concept is illustrated in a Quranic verse, that quotes prophet Noah (pbuh) when he said to his people: “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send (rain from) the sky upon you in (continuing) showers and give you increases in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.”

Modesty is also amongst the qualities that can bring high and noble standing to believers in this world, the Quaran states.

“No one will humble himself for Allah’s sake except that Allah raises his status,” concludes the sermon by citing one of Prophet Mohammed’s sayings.