Shaikh Rashid Al Khateri gives the Friday sermon
From Gulf News
Image Credit: WAM
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed performs Friday prayers at the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi along with Dr Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar (third right); King Mohammad of Morocco (fifth from right); and Morocco’s Prince Moulay Rachid (sixth from right).
Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and King Mohammad VI of Morocco, performed Friday prayers at the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Mosque in Al Bateen.
Shaikh Ahmad Al Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar University; Shaikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies; Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, Shaikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court; Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister; Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, performed the Friday prayers alongside Shaikh Mohammad and the Moroccan King.
Shaikh Rashid Al Khateri, in the Friday sermon, said that when Allah opens one’s heart, the recipient will be exposed to an endless stream of success and knowledge.
He said there is an entire chapter in the Quran regarding the issue of Allah’s guidance and dilation of the heart. As the Quranic verses say, “Have we not caused thy bosom to dilate, (1) And eased thee of the burden (2) Which weighed down thy back; (3) And exalted thy fame? (4) But lo! with hardship goeth ease, (5) Lo! with hardship goeth ease; (6) So when thou art relieved, still toil (7) And strive to please thy Lord.”
The sermon explained that one who has an open heart will have “the key to success”, and one whose heart is locked will live in stress and discomfort within his soul.
“Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] has taught us to request this from Allah, as he often prayed to Allah: ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in you from sadness and worry’,” said the sermon.
No one is immune to sadness and stress. Therefore, when one is hit by such a feeling, they should seek refuge in Allah and ask Him to guide them through this mishap.
The sermon provided examples of how one can achieve that — praying to Allah being one of them, because it opens the heart and relieves sadness and loneliness.