Dear brothers in Islam, I remind myself and you to fear Allah.

Know dear brothers that today is a great day; a day in which Allah has forbidden fasting and made joy and pleasure on this occasion an Islamic landmark. It is a day where awards are distributed to the ones whom Allah had accepted their fast. The angels stand on the roads calling out to them: “Go and pray to your Lord, the Most Generous, you were ordered to fast and have fulfilled, you were ordered to pray and have done so, you have obeyed your Lord so reach out to your prizes: your Lord has forgiven you, so enjoy peace and tranquillity as this day is the day of awards”.

Allahu-Akbar the number of times people have fasted, Allahu-Akbar to each time a person has performed prayer, Allahu-Akbar the amount of times the Qur’an was recited, Allahu-Akbar the amount of time Allah was praised.

Dear Muslims, this is a day of celebration. We display happiness and delight in thankfulness to Allah, we ask Him to make us among the ones whom He exempts from Hellfire and to be among the ones whose night prayers and fasting have been accepted.

O believers, the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to meet each other on such an occasion and greet one another by saying: “May Allah accept your good deeds and mine”.

This is a clear example of congratulating out of love; the circle of love and brotherhood expands on such occasions. Furthermore, this circle shines brighter when one visits his parents, family, neighbours, relatives and kin. We are much in need, especially nowadays, to keep ties with one another. Islam urges us to maintain a strong bond of kinship; the Prophet peace be upon him said: << Kinship is attached to the Thrown and it says: Allah grants acceptance to whomever keeps ties with his kin, and threatens with torture whomever severs these ties>>.

Dear Muslims, Ramadan has passed, however, its wonderful traces of goodness will remain in our hearts. The qualities that Ramadan has planted in us from generosity to sincere acts of worship make one keep connection with the Qur’an and not to abandon it. Moreover, these qualities keep one continuing with his generous and kind doings and maintain in one the enthusiasm to go to the mosques and preserve one’s good manners.

Al-Bukhariyy narrated from the route of ^A’ishah that the Prophet peace be upon him used to favour as an Islamic practice that one does a good deed regularly.

On this great occasion, it is commended to support and give assistance to the weak and to the one in need. The Prophet peace be upon him said: << A Muslim is the brother of any other Muslim; he should not wrong him, nor should he hand him over to the one who would wrong him. Whoever fulfils the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his own needs; whoever relieves his brother of a distress, Allah will relieve him of own distress on the Day of Judgement, and whoever conceals a Muslim’s defects, Allah will conceal his own defects on the Day of Judgement>>.

O Slaves of Allah, I would like to remind you to visit the graves along with reciting Qur’an over there. Al-Bayhaqiyy narrated in his Sunan that ^Aliyy Raydiyallahu ^anhu said: ((Reciting aloud in ^Id Prayers is sunnah (i.e., recommended), and going to the cemetery during the day of ^Id is sunnah as well)).

I would also like to remind you of fasting six days of Shawwal as per the advice of the Prophet.

On this occasion, We ask Allah to unify our paths and unite our hearts and to bless us with peace and harmony. Ameen.