“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
“Praised be God. We praise Him. We seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness of sins. We trust in Him. We seek refuge in Him from evil desires and from former sinful actions. He who has God for His guide is never lost; and whomsoever He leadeth aside none can guide into the right path.
“We bear witness that there is no deity but God. He is one. He hath no partner.
“Verily we bear witness that Muḥammad is the servant and apostle of God, and may God have mercy upon him, who is more exalted than any being. May God have mercy upon his descendants, and upon his companions! May God give them peace! Especially upon Amīru ʾl-Muʾminīn Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may God be pleased with him). And upon him who was the most temperate of the ‘friends,’ Amīru ʾl-Muʾminīn ʿUmar Ibn al-K͟hat̤t̤āb (may God be pleased with him). And upon him whose modesty and faith were perfect, Amīru ʾl-Muʾminīn ʿUs̤mān (may God be pleased with him). And upon the Lion of the powerful God, Amīru ʾl-Muʾminīn ʿAlī ibn Abī-T̤ālib (may God be pleased with him). And upon the two Imāms, the holy ones, the two martyrs, Amīru ʾl-Muʾminīn Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan and Abū ʿAbdi ʾllāh al-Ḥusain (may God be pleased with both of them). And upon the mother of these two persons, the chief of women, Fāt̤imatu ʾz-Zuhrāʾ (may God be pleased with her). And upon his (Muḥammad’s) two uncles, Ḥamzah and al-ʿAbbās (may God be pleased with them). And upon the rest of the ‘companions,’ and upon the ‘followers’ (may God be pleased with all of them). Of Thy mercy, O most merciful of all merciful ones, O God, forgive all Muslim men and Muslim women, all male believers and all female believers. Of a truth Thou art He who wilt receive our prayers.
“O God, help those who help the religion of Muḥammad. May we also exert ourselves to help those who help Islām. Make those weak, who weaken the religion of Muḥammad.
“O God, bless the ruler of the age, and make him kind and favourable to the people.
“O servants of God, may God have mercy upon you. Verily, God enjoineth justice and the doing of good, and gifts to kindred; and He forbiddeth wickedness, and wrong, and oppression. He warneth you that haply ye may be mindful. ([Sūrah cxvi. 92].)
“O ye people, remember the great and exalted God. He will also remember you. He will answer your prayers. The remembrance of God is great, and good, and honourable, and noble, and meritorious, and worthy, and sublime.”
A more eloquent and strikingly characteristic k͟hut̤bah has been translated by Mr. Lane in his Modern Egyptians (vol. i. p. 107). It is a New Year’s Day sermon, delivered in the great mosque at Cairo, on the first Friday in the year, on the occasion of Mr. Lane’s first visit, and is as follows:—
“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.