Khutba: “The actions are according to their seals (their endings).”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon Allaah be upon him) said:

“Deeds are in accordance with their seals (their ends).”

This is true in each and every one of our actions, but more particularly in actions of worship.
No act is worthwhile if it is not carried to the end, and not only to its conclusion, but it is finished in the best and most complete way.
For a strong, correct, and dynamic ending is the proof and indication of the acceptance of all the efforts that precede it.
This is true both in our lives and in every individual act we undertake.
One of the duas most repeated by the Prophet was husnul-khatima, a good seal.
And sayyidina Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say:

“O Allah, make the best part of my life the last, the best of my deeds its seals, and the best of my days on the day I meet you.”

Fasting and night prayers (taraweeh) are acts that last for an extended period, and therefore may lead to tiredness and loss of vigor towards the end of the month compared to the beginning of the month.
However, it is something that we should be on guard against and avoid as the last days of Ramadan test our pure longing and intention.
The Prophet said:

“The actions are comparable to a vessel. If your content is in good shape above, below it will be too. But if his upper part has been spoiled, his lower part will also be bad.”

It is because the seal of an action is what reveals a person’s true intention, when that action is no longer as easy as it might have been at first.
As is the case with Ramadan, when fasting and sleeplessness have taken their toll on us physically, reducing our energy.
The sadiqun, the sincere, their seals in every endeavor and in their lives are proportional to the station they have with their Lord.
They live their lives and undertake their actions like a runner who puts all his energy into the last meters to finish in the best possible position.
These people, however, when they finish an act of obedience they are ready to do another without wasting time.
Their work continues unceasingly until their time comes and they are busy with it.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“When Allah wills good for His slave, He puts it to good use before his death.”
They asked him: “And how do you put it to good use, O Messenger of Allah?”
He said, “It allows him to do good deeds and causes him to pass away while he is engaged in it.”

As he also said:

“When someone dies engaged in something, Allah will resurrect him in that state.”

Allah announces the good news of the Garden to the Tayyibun at the time of their death.

And Allah says: “The good end is for those who fear Allah.”

We have come to the end of Ramadan and Allah has made the last day of the best of months the best of days.
As the Prophet said:

“The best of months is Ramadan and the best of days is the day of Jumua.”

So take advantage of the last hours of this month, for it is a month where Allah’s blessings are abundant, and another year will pass before He returns.
Seal it with acknowledgment, gratitude and dhikr from Allah, for it is a cause of joy and gratitude that Allah has allowed us to complete an important part of the Deen, one of its pillars.
And this is solely by the favor and mercy of Allah.
It says:

“Say: ‘Let them rejoice in the favor and mercy of Allah.'”

The day following the end of Ramadan, the first day of the month of Shawwal, is a day of celebration, a day of recognition of the generosity of our Lord, an Eid, Eid al-Fitr, of the breaking or ending of the fast, which is one of the main joys for those who fast.
As the Messenger of Allah ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“The one who fasts has two pleasures: when he breaks his fast he indulges in it, and when he meets his Lord he delights in his fast.”

This year we have fasted for 30 days, and since the lunar month cannot be more than 30 days, tomorrow insha Allah will be Eid.
It is absolutely forbidden to fast on the day of Eid.
In fact, it is recommended to eat and drink something after sunrise and before the Eid prayer.
This was the custom of the Messenger of Allah.
The Eid prayer is a sunna muakkada, something that, while not an obligation, the Messenger never failed to do.
And it is so for the whole community, men and women, children and adults.
Everyone must make an effort to do it.
um ‘Atiyya narrated that the Prophet used to command unmarried young women, older women, those who were isolated and menstruating women to go to Eid prayers.
It is highly recommended that everyone who attends the Eid prayer take a ghusul before leaving their home and dress in the best clothes, wearing something new if they have it.
Men should perfume themselves with the best of their perfumes.
In this way we express our gratitude for the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us.
Finally, the night before the day of Eid should not be neglected.
Although taraweeh is not done in the mosque, it is highly recommended to do prayers and dhikr, as a month in which we strive during the day and night has ended, and a new period begins in which we must try to start by taking advantage of the impulse of Ramadan.
Allah says:

“So, when you have finished, strive for more.”

We ask Allah to accept our fasting and prayers and to do what awaits us: the beginning of a new, vibrant and prosperous portion of our lives.
Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both said: The Messenger of Allah made the payment of Zakat al-Fitr obligatory: one sa’a of dates or one sa’a of barley for every Muslim, whether slave or free, male or female, adult or infant. And he ordered him to surrender before leaving for the Eid salat.
At-Tirmidhi narrated that the Messenger of Allah commanded someone to announce in the streets of Makkah that Zakat al-Fitr was obligatory for every Muslim.
It is clear from these ahadith that Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory for every Muslim, regardless of social status, age, sex or wealth.
However, those who do not have enough to cover their basic family needs are exempt.
The head of the family has to pay for himself and each of his dependents, even for a newborn baby.
Zakat al-Fitr must be paid for in basic food, which is the most common staple food in the region in which one resides.
It can be rice, pasta, dates, or similar as long as it is a basic necessity and can be stored for long periods without spoiling.
This is the generally accepted position of the Maliki and Shafi’i madhabs.
However, Imam Abu Hanifa allows the payment of Zakat al-Fitr to be made in the equivalent in money.
When paying Zakat al-Fitr, one should at least give products of the quality to which the people of the land are accustomed, but it is better to give food that one would like to receive, and better yet, to do so with food of the best quality that can be found.
The amount given for Zakat al-Fitr is one sa’a for each person.
A sa’a is four mudds.
A mudd or almud is the amount that fits in the palms of the hands placed together and half-open, measured according to the size of the hands of the Messenger, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam.
It has been calculated that this is approximately two kilos of rice or cereal.
So if you have a family of four, you have to hand over eight kilos.
The best time to pay Zakat al-Fitr is between Fajr on the day of Eid and Salat on Eid.
But it is allowed to deliver it one or two days beforehand.
In fact, it is best to deliver it to the emir or keeper the day before, so that it is distributed preferably before the Eid salat or during that morning.
If the payment of zakat is delayed until after Eid Salaat, your time has been wasted, although it still has to be delivered.
The Prophet said:

“If it is given before Salat (Eid) it is accepted, but if it is given after prayer, it is equal to any other sadaqa.”

As mentioned, the most correct thing to do is to hand over Zakat al-Fitr to the relevant authority or person in charge in the community, since they will know better the personal circumstances of the local Muslims and those who are most in need.
However, it is also permissible to hand it over personally if one knows someone who is in urgent need and is a Muslim.
The purpose of Zakat al-Fitr is twofold: firstly, it purifies and cleanses a person’s fast from any imperfections or impurities that may have been associated with it.
Abdullah ibn Za’labah narrated that the Prophet said (concerning Zakat al-Fitr):

“The rich are purified by Allah, and the poor are given by Allah more than they gave.”

And secondly, it grants the poor sufficiency and allows them to participate in the joy and happiness of the day of Eid, by not having to beg or beg. Prophet said:

“Save them from the need to wander (asking) this day.”

We ask Allah to accept our fasting and prayers, and to make it weigh in our favor on the Last Day.
And we ask Allah that we do not lose momentum and that we continue to strive outside of Ramadan as much as we have done during this month.
And may the Muslims grant success.
And we ask Allah to make the day of Eid an occasion of joy and to cover us with His mercy.
Jutba of 17 July, Seville Hafith Abdellah Castiñeira