Rules for the Friday Khutbah

1. Once all the people have gathered together, the imam should sit on the minbar and the mu’azzin should call out the adhaan in front of him. Immediately after the adhan, the imam should stand up and deliver the khutbah.

2. Twelve things are sunnah in the khutbah:

1. the person delivering the khutbah should be standing,

2. Two khutbahs should be delivered,

3. He must sit in between both the khutbahs to such an extent that Sub’haanallah could be recited three times,

4. He must be pure from major ritual impurity (hadath akbar) and minor ritual impurity (hadath asghar),

5. While delivering the khutbah, he must face the people,

6. He must recite A’udhu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem in his heart before commencing with the khutbah,

7. He must deliver the khutbah in such a way that all the people can hear his voice,

8. the subject matter of the khutbah must comprise of the following eight things:

a. gratitude to Allah Most High,
b. praise to Allah Most High,
c. testifying the Oneness of Allah Most High and the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace),
d. salutations to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace),
e. admonition and advice,
f. recitation of verses or a Surah from the Quran,
g. to repeat all these things in the second khutbah as well,
h. to make dua for the Muslims instead of giving advice and admonition in the second khutbah. This was a list of the subject matter.

We will now go back to those factors which are sunnah for the khutbah itself.

9. the khutbah should not be too lengthy. Instead, it should be shorter than the prayer.

10. To deliver the khutbah from the minbar. If there is no minbar, one should stand up by taking support from a staff or rod. To take support from a staff or rod or to place one hand over the other while one is on the minbar, which is the habit of some people; has not been reported.

11. Both the khutbahs have to be in Arabic. To deliver the khutbah in any other language or to add any poetry or idioms of another language as is prevalent today at some places is contrary to confirmed sunnah (sunna mu’akkada) and is in fact prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman).

12. Those listening to the khutbah should face the qiblah.

In the second khutbah it is recommended (mustahabb) to make dua for the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) family, companions, wives, and specifically for the khulafaa-e-raashidin and Hadrat Hamzah and Abbas (Allah be pleased with them). It is also permissible to make dua for the leader of the Islamic state. But it is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) to praise him for things which are not true.

3. Once the imam stands up to deliver the khutbah, it is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) to offer any prayer or to speak with each other. However, it is permissible for the saahib-e-tarteeb to offer his qada prayer at that time. In fact, it is necessary for him to offer his qada prayer. As long as the imam does not complete his khutbah, all these things will be prohibited.

4. Once the khutbah commences, it is necessary for all those present to listen to the khutbah. This is irrespective of whether they are sitting near the imam or far away from him. It is also prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) to do such a thing which will distract one from listening. Just as eating, drinking, talking, walking, making salaam, answering to a salaam, reading some tasbeeh, showing someone a masa’ala of the Shariah is prohibited while one is in prayer, it is also prohibited while the khutbah is being delivered. However, it is permissible for the one who is delivering the khutbah to show a issue of the Shariah while he is delivering his khutbah.

5. If the khutbah commences while one is offering one’s prayer, it is better to complete it if it is confirmed sunnah (sunna mu’akkada). If it is a nafl prayer, one should make salaam after two rakaats.

6. It is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) for the muqtadis as well as the imam to raise their hands and make dua in-between the two khutbahs when the imam is sitting. However, it is permissible to make dua in one’s heart without raising one’s hands as long as one does not say anything with one’s tongue – neither silently nor loudly.Nothing has been related from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his companions with regard to delivering khutbahs on the last Friday of Ramadan which contain matters related to the departure of Ramadan. Nor is there any mention of this in the books of Islamic jurisprudence. In doing so, there is the danger of the masses thinking that this is necessary. It is therefore a bid’ah. Note: these days undue attention is given to this sort of khutbahs. If anyone does not deliver such khutbahs, he is accused and mocked at. Special preparations are made in listening to such khutbahs.

7. It is permissible to deliver a khutbah while looking into a book.

8. If the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) name is mentioned in the khutbah, it is permissible for the muqtadis to send blessings to him in their hearts.