All our actions should be from Sunnah, this is the notion that is widely accepted by most of the sects of this ummah but as usual they don’t practice what they preach. Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen bears the torch of true unadulterated Islam so it points out to the ummah where they have ignored the Sunnah, may Allah give us the strength to carry on this work, Ameen.

Now let us tell our readers the Sunnahs regarding the Khutbas/Sermons, especially the Friday’s Sermon, following are the Sunnah which the Ulema don’t tend to practice, it is high time the people should check that are these sunnah’s being practiced in their local masjids or not?

Surah Qa’af in Friday’s Sermon:

The daughter of Haritha b. Nu’man said: I did not memorize (Surah) Qa’af but from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) as he used to deliver the. Sermon along with it on every Friday. She also added: Our oven and that of the Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) was one.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 004, Number 1893]

Umm Bisham hint Haritha b. Nu’man said: Our oven and that of the Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) was one for two years, or for one year or for a part of a year; and I learnt” Qa’af by the Glorious Qur’an” from no other source than the tongue of Allah’s Messenger (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) who used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when he delivered the Sermon to the people.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 004, Number 1894]

Alhamdulillah the above sunnah is practiced in all masjids of Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen, on every Friday. There is a narration in which it is stated that Surah Taubah was recited in the Sermon (Buloogh 6/99) while with a similar context and same sanad it is stated that it was Surah Mulk (Ibne Maja 1/343, Sanad: Sahih), in Musnad Ahmad this hadith with a different sanad states it was only one ayah (Buloogh 6/100).

The recitation of Surah Mulk or Surah Taubah is ambiguous, while the recitation of Surah Qa’af in every Friday’s Sermon is confirmed and proven, so it should be practiced.

Objective of the Sermon:

Jabir b. Samura said: The prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) gave two sermons, sat between them, recited the Qur’an and gave admonishment to the people.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 004, Number 1875]

Allah’s Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) use to recite the Quran in his Sermon and give admonishment to the people. Admonishment is given so that people may understand, if the Sermon is to be given in a language that the local people don’t understand then how would they grasp the essence of the admonishment?

Some people in order to attain this objective have invented an extra Sermon in the local language before the two Sermons, this extra Sermon is not proven from the Sunnah, and hence it has only become a bidah. Admonition is given so that people might understand; hence admonition should be given in the language the people understand.

Shorten the Sermon:

Narrated Ammar ibn Yasir: The Prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) commanded us to shorten the speeches.
[Abu Dawood, Kitab ul Juma, Sanad: Hassan]

Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah: The Prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) would not lengthen the Sermon on Friday. He would say a few words.
[Abu Dawood: Kitab ul Juma, Sanad: Sahih]

Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: The lengthening of prayer by a man and the shortness of the Sermon is the sign of his intelligence. So lengthen the prayer and shorten the Sermon, for there is charm in (precise) expression.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 004, Number 1889]

The Sermons should be of small lengths and the Salat should be of longer duration. This is the Hikmat (wisdom) according to the Sunnah; the Khateeb shouldn’t bore the listeners with lengthy Sermons.

Moderation in Sermon and Salat:

Jabir b. Samura reported: I used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) and both his prayer and Sermon were of moderate length.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 004, Number 1883]

Both the Salat and Sermon should be of moderate length, we shouldn’t give one Sermon long while shortening the other, while we should totally lengthen or shorten the Salat.

In the end we can conclude the following:

1. Surah Qa’af should be recited every Friday in the Sermon.
2. There should be two not three Sermons.

III.      The admonition in the Sermon should be given in the local people’s language so they can understand it.

1. The Sermon should be shorter then the Salat, while also try to maintain equilibrium in all the practices.