Khutba (sermon)

الخطبة

Khutba is lexically a prose speech by an eloquent speaker to a group to persuade them, and in technical usage a composed speech of admonition and announcement in a set form. ¹ It differs from admonition (persuasion by the consequences), from charge (commanding conduct with exhortation), and from private counsel (nasiha), which is secret, while the khutba must be heard by a group. ¹ Lawful khutbas are those of Friday, the two feasts, the eclipses, rain-prayer and the Hajj; all come after prayer except the Friday khutba and the Hajj khutba on the day of Arafat; a khutba is also given at betrothal. ¹² The Friday khutba is a condition of the validity of the Friday prayer by the majority; the Hanafis hold that one khutba is the condition, two are sunna. The majority cite the Prophet ﷺ's instruction to pray as he prayed, and that the two khutbas stand in place of two units. ² Pillars: the Hanafis require only a praise, a declaration of unity or a glorification; the two companions require a long speech called a khutba; the Malikis require the least that is called a khutba, even two rhymed phrases with admonition; the Shafiis require five pillars: praise of God, prayer on the Prophet, admonition to piety, prayer for the believers in the second khutba, and a recitation of a verse conveying meaning. ² Pillars for the Hanbalis are four: praise of God in the word hamd, prayer on the Prophet in its form, admonition, which is the purpose, and recitation of a whole verse; some add continuity and audibility, which the others take as conditions. ³ Conditions: the time, which the majority take as the time of noon prayer while the Hanbalis allow from the rise of the sun, citing the practice of Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman; the sermon before the prayer, repeated if near and restarted if not; and a congregation of a number that makes the Friday prayer valid: one besides the Imam for the Hanafis, twelve for the Malikis, forty for the Shafiis and Hanbalis; the speech must be loud enough for that number. ³⁴ Silence: the majority make it obligatory and forbid speech except for the preacher, or to warn of danger; the old Shafii view agrees, the new view neither obliges nor forbids, citing the Bedouin who spoke during the sermon. ⁴⁵ Continuity between the pillars, the two sermons and the prayer, with slight gaps forgiven; the Hanafis require no action that cuts between sermon and prayer. ⁵ Arabic: the majority require it as an act of worship, even for a non-Arab congregation; Abu Hanifa allows other languages; the Malikis require the preacher understand what he says; the Shafiis require learning Arabic as a collective duty, and if impossible a speaker in their own tongue. ⁵⁶ Intention: required by the Hanafis and Hanbalis; not by the Malikis and Shafiis. ⁶ Agreed sunnas: a pulpit or raised place, sitting before beginning, facing the people, the call before the preacher as in the time of the Prophet, raised voice, brevity of both sermons and shorter second. ⁶⁷ Disputed sunnas: standing when able (a condition for the Shafiis and most Malikis, a duty for al-Dardir), leaning on a staff or bow, sitting between the sermons, purity (a condition for the Shafiis and Abu Yusuf), covering the awrah, greeting the people twice (Shafiis and Hanbalis), and the order of praise, testimony, prayer on the Prophet and admonition. ⁷⁸⁸⁹ Disliked acts: the Hanafis dislike prolixity and omitting sunnas, and dislike glorifying, reciting or praying on the Prophet aloud while the sermon is heard, and returning greetings; Ibn al-Humam forbids speech; the Malikis dislike stepping over people after the preacher sits and forbid speech, greeting and extra prayer; the Shafiis dislike striking the pulpit steps, turning around, and flattery of rulers; the Hanbalis dislike raising the hands in the sermon's prayer and asking for prayer on climbing. ⁹¹⁰ The sermon of the Eid feasts: the Eid sermons are a sunna that need not be attended; some Malikis make attendance binding on those who attend the prayer; they match the Friday sermon except that they come after the prayer by agreement, open with takbir not praise, and use takbir within; the majority prefer nine takbirs in the first and seven in the second, the Malikis set no limit; the sermon of fast-breaking teaches the alms, that of sacrifice its rules; the Shafiis do not require standing, purity, covering or sitting for the Eid sermon. ¹¹¹¹¹² Eclipse sermon: the Hanafis and Hanbalis have none, the Malikis advise an exhortation without sermon form, the Shafiis prefer two sermons like the Friday ones, and forbid giving it before the prayer. ¹² Rain sermon: the majority prefer a sermon after prayer like the Eid sermon, exhorting repentance and alms; Abu Hanifa holds neither congregational prayer nor sermon; the Malikis, Shafiis and Muhammad al-Shaybani two sermons, the Hanbalis and Abu Yusuf one. ¹²¹³ Hajj sermons: the Imam or his deputy gives sermons teaching the rites; the majority three and the Shafiis four: the first on the seventh of Dhu al-Hijja at Mecca, the second on Arafat before the midday and afternoon prayers, the third on the day of sacrifice at Mina (on the eleventh by the Hanafis and Malikis), and the fourth on the second day of tashriq for the Shafiis and Hanbalis. ¹³¹⁴ Marriage sermon: it is recommended to give one sermon before the contract, while the Shafiis prefer two. ¹⁴