How to Deliver a Khutbah

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Khutbah is an Arabic word that means sermon and is commonly used to refer to the Friday khutbah, which is done before the Jumu'ah prayer (Friday noon prayer). It is a key component of Jumu'ah, and is considered a replacement for the two rak'ahs that are usually read for Zuhur (noon prayer). The khutbah is obligatory, so without it, the Friday prayer is invalid [1] X Research source Finally, the Qur'an says, regarding the Friday prayer: O believers! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, then proceed diligently to the remembrance of Allah and leave off your business. That is best for you, if only you knew.

Preparing for the Khutbah

• Try to choose a relevant topic. For example, if Ramadan, Eid or the Hajj season is approaching in a few weeks, speak about the virtues of these events so that the congregation can understand their significance.

• Look at the audience. When they feel that you are speaking directly to them, they will feel engaged.
• Raise your voice to emphasise certain points. This will bring back any attention that may have been lost and emphasise the key parts of your speech.
• Know your verses and hadiths. The worst thing to do when delivering a khutbah is being unable to recite a certain verse, mispronouncing the verse, or forgetting a verse.
• Come prepared beforehand; revise the verses or narrations you are going to say. This is also especially important because you don't want to constantly be looking at your script. Learn as much of the English as you can by heart, and definitely memorize the Arabic. Remember: if you misread a verse, you may change the meaning, so be careful, and don't be afraid to have a quick glance at your notes to remind you of the words.
• Going over the English is just as important as going over the Arabic; if English isn't your mother-tongue, it may be best to avoid words that you may have difficulty pronouncing. Some people might get distracted, and even find it funny, if you mispronounce a word.

Delivering the Khutbah

There are specific guidelines on how to conduct the Friday sermon. For example, the sermon is split into two parts, and there are prayers that need to be said at the beginning and at the end of the sermon.

• After the khateeb (person doing the sermon) sits down, the muaddhin (person who does the call to prayer) will do the adhan.

• Al-hamdu Lillaahi nahmaduhu wa nasta’eenahu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na’oodhu billaahi min shuroori anfusinaa wa min sayi’aati a’maalinaa. Man yahdih Illaahu falaa mudilla lahu wa man yudlil falaa haadiya lahu. Wa ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu.
• إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ ونستغفره ,ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ,ومن سيئات أعمالنا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ,وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
• Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, the One, having no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. [4] X Research source

• Ya ayyu-hallatheena aama-nutta-qullaha haqqa tuqatihi wala tamootunna illa waantum muslimoon (You who believe, be mindful of God, as is His due, and make sure you devote yourselves to Him, to your dying moment. [5] X Research source )
  • يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
  • يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
  • يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا. يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا

  

  • Amma ba'd (أما بعد). May yah di hillahu falaa mudhila lahoo, wa may yudhlil hu falaa haadiya lahoo. Ina asdaqal hadeethi kitaabullah, wa ahsanal hadyi hadyu muhammadin, wa sharal umoori muhda-thaa-tu-haa, wa kulla muhda-tha-tim bid'ah, wa kula bid'a-tin dhalaalah, wa kulla dhalaala-tin fin-naar.
  • مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْهُ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ إِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَأَحْسَنَ الْهَدْىِ هَدْىُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَشَرَّ الأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلاَلَةٍ فِي النَّارِ
  • "Whomsoever Allah guides, none can lead him astray, and whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide. The truest of word is the Book of Allah and best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those that are newly invented; every newly-invented thing is an innovation and every innovation is going astray, and every going astray is in the Fire." [10] X Research source

  

  • Once you finish the first part of the sermon, recite Aqoolu qawli haa dhaa wa'asstagh fi rullaha lee wa lakum[11] X Research source , which means "I say these words of mine and I ask Allah for forgiveness".
    • أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله ولكم

    

    • If your throat is sore or dry from all the speaking, feel free to keep a bottle of water next to you and have a quick sip—just don't leave the pulpit.

    

    • الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله
    • Instead of starting a new topic, take this time (the second part is shorter than the first part, and shouldn't be longer than about 5-10 minutes) to recap upon what you already said. Focus on the future and advise the congregation about how they can implement what was said into their lives. Emphasise the key points of the sermon that you would like them to leave the mosque having remembered.

    

    • Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirati hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar, meaning "Our Lord, give us good in this world and in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire" [15] X Research source
      • رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
      • رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
      • رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
      • اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

      

      • As many people turn up for the Friday prayer, mosques are usually packed with worshippers. Ensure that everyone is fitted in and standing properly. Before starting, you can say the following Arabic phrases to remind the congregation: [19] X Research source :
        • Istawoo (اسْتَوُوا): straighten your rows [20] X Research source
        • Taraasoo (تراصوا): stand close together [21] X Research source
        • Sawwoo sufoofakum ( سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ): straighten your rows [22] X Research source
        • Aqeemoo sufoofakum (أقيموا صفوفكم): make your rows straight [23] X Research source
        • "Saddul khalal (سُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ): fill in the gaps [24] X Research source
        • Haathoo bil manaakib (حَاذُوا بِالْمَنَاكِبِ): align your shoulders [25] X Research source
        • I'tadiloo (اعْتَدِلُوا): keep straight [26] X Research source
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        Community Q&A

        Are we allowed to talk during the khutbah? Top Answerer

        No - any idle talk (laghw) is impermissible during the khutbah. The Prophet said, "If you say to your companion when the imam is preaching on Friday, ‘Be quiet and listen,’ you have engaged in idle talk." He also said, "When you hear your imam speaking, then keep quiet and listen attentively until he has finished." Giving salaam also falls under idle talk in this situation. The rare exceptions are if the imam makes a mistake in their recitation or if there is a problem with the microphone and it needs to be fixed. Otherwise there should be no idle talk.

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        Is it compulsory to divide the khutbah into two parts? Top Answerer

        It is not compulsory but it is part of the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to deliver two khutbahs and sit between them.

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        Am I allowed to write a khutbah and then give it to another person to read? Community Answer Yes, it is allowed. If you give your khutbah to someone else, it is a good deed in front of Allah.

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        Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Advertisement

        Another occasion in which a khutbah is given, is after Eid salah. In this case, the khutbah comes after the prayer, not before; the khutbah is done in the same way, with two khutbahs and a brief pause in between them. The topic of your khutbah will generally be related to the occasion of Eid, its rulings, its lessons, moving on from Ramadan or when to perform the sacrifice on Eid al-Adha, etc. [27] X Research source

        • If you make your khutbah extremely long, then there is a high chance that people will become bored and lose focus.
        You should be clean and wear your best clothing.

        Tips from our Readers

        The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

        • Look at the audience to make them feel like you are talking directly to them.
        Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Please provide your name and last initial Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

        

        Advertisement The khutbah must come before the prayer, not after. [31] X Research source

        The majority of scholars agree that the khutbah cannot be given silently, as that defeats the purpose of the khutbah, and it must be done loudly so that everyone can hear. [32] X Research source

        It is forbidden to speak idle talk (laghw) during the khutbah. [33] X Research source Advertisement

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