Shar‘i Ruling on Greeting and Responding to Salam During the Friday Khutbah
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
Question
When the Imam is delivering the Friday sermon (khutbah), is it permissible for someone to greet others with salam? And if someone says salam during that time, is it permissible to reply?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Entering While the Imam is Giving the Khutbah
If a person enters the mosque while the Imam is delivering the khutbah, he should:
- Pray two short rak‘ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid.
- Sit quietly without greeting anyone.
Greeting During the Khutbah is Haram
It is haram to greet during the khutbah because the Prophet ﷺ said:
“إِذَا قُلْتَ لِصَاحِبِک أنصتَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَقَدْ لَغَوْتَ“
“If you say to your companion ‘be quiet’ on Friday while the Imam is giving the khutbah, you have engaged in idle talk.”
[al-Bukhari, Jumu‘ah, Bab al-Insāt yawm al-jumu‘ah wa al-imam yakhtub, Hadith: 934; Muslim, Jumu‘ah, Bab fi al-insāt yawm al-jumu‘ah fi al-khutbah, Hadith: 851]
Unnecessary Movements are Also Forbidden
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“وَمَنْ مَسَّ الْحَصٰی فَقَدْ لَغَا“
“Whoever touches the pebbles (idly) has engaged in idle talk.”
[Abu Dawud: 1050, al-Tirmidhi: 498]
Idle Acts May Nullify the Reward of Jumu‘ah
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“وَمَنْ لَغَا فلا جمعة له“
“Whoever engages in idle talk has no Jumu‘ah (reward).”
[Abu Dawud: 1051]
Ruling on Responding to Salam
If someone says salam during the khutbah:
- Verbally responding (e.g., “wa ‘alaykum as-salam”) is not allowed, even if the greeting was clear.
- Although shaking hands is not inherently prohibited, it is better to avoid it in this situation.
Some scholars have permitted responding in the heart.
However, the stronger opinion is not to respond at all, because:
- Listening to the khutbah is obligatory.
- While replying to salam is normally obligatory, listening to the khutbah takes precedence.
- Greeting during khutbah distracts others from listening, and listening is fard.
Differing Opinion
Complete agreement with this strict view is difficult because:
- Replying to salam in the heart does not interfere with listening.
- Verbal reply can indeed disturb the khutbah, and is therefore impermissible.
- There appears to be no valid prohibition in silent or mental response.
Final Ruling:
When the Imam is delivering the khutbah:
- Do not initiate salam.
- Do not reply verbally.
- Silent response in the heart is permissible according to some scholars.
