Source: Excerpt from the book “Aḥkām wa Masāʾil: In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on arranging Qur’an recitation (tilāwah) and naʿat (poetry in praise of the Prophet ﷺ) before a religious preaching program or speech?
❖ Answer:
Arranging for Qur’anic recitation before a preaching session or sermon is supported by sound Islamic tradition.
❖ Recitation Before a Gathering of Knowledge
Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī رحمه الله narrated in his book from Abū Naḍrah:
❝Whenever the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would gather to seek knowledge, they would begin by reciting a sūrah from the Qur’an.❞
This indicates that reciting the Qur’an at the beginning of gatherings of knowledge was a practice of the noble Companions رضي الله عنهم.
❖ Narrating Ḥadīth Before the Friday Sermon
There is also evidence of narrating prophetic traditions (aḥādīth) before formal sermons.
Muḥammad ibn Zayd reports:
I saw Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه come out on Friday, and he would hold the two knobs of the pulpit while standing and say:
❝Abū al-Qāsim, the truthful and the trusted — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — narrated to us…❞
He would continue narrating aḥādīth until he heard the door of the private chamber open for the Imām’s entrance, upon which he would sit down.
Imām al-Ḥākim رحمه الله titled this chapter:
“The narration of Abū Hurayrah in the mosque before Jumuʿah.”
And in the latest edition (1/306), it is titled:
“Abū Hurayrah would stand beside the pulpit on Fridays and narrate ḥadīth.”
Both Imām al-Ḥākim and Imām al-Dhahabī have graded this narration as authentic (ṣaḥīḥ).
❖ Poetry in the Masjid Before the Prophet ﷺ
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated that:
❝The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to place a pulpit for
❖ Summary and Ruling
Based on the above narrations:
✔ It is permissible to begin a religious program with Qur’anic recitation.
✔ It is permissible for someone to narrate a ḥadīth before the main preacher or speaker begins.
✔ It is permissible to recite poetry related to faith, truth, or the condemnation of falsehood in such gatherings.
✔ There is no harm in these practices as long as they do not include innovations or impermissible content.
Hence, organizing tilāwah or a naʿat session before a preaching program is permissible and supported by practice from the time of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.
And Allah knows best!
