Remaining silent between the two sermons
➊ It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إذا قلت لصاحبك يوم الجمعة أنصت والإمام يخطب فقد لغوت
“If you say to your companion on Friday, while the imam is delivering the sermon, ‘Be silent,’ then (know that) you have indeed committed an act of idle talk.”
➋ Among the acts through which, according to the hadith, sins are forgiven from one Friday to the next and for three additional days, is the following:
ثم أنصت حتى يفرغ الإمام من خطبته
“Then the person remains silent until the imam finishes his sermon.”
➌ It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من تكلم يوم الجمعة والإمام يخطب فهو كمثل الحمار يحمل أسفار والذى يقول له أنصت ليست له الجمعة
“Whoever speaks on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon is like a donkey carrying books, and the one who says to him, ‘Be silent,’ does not have a Friday (prayer).”
➍ It is narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that “whoever sat close to the imam and committed idle talk, did not listen to the sermon attentively, ولم ينصت “and did not remain silent” then there will be a portion of (sinful) burden upon him; and whoever said to someone, ‘Wait,’ has committed idle talk ومن لغا فلا جمعة له “and whoever committed idle talk, there is no Friday (prayer) for him.”
➎ In one narration, these words are found:
كفي لغوا إذا صعد الإمام المنبر أن تقول لصاحبك أنصت
“It is sufficient idle talk that when the imam ascends the pulpit, you say to your companion just this much: ‘Be silent.'”
From all these hadiths it is known that speaking during the sermon is prohibited and is idle talk. As for the hadiths that mention that the Friday prayer is nullified by speaking, they are da’if (weak); therefore, by this act the Friday prayer will not be lost, but there will certainly be a deficiency in reward and the sin of not refraining from what is prohibited.
(The majority) Remaining silent during the sermon is obligatory, and every kind of speech is forbidden (haram).
Besides this, the jurists have presented further details on this matter, which cannot be mentioned here due to the desire to avoid lengthiness.
