❖ Ruling on Delivering the Jumu‘ah Khutbah While Standing
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❖ The Sunnah of Delivering the Khutbah While Standing
➊ Qur’anic Evidence
وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا
“And they left you standing.”
[Al-Jumuʿah: 11]
This verse affirms that the Prophet ﷺ delivered the khutbah standing, as the people left him while he was delivering it in that posture.
➋ Narration of Jabir ibn ʿAbdillah (رضي الله عنه)
The Prophet ﷺ used to deliver the Friday khutbah standing. Once, during a khutbah, a caravan arrived from Syria, and people left the khutbah and went towards it, until only twelve men remained in the mosque.
He said:
“I was among those twelve.”
At that moment, the verse “وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا“ was revealed.
[Bukhari: 936 | Kitab al-Jumuʿah: Bab Idha Nafara al-Nās ʿan al-Imām | Muslim: 863]
➌ Narration of Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما)
كان النبى يخطب يوم الجمعة قائما ثم يجلس ثم يقوم كما يفعلون اليوم
“The Prophet ﷺ used to deliver the Friday khutbah while standing, then sit down, then stand again — just as is done today.”
[Bukhari: 920 | Muslim: 861 | Tirmidhi: 506 | Nasa’i: 3/109 | Ibn Majah: 1103 | Ahmad: 2/35 | Dārimī: 1/366 | Ibn Khuzaymah: 1446]
➍ Narration of Jabir ibn Samurah (رضي الله عنه)
“The Prophet ﷺ used to deliver the khutbah while standing, and whoever says he delivered it sitting has lied.”
[Ahmad: 5/87 | Muslim: 866 | Abu Dawud: 1094]
➎ Report about Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه)
It is narrated:
“When the belly of Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه) became heavy with fat and flesh, he gave the khutbah while sitting.”
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/113, Hadith 5193]
This indicates that sitting is permissible due to a valid excuse, and there is unanimous agreement on this concession.
[Subul al-Salām: 2/634]
❖ Conclusion from the Evidences
These narrations and reports establish that:
✔ Delivering both khutbahs of Jumu‘ah while standing is Sunnah,
✔ One who gives either khutbah while sitting without a valid Sharʿī excuse and considers it Sunnah is committing a bidʿah.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/299]
❖ Scholarly Opinions on the Ruling
◈ Majority of Scholars (Jumhūr):
Delivering the khutbah while standing is obligatory (wājib).
◈ Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله):
It is Sunnah, not obligatory.
[Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab: 4/383 | Al-Umm: 1/341 | Bidāyah al-Mujtahid: 1/126 | Al-Mabsūṭ: 2/26 | Al-Hidāyah: 1/83 | Al-Ikhtiyār: 1/83]
◈ Imam al-Shawkānī (رحمه الله):
The Prophet’s ﷺ continual practice does not necessarily make it obligatory, but his regular implementation makes it a strong Sunnah that should be adhered to.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/559 | Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/399]
◈ Imam al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله):
The verse “وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا“ proves that standing on the minbar during the khutbah is a required condition.
[Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī: 18/114]
✅ Final (Rajih) Opinion
✔ The opinion of the majority (jumhūr) appears to be the strongest, and standing for both khutbahs is a Sunnah Mu’akkadah, based on the continuous and confirmed practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
And Allah knows best.
