Author: Abu Abdur Rahman Shabbir bin Noor (may Allah preserve him)
The Friday Sermon and Prayer
The Friday sermon should always be delivered from the pulpit.
Initially, the Prophet ﷺ would deliver the sermon while leaning against a date-palm trunk; later he had a pulpit made. From that time until today, the use of the pulpit for the Friday sermon has become the established practice of the Ummah.
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما كان النبى صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يخطب إلى جذع ، فلما اتخذ المنبر تحول إليه ، فحن الجذع ، فأتاه ، فمسح يده عليه»
“Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to deliver the sermon standing beside a dry date-palm trunk. Then, when a pulpit was made, he moved to it. The trunk then wept. So the Prophet ﷺ came to it and placed his hand on it.”
The pulpit should have at least three steps:
و عن أنس ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقوم يوم الجمعة فيسند ظهره إلى جذع منصوب فى المسجد ، فيخطب ، فجاء رومی ، فقال: الا نصنع لك شيئا تقعد وكانك قائم؟ فصنع له منبرا له درجتان ، ويقعد على الثالثة . فلما قعد نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على المنبر خار الجذع خوار الثور حتى ارتج المسجد بخواره حزنا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فنزل إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من المنبر فالتزمه وهو يخور فلما التزمہ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سكت ثم قال: والذى نفسي بيده لو لم التزمه ما زال هكذا حتى تقوم الساعة حزنا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم»
Allamah al-Albani graded it hasan.
“Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to deliver the sermon leaning his back against a pillar fixed in the mosque. A Roman came and sought permission, saying: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, shall we make for you something on which you can sit and still feel as if you are standing?” That Roman made a pulpit with two steps, and the Prophet ﷺ would sit on the third. Then, when the Prophet ﷺ sat on the pulpit, that pillar made a sound like the lowing of a bull. Its sound filled the entire mosque, and this sound was due to separation from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While it was still making that sound, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came down from the pulpit, went to it, and embraced it, and as soon as he embraced it, it fell silent. At that moment the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘By the One in whose hand is my soul, if I had not embraced it, it would have continued to do this until the Hour came, out of grief for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.'”
The pulpit of the Prophet ﷺ was made of wood and had three steps. When the Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque, he would sit on the third step. It was placed a little away from the wall.
On the qibla side, the distance between the wall and the pulpit was such that a goat could pass comfortably. Hadrat Salamah bin al-Akwa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كان بين منبر رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم وبين الحائط كقدر ممر الشاۃ»
“There was enough space between the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the wall for a goat to pass.”
When the imam enters the mosque, he should greet those present after climbing the pulpit:
عن جابر بن عبد الله أن النبى صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم كان إذا صعد المنبر سلم»
“Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that it was the habit of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that when he came up to the pulpit, he would greet those present.”
When the imam sits on the pulpit, the muezzin should call the Friday adhan, and this adhan should be given in front of the imam and at the door of the mosque.
Several narrations make these points clear. Hadrat al-Sa’ib bin Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كان النداء يوم الجمعة أوله إذا جلس الإمام على المنبر على عهد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما ………. الخ»
“On Friday, the first adhan was given when the imam sat on the pulpit. This was the practice during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).”
In another narration:
كان يؤذن بين يدي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا جلس على المنبر يوم الجمعة على باب المسجد وأبي بكر وعمر . . . . . . . . . .»
“On Friday, when the Prophet ﷺ sat on the pulpit, the adhan was given directly in front of the door of the mosque. This method also remained in practice during the time of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).”
As soon as the muezzin finishes the adhan, the imam should stand and deliver the sermon.
The Friday sermon should be in two parts, with the imam sitting silently between them. Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يخطب خطبتين ، كان يجلس إذا صعد المنبر حتى يفرغ المؤذن ، ثم يقوم فيخطب ، ثم يجلس فلا يتكلم ، ثم يقوم فيخطب»
Allamah al-Albani graded the hadith sahih, and abridged
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would deliver two sermons. He would climb the pulpit and sit down; when the muezzin finished, he would stand and deliver the sermon, then sit down and say nothing, then stand again and deliver the second sermon.”
The sermon should always be delivered standing; delivering it seated is contrary to the Sunnah.
عن كعب بن عجرة أنه دخل المسجد وعبد الرحمن ابن أم الحكم يخطب قاعدا ، فقال: انظروا إلى هذا الخبيث يخطب قاعدا وقال الله تعالى ﴿وَاِذَا رَاَوْا تِجَارَةً اَوْ لَهْوَا انْفَضُّوْۤا اِلَیْهَا وَ تَرَكُوْكَ قَآىٕمًا﴾»
Hadrat Ka’b ibn Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he entered the mosque while Abdur Rahman ibn Umm al-Hakam was delivering the khutbah sitting down. He said: Look at this wretch, delivering the khutbah sitting, while Allah the Exalted says: ﴿وَاِذَا رَاَوْا تِجَارَةً اَوْ لَهْوَ انْفَضُّوْۤا اِلَیْهَا وَ تَرَكُوْكَ قَآىٕمًا﴾
“And when they see a trade or a diversion, they rush off to it and leave you standing.”
In another narration: Hadrat Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يخطب قائما ، ثم يجلس ، ثم يقوم فيخطب قائما ، فمن نبأك أنه كان يخطب جالسا فقد كذب ، فقد والله صليت معه أكثر من ألقي صلاة»
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would deliver the khutbah standing, then sit, then stand again and deliver the khutbah. Whoever told you that he used to deliver the khutbah sitting has lied. By Allah, I prayed with him more than two thousand prayers.”
The imam should deliver the khutbah holding a staff or a bow.
Hadrat al-Hakam ibn Hazn al-Kulafi (may Allah be pleased with him) came with a delegation to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Describing their stay with him, he narrates that:
فأقمنا بها أياما شهدنا فيها الجمعة مع رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم فقام متوكنا على عصا أو قوس فحمد الله وأثنى عليه كلمات خفيفات طيبات مباركات . . .»
“We then stayed in Madinah for several days. During this time we prayed Jumu’ah with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He stood leaning on a staff or a bow, then praised Allah and extolled Him with brief, good and blessed words….”
The style of the Friday khutbah should be, in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one that warns and admonishes, not one that reads out news, tells stories or sings melodies.
Hadrat Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كان رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم إذا خطب احمرت عيناه وعلا صوته واشتد غضبه حتى كأنه منذر جيش . . . . . . .»
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered the khutbah, his eyes would turn red, his voice would rise, and his anger would intensify, as if he were warning an army (of its approaching danger).”
The khutbah should always begin with praise and thanks to Allah, the declaration of the testimony of Tawhid, and sending blessings upon the blessed person of the Messenger ﷺ should also be an essential part of the khutbah.
This is clearly understood from the khutbahs narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Hadrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ taught us the Khutbat al-Hajah with these words:
الحمد لله نستعيته ونستغفره ، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا وسيئات أعمالنا ، من يهده الله فلا مضل له ، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله . ثم يقرأ ثلاث آيات: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ﴾
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًاا﴾
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا﴾
»
All praise is due to Allah; we seek His help and ask His forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and the bad consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whomever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and His Messenger…. After this preface, he would recite three verses: (1) “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except while you are Muslims.”
(2) “O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.”
(3) “O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.”
If one considers the khutbahs narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it can be said without doubt that the khutbahs of the Prophet ﷺ were extremely brief, yet comprehensive and substantive. He did not have the habit of telling stories.
Hadrat Jabir bin Samurah al-Sawa’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كان رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم لا يطيل الموعظة يوم الجمعة ، إنما هن كلمات يسيرات»
Its chain is hasan.
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not lengthen the sermon on Friday; rather, it consisted of a few light words.”
In another narration, Hadrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كنت أصلي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فكانت صلاته قصدا وخطبته قصدا»
“I used to pray with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and his prayer and his sermon were both moderate.”
The sermon of the Prophet ﷺ always consisted of verses of the Qur’an. Hadrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كانت للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خطبتان ، يجلس بينهما ، يقرأ القرآن ويذكر الناس»
“The Prophet ﷺ would deliver two sermons, sitting between them, reciting the Qur’an and reminding the people.”
Hadrat Amrah bint Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that:
أخذت ﴿ق ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ﴾ من فى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الجمعة وهو يقرأ بها على المنبر فى كل جمعة»
“I learned Surah ﴿ق ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ﴾ by hearing it from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on Fridays, for he used to recite it on the pulpit every Friday.”
The Friday prayer of the Prophet ﷺ was long and his sermon brief, and he has commanded the Ummah to do the same.
Hadrat Abu Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
خطبنا عمار فأوجز وأبلغ فلما نزل قلنا: يا أبا اليقظان لقد أبلغت وأوجزت ، فلو كنت تنفست؟ فقال: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: إن طول صلاة الرجل وقصر خطبته مئنة من فقهه ، فأطيلوا الصلاة واقصروا الخطبة ، وإن من البيان سحرا»
Hadrat Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon to us, which was very brief yet very eloquent. When he came down, we said: “O Abu al-Yaqzan! You delivered a sermon that was very brief and very eloquent; what harm would there have been if you had made it a little longer?” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘The lengthiness of a man’s prayer and the brevity of his sermon is a sign of his understanding. So lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon, for indeed some eloquence is magic.'”
In light of this authentic and reliable hadith, let our scholars and preachers reflect, those who deliver sermons of two hours and lead the prayer in three minutes. Perhaps this is also one reason for the public’s lack of interest in the Friday sermon. Think, and reflect.
If any matter arose during the sermon, or someone asked a question, or a command concerning some action was needed, the Prophet ﷺ would address it as the situation required. Various incidents point to these matters.
◈ Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
دخل رجل المسجد ورسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم لا يخطب يوم الجمعة ، فقال: أصليت؟ قال: لا ، قال: قم ، فصل الركعتين»
A man entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the sermon. He asked: “Have you prayed the tahiyyat al-masjid?” He said: “No.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Stand up and pray two rak’ahs.”
◈ There is also no harm in descending from the pulpit and speaking with someone out of necessity or for a beneficial purpose.
Hadrat Abu Rifa’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
انتهيت إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يخطب ، قال فقلت: يا رسول الله رجل غريب ، جاء يسأل عن دينه ، لا يدري ما دينه . قال فأقبل على رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم وترك خطبته حتى انتهى إلى ، فأتي بكرسي ، حسبت قوائمه حديدا ، قال فقعد عليه رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ، وجعل يعلمني مما علمه الله ، ثم اتى خطبته فألم آخرها»
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the sermon, and I went close to him and sat down. I said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! A stranger has come seeking to learn about his religion; he does not know his religion.” Abu Rifa’ah narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ then left the sermon and came to me and drew very close. A chair was brought; I think its legs were of iron. He sat upon it and began to teach me of what Allah had taught him. When he had finished, he returned to the sermon and completed it to the end.
Apart from the above incident, on another occasion the Prophet ﷺ also came down from the pulpit. Hadrat Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
خطبنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأقبل الحسن والحسين رضي الله عنهما عليهما قميصان أحمران ، يعثران ويقومان فنزل فأخذهما فصعد بهما المنبر ، ثم قال: صدق الله ﴿اِنَّمَا اَمْوَالُكُمْ وَ اَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ﴾ [التغابن: 15] رأيت هذين فلم أصبر ثم أخذ فی الخطبة»
Shaykh al-Albani graded the hadith as sahih.
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering a sermon to us when Hadrat Hasan and Hadrat Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) came, wearing red shirts, stumbling and getting up. The Prophet ﷺ came down from the pulpit, lifted them up, then took them back up onto the pulpit, and said: ‘Allah has spoken the truth: ﴿Your wealth and your children are only a trial﴾ [Al-Taghabun: 15].’ I saw these two and could not restrain myself. Then the Prophet ﷺ resumed the sermon.”
◈ Hadrat Abdullah bin Busr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
جاء رجل يتخطى رقاب الناس يوم الجمعة والنبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يخطب ، فقال له النبى صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: اجلس ، فقد آذيت»
“A man came on Friday stepping over people’s necks while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the khutbah. At that, the Prophet ﷺ said to him: Sit down, for you have troubled people.”
◈ Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
أن رجلا دخل المسجد يوم جمعة من باب كان نحو دار القضاء و رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قائم يخطب ، فاستقبل رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ، قائما ، ثم قال: يا رسول الله ! هلكت الأموال وانقطعت السبل ، فادع الله يغثنا . قال: فرفع رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يديه ، ثم قال: اللهم أغثنا ، اللهم أغثنا ، اللهم أغثنا ! قال أنس ولا والله ! مانرى فى السماء من سحاب ولا قزعة ، وما بيننا وبين سلع من بيت ولا دار ، قال: فطلعت من ورائه سحابة مثل الترس ، فلما توسطت السماء انتشرت ثم أمطرت قال: فلا والله ! ما رأينا الشمس سبتا . قال: ثم دخل رجل من ذلك الباب فى الجمعة المقبلة و رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قائم يحطب ، فاستقبله قائما ، فقال: يا رسول الله ! هلكت الأموال وانقطعت السبل ، فادع الله يمسكها عنا قال: فرفع رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يديه ، ثم قال: اللهم حولنا ولا علينا اللهم على الآكام والظراب ، وبطون الأودية ، ومنابت الشجر فانقلعت ، وخرجنا تمشي فى الشمس قال شريك فسألت أنس بن مالك: أهو الرجل الأول؟ قال ، لا أدري»
These are the words of Sahih Muslim, though the hadith is found in most books of hadith.
On a Friday, a man entered the mosque through the door that was towards Dar al-Qada’ while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing and delivering the khutbah. He stood directly facing the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Livestock has perished and roads have been cut off. Invoke Allah to send us rain.” The Prophet ﷺ then raised his hands in supplication and said: “O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain!”
Hadrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: By Allah, there were no clouds in the sky, not even a small patch of cloud, and between us and Sal’ there was no house or dwelling. Suddenly a black cloud, like a shield, appeared from behind Sal’. When it reached the middle of the sky, it spread out and then rain began to fall. He said: By Allah! We did not see the sun for a whole week…. On the following Friday, a man entered through the same door while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the khutbah. He stood facing him and said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Livestock has perished and roads have been cut off. Invoke Allah to hold the rain back from us.” The Prophet ﷺ then raised his hands in supplication and said: “O Allah! Not upon us, but around us. Upon the mountains, the streams, the valleys, and the places where trees grow, i.e., the forests, send down this rain.” With the supplication, the rain stopped and we walked out in the sunshine. Sharik narrates: I asked Anas bin Malik: Was he the same first man? He said: I do not know.”
◈ Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
لما استوى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الجمعة قال: اجلسوا فسمع ذلك ابن مسعود ، فجلس على باب المسجد ، فرآه رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ، فقال: تعال يا عبد الله بن مسعود»
Shaykh al-Albani has declared the hadith sahih.
“On a Friday, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived, he said: Sit down! Hearing this command, Hadrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) also sat down at the mosque door. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he said: Come forward, O Abdullah.”
Pointing with a finger to make people understand or to draw their attention during the khutbah is permissible; however, using both hands is not established from the Sunnah and is disliked.
Hadrat Umarah bin Ruwaybah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Bishr bin Marwan raising both hands while gesturing on the minbar. On this occasion he said: May Allah ruin these two hands! I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gesturing only with the index finger, nothing more.
After completing the khutbah, there is no harm in descending from the minbar and speaking with someone as needed before the prayer.
Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) himself narrates that:
لقد رأيت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بعد ما تقام الصلاة يكلمه الرجل يقوم بينه وبين القبلة ، فما يزال يكلمه ، فلقد رأيت بعضنا ينعس من طول قيام النبى صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم له»
Imam al-Tirmidhi said: the hadith is hasan sahih.
“After the iqamah had been called, I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with a man who began speaking to him, standing facing the qiblah in front of him, and he kept on speaking. Because of the long time the Prophet ﷺ stood with that man speaking, I saw some of our companions beginning to doze off.”
The khatib should make supplication for the believers during the khutbah.
The Prophet ﷺ would often make supplication for the believers (men and women) during the khutbah. Hadrat Uqbah bin Amir al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) related the khutbah of the Prophet ﷺ. Its final words are:
ومن يعص الله يعذبه اللهم اغفرلي ولامتي اللهم اغفرلي ولامتى استغفر الله لي ولكم»
“And whoever disobeys Allah, He will punish him himself. O Allah, forgive me and my ummah. O Allah, forgive me and my ummah.” Then he said: “I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you.”
If the need arises, there is also no harm in appealing for charity and alms during the khutbah.
Hazrat Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
جاء رجل يوم الجمعة والنبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يخطب بهيئة بذة ، فقال له رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: أصليت؟ قال: لا . قال: صل ركعتين وحث الناس على الصدقة ، فألقوا ثيابا فأعطاه منها ثوبين . فلما كانت الجمعة الثانية جاء ورسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يخطب ، فحث الناس على الصدقة ، قال: فألقى أحد ثوبيه . فقال رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: جاء هذا يوم الجمعة بهيئة بذة . فأمرت الناس بالصدقة ، فألقوا ثيابا ، فأمرت له منها بثوبين ، ثم جاء الآن ، فأمرت الناس بالصدقة ، فألقى أحدهما فانتهره وقال: خذ ثوبك»
A man came on a Friday while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the sermon, and his condition was very disheveled. The Prophet ﷺ asked him: “Have you prayed?” He said: “No.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Pray two rak’ahs.” The Prophet ﷺ then urged the people to give charity, and they brought clothes, and the Prophet ﷺ gave him two garments. Then, when the next Friday came, he arrived again while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the sermon. The Prophet ﷺ urged the people to give charity, and he also presented one of his garments. At this, the Prophet ﷺ said: “This man came last Friday in a disheveled state, so I told the people to give charity, and they brought clothes. I ordered two garments for him. Now he has come again, and I told the people to give charity, and he returned one of those two garments.” So the Prophet ﷺ admonished him and said: “Take back your garment.”
Immediately after the Friday sermon, the imam should come down from the pulpit and the muezzin should say the takbir.
Hazrat al-Sa’ib bin Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
كان بلال يؤذه إذا جلس رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم على المنبر يوم الجمعة ، فإذا نزل أقام ، ثم كان كذلك فى زمن أبى بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما»
Allamah Nasir al-Din al-Albani declared the hadith sahih (authentic). See
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came up onto the pulpit on Friday, Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) would call the adhan, and when the Prophet ﷺ came down from the pulpit, he would call the iqamah. This practice continued in the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as well.
The imam should emphasise straightening the rows in every prayer, and this was the regular practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
Hazrat al-Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
أقبل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على الناس بوجهه ، فقال: أقيموا صفوفكم ثلاثا والله لتقيمن صفوفكم أو ليخالفن الله بين قلو بكم . قال فرأيت الرجل يلزق منكبه بمنكب صاحبه وركبته بركبة صاحبه وكعبه بكعبه»
The Prophet ﷺ turned his face toward the people and said: “Straighten your rows.” He repeated this three times, then said: “By Allah, you must straighten your rows, or Allah will cause your hearts to differ.” The narrator says: “I saw each man join his shoulder to his companion’s shoulder, his knee to his companion’s knee, and his ankle to his companion’s ankle.”
Numerous narrations on this topic can be found in the Sihah Sittah and Musnad Ahmad.
The imam should lead the Friday prayer as two rak’ahs, and this is the Muhammadan Shariah.
Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
صلاة الأصحى ركعتان ، وصلاة الفطر ركعتان ، وصلاة المسافر ركعتان ، وصلاة الجمعة ركعتان ، تمام غير قصر على لسان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم»
Allamah al-Albani declared the hadith sahih (authentic).
“The Eid al-Adha prayer is two rak’ahs. The Eid al-Fitr prayer is two rak’ahs. The prayer of the traveller is two rak’ahs, and the Friday prayer is two rak’ahs. It is a complete prayer, with no shortcoming in it. The Prophet ﷺ said it in this way.”
In the Friday prayer, the imam should recite Surah al-Jumu’ah in the first rak’ah and Surah al-Munafiqun in the second rak’ah.
Hazrat Ubaid Allah bin Abi Rafi’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
استخلف مروات أبا هريرة على المدينة ، وخرج إلى مكة ، فصلى لنا أبو هريرة الجمعة ، فقرأ بعد سورة الجمعة فى الركعة الآخرة إذا جاءك المنافقون ، قال: فأدركت أبا هريرة حين انصرف ، فقلت له: إنك قرأت بسورتين كان على بن أبى طالب يقرأ بهما بالكوفة . فقال أبو هريرة: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ بهما يوم الجمعة»
Marwan appointed Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) as governor of Madinah and himself went to Makkah. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) led us in the Friday prayer. After Surah al-Jumu’ah, in the second rak’ah he recited Surah al-Munafiqun.
The narrator says that when Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) turned after finishing the prayer, I caught up with him from behind and said: “The two surahs you recited today, Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib used to recite these same two surahs in Kufah.” Then Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting these two surahs on Friday.”
The recitation of Surah al-A’la in the first rak’ah and Surah al-Ghashiyah in the second rak’ah in the Friday prayer is also established from the Sunnah. Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
أن رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم كان يقرأ فى صلاة الجمعة ﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى ، هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ﴾»
“The Prophet ﷺ used to recite ﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى ، هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ﴾ in the Friday prayer.”
The recitation of Surah al-Ghashiyah instead of Surah al-Munafiqun in the second rak’ah after Surah al-Jumu’ah is also established. Al-Dahhak bin Qays wrote a letter to Hazrat al-Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) asking:
أي شيء قرأ رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يوم الجمعة سوى سورة الجمعة فقال: كان يقرأ ﴿هَلْ أَتَاكَ﴾»
“What did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite on Friday apart from Surah al-Jumu’ah?” Hazrat al-Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “He ﷺ used to recite Surah al-Ghashiyah.”
