Are the Words “نؤمن بہ و نتوکل علیہ” Part of the Prophetic (Masnun) Khutbah?
Reference: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 528
❖ The Question:
Are the words “نُؤْمَنُ بِہِ وَنَتَوَکَّلُ عَلَیْہِ” (We believe in Him and rely upon Him) part of the Khutbah Masnunah — i.e., the Prophetic sermon authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — as many preachers and scholars commonly recite?
❖ The Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
✿ The phrase “نُؤْمَنُ بِہِ وَنَتَوَکَّلُ عَلَیْہِ” is not proven from any authentic, marfūʿ (Prophetic) ḥadīth.
It does not occur in the Khutbah Masnunah authentically transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ.
Supporting Notes:
① Dr. Ṭāhā Ḥusayn (the Egyptian scholar) mentioned these words as part of a sermon of ʿUthmān رضي الله عنه, but he did not provide a reliable chain of transmission (isnād).
Hence, it cannot be treated as evidence of authenticity.
② Likewise, Tārīkh Baghdād records a narration from Jābir رضي الله عنه, attributing to the Prophet ﷺ the words:
“أُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ”
(I believe in Him and rely upon Him).
However:
- The chain includes ʿAmr ibn Shumr,
- who has been declared a liar (kadhdhāb) and a fabricator of ḥadīth by ḥadīth authorities.
Therefore, this narration is unreliable and cannot be used as proof.
❖ Conclusion:
It is not correct to include the phrase
“نُؤْمَنُ بِہِ وَنَتَوَکَّلُ عَلَیْہِ”
in the Khutbah Masnunah, since:
- It has no basis in any authentic Prophetic report, and
- The only known sources mentioning it are weak or disconnected.
Thus, a khāṭib (preacher) should limit the sermon to the authentic wording proven from the Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.