Timing of the Friday Sermon and the Prayers Before and During the Khutbah
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, p. 322
❖ Question
Is it Sunnah to begin the Friday khutbah before zawāl (decline of the sun) and establish the congregational prayer immediately after?
Also, are the two rakʿahs performed before the khutbah and by those who enter during the khutbah considered Sunnah or Nafl? Please answer in light of authentic ḥadīth.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
① The Time of the Friday Khutbah
◈ From Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Fatḥ al-Bārī, and other sources, it is evident that the Noble Prophet ﷺ did not arrive before zawāl. Rather, he would come as soon as zawāl occurred and commence the khutbah.
◈ The Prophet ﷺ would not prolong the khutbah; afterwards, he would immediately initiate the prayer.
◈ In an authentic ḥadīth, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shortening the khutbah and lengthening the prayer is a sign of a man’s understanding of the religion.”
◈ Hence, from authentic aḥādīth it is clear that both the khutbah and the prayer would take place after zawāl.
◈ However, the Prophet ﷺ would come immediately after zawāl.
◈ On Friday, performing nafl prayers before zawāl and at the time of istiwaʾ al-shams (when the sun is directly overhead) is also permitted, as this is clearly proven from aḥādīth.
② The Prayer Before and During the Khutbah
◈ The Noble Prophet ﷺ strongly encouraged arriving early at the masjid before the khutbah and the prayer.
◈ He ﷺ promised immense reward for this and said:
“A person should come early to the masjid and continue praying nafl. Then, when the imam arrives, he should leave the nafl and listen attentively to the khutbah.”
◈ Therefore, the nafl performed before the khutbah are considered a Sunnah by prophetic statement (qawlī sunnah).
◈ Likewise, during the khutbah, the command of the Prophet ﷺ is:
“When one of you comes to the masjid while the imam is delivering the khutbah, he should pray two rakʿahs before sitting down, and shorten them.”
◈ Hence, these two rakʿahs performed upon entering during the khutbah are also a qawlī sunnah.
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.
