Responsibilities of Mosque Khateebs and Preachers
Excerpt taken from the book Aḥkām al-Masājid by Shaykh Muhammad Munir Qamar
The Duty of Checking Content
Ignorant nā‘t khwān (poetry reciters) often recite baseless verses lacking sound knowledge of religion. It is therefore the duty of scholars, mosque khateebs, and preachers to review their content. If correct, it may be allowed; otherwise, it should be stopped. Sadly, many responsible figures neglect these duties.
Imām Muḥammad Jamāl al-Dīn Qāsimī, in his valuable book Iṣlāḥ al-Masājid min al-Bida‘ wa al-‘Awā’id, outlines the responsibilities of preachers as follows:
Responsibilities of Preachers
① Teaching Knowledge of Allah
Preachers must educate the public about Allah’s attributes, what is impossible for Him, what is possible, and the status of prophets and messengers.
② Teaching the Pillars of Islam
They should explain Ṣalāh, Ṣawm, Ḥajj, and Zakāh, along with their etiquettes, rulings, and benefits in both worlds.
③ Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
They must call to good and forbid evil, urging people to follow the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ with proper manners and virtues.
④ Encouraging Righteous Deeds
They should motivate people towards good actions, reminding them that every person will be rewarded or punished for their deeds.
⑤ Promoting Cooperation and Brotherhood
They must encourage cooperation in lawful matters, good upbringing of children, honesty in all dealings, preservation of trust, and unity among Muslims.
⑥ Purifying Hearts from Corruption
They should cleanse people’s hearts from corrupt thoughts and superstitions that lead to false beliefs, fostering humility before Allah.
Condemnation of Negligent Preachers
Qāsimī (رحمه الله) laments that many preachers fail in these duties, instead filling gatherings with superstitions, fabricated reports, and personal desires. They falsely attribute things to the Prophet ﷺ, using exaggeration and fabrications to stir audiences.
He strongly warns such preachers:
من كذب على متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
“Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in Hell.”
[Bukhārī: 110, 107; Mukhtaṣar Muslim: 1861–1862; Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 3102; Ṣaḥīḥ Tirmidhī: 1200, 2141; Ibn Mājah: 30, 33; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi‘: 6519]Ruling on Fabricated Ḥadīth
Imām Nawawī (رحمه الله) stated:
- Narrating a fabricated ḥadīth, once known to be fabricated, is ḥarām, unless one does so to clarify its falsehood.
- Whoever knowingly narrates it falls under the severe warning mentioned above.
- There is no difference whether the fabricated narration relates to rulings, encouragement, or warnings — all are forbidden.
- Attributing falsehood to the Prophet ﷺ is far more sinful than attributing falsehood to any human being.
[Iṣlāḥ al-Masājid, al-Qāsimī, trans. Dr. Muqtedī Ḥasan Azhari, pp. 150–152, al-Dār al-Salafiyyah, Bombay]