This excerpt is taken from the book Tuhfa Juma by Sheikh al-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Yusuf (Founder of Dar al-Hadith Jamia Kamalia).
Narration of Ibn Mas'ud:
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the caller to the truth, the preacher of the Prophets, peace be upon him, taught us this khutbah.
إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه 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 وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ﴾ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا﴾ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا﴾
Sayyiduna Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Guide of the Worlds, peace be upon him, then said:
أما بعد فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله وخير الهدى هدى محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالة and it is in Sunan an-Nasa'i: وكل ضلالة فى النار
Reference: (Sahih Sunan an-Nasa'i 1331)
Note: شَرَّ (instead of a fatha on the ra) شَرُّ (a damma on the ra) كُلَّ (instead of a fatha on the lam) كُلُّ (a damma on the lam) are also completely correct. In this case, they will be the subject.
Another narration of Ibn Mas'ud:
② الحمد لله نستعينه ونستغفره ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومن يضلل فلا هادي له وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله أرسله بالحق بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة من يطع الله ورسوله فقد رشد ومن يعصهما فإنه لا يضر إلا نفسه ولا يضر الله شيئا
Reference: (Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter: The man who delivers khutbah on a bow, Hadith: 1097)
Narration of Imam Zahri:
③ الحمد لله نستعينه 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 أرسله بالحق بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة من يطع الله ورسوله فقد رشد ومن يعصهما فقد غوى ونسأل الله ربنا أن يجعلنا ممن يطيعه ويطيع رسوله ويتبع رضوانه ويجتنب سخطه إنما نحن به وله
Reference: (Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter: The man who delivers khutbah on a bow, Hadith: 1098)
Another Prophetic Khutbah, peace be upon him:
Khatib-e-Islam Imam al-Hind Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Juna Garhi, may Allah have mercy on him, in Khutbat Muhammadi, Volume 3, page number 56, writes the sermon as follows:
④ الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة على سيد المرسلين والعاقبة للمتقين أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد أما بعد
يا أيها الناس توبوا إلى الله قبل أن تموتوا وبادروا بالأعمال الصالحة قبل أن تشتغلوا عنها هرما ناغضا وموتا خالصا ومرضا حابسا وتسويفا موليا وصلوا الذى بينكم وبين ربكم تسعدوا واكثروا الصدقة فى السر والعلانية توجروا وتحمدوا وترزقوا وتنصروا وتحبروا وأمروا بالمعروف تحصبوا وانهوا عن المنكر تنصروا أيها الناس أن أكيسكم أكثركم ذكرا للموت وأكرمكم أحسنكم استعدادا له ألا وإن من علامات العقل التحافي عن دار الغرور والإنابة إلى دار الخلود والتزود للقبور والتأهب ليوم النشور
“All praise is due to Allah, the Sustainer of all the worlds, and blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers, and the best outcome in the Hereafter is for the pious. And my sincere testimony is that besides Allah, there is no one worthy of worship; He is One and has no partner. And my sincere testimony with heart and tongue is that Hazrat Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and His Messenger.”
O Allah, send mercy upon the person of Hazrat Muhammad, peace be upon him, and upon his family, as You sent mercy upon Hazrat Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and his family. Indeed, You are the Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.
O people! Repent before death. O people! Before the burden of old age, pure death, debilitating illness, and useless delay, do good deeds. Establish good relations with Allah through adherence to Tawheed and Sunnah so that you do not remain deprived of success. Give charity and alms secretly and openly so that you receive reward and praise, and there is ease and abundance in your sustenance and livelihood, and that you receive help from Allah against your enemies and in your own affairs. O people! The wisest is the one who never forgets his death. The greatest honor and respect will be for the one who prepares well for his death before the time of death, that is, who accumulates good deeds. O people! The signs of wisdom are:
That a person remains detached from this deceptive, unstable world and becomes a seeker of the eternal blessings of Paradise from Allah and is attracted towards it, and takes provision for the long stay in the grave, and prepares for the Day of Resurrection, that is, remains engaged in good deeds and stays away from evil.
The ruling on reciting Durood Shareef in the sermon:
Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned forty occasions for reciting Durood Shareef.
Other occasions for reciting Durood have been omitted to avoid lengthiness. Those who wish to study these occasions should refer to Ibn Qayyim’s book As-Salat was-Salam ‘ala Khayr al-Anam and Ibn Kathir’s works.
The following passage about reciting Durood in the sermon is presented in my own words. One of the occasions for Durood is the sermon, such as the Friday sermon, Eid sermons, Istisqa (prayer for rain), etc.
Reference: (As-Salat was-Salam ‘ala Khayr al-Anam, peace and blessings be upon him, p. 225, Idara Zia-ul-Hadith, Madani Road, Mustafa Abad, Lahore)
Durood Shareef in the sermon and the research of Khatib al-Hind Juna Garhi:
The great hero of the subcontinent, Syedna and Maulana Muhammad Juna Garhi, may Allah have mercy on him, translator of Tafsir Ibn Kathir and many other books, on page 274 of volume 4 of Tafsir Ibn Kathir, has mentioned multiple occasions for reciting Durood. At number eight, he wrote that similarly, it is obligatory to recite Durood in both sermons of the Khateeb; without it, they will not be correct because it is an act of worship and mentioning Allah is obligatory in it, so mentioning the Messenger will also be obligatory. (Mentioning the Messenger is as a testimony, not as worship, because the mention of Allah is done as worship, and worship is only and exclusively for Allah).
Reciting Durood Sharif in the two sermons of Jumu'ah and Hafiz Lakvi's research:
The Quranic commentator and great reformer of Punjab, Hafiz Muhammad Lakvi, may Allah have mercy on him, in Tafsir Muhammadi Punjabi, seventh level, in the interpretation of Surah Al-Jumu'ah, states:
Every sermon should begin with praise of Allah and also recite Durood on the Messenger of Allah,
It is a divine commandment; abandoning it leads to destruction.
Reference: (Tafsir Muhammadi, p. 151, vol. 7, Maktaba Ashab al-Hadith Urdu Bazaar Lahore)
Fatwa of Mufti Ahl-e-Hadith Hafiz Abdul Sattar Al-Hammad:
Mufti and translator of Sahih Bukhari Sharif, Hafiz Abdul Sattar Al-Hammad, a scholar of Medina University, writes in response to a question:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is the benefactor of humanity. In view of the blessings of the Prophet, the believers are commanded to send salutations (Durood) upon him at all times and in all places. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hazrat Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Wherever you are, keep sending salutations upon me; your salutations reach me."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad)
① Indeed, any gathering in which Allah Almighty is not remembered and salutations are not sent upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, will cause such loss on the Day of Judgment that cannot be compensated. Nothing will be gained there except regret and sorrow. It is stated in a hadith that whoever leaves a gathering without remembering Allah and sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, will be a cause of loss on the Day of Judgment.
Reference: (Bayhaqi p. 210, vol. 3)
In one narration, it is mentioned that such people, even after entering Paradise, will be afflicted with such regret that they will never forget it.
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad p. 463, vol. 2)
Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, while explaining the authenticity of these ahadith, wrote that it is necessary to remember Allah and send salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in gatherings.
Reference: (Al-Ahadith As-Sahihah p. 162, vol. 1)
② Especially on Fridays, it is commanded to send abundant salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Abu Mas’ud Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "On Friday, send abundant salutations upon me, for the salutations of a person on Friday are presented to me."
Reference: (Mustadrak Hakim p. 421, vol. 2)
A similar narration is also reported from Hazrat Aws bin Aws, may Allah be pleased with him.
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood 1047)
Some predecessors used to send salutations during the sermons of Jumu’ah and the two Eids. For example, Abdullah bin Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, says that we were at Maqam Khayf with Hazrat Abdullah bin Abi Utbah. He praised Allah, sent salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and made supplications in the sermon, then led us in prayer.
Reference: (Fadl As-Salat ‘ala An-Nabi, p. 87, Tahqiq Albani)
Allama Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book Jala’ Al-Afham, pointed out several occasions where sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is recommended, including the sermons of Jumu’ah and the two Eids. He mentioned the practice of several companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who used to send salutations during sermons. For instance, ‘Awn bin Abi Juhaifah said that his father Abu Juhaifah, may Allah have mercy on him, was among the servants of Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and used to sit under the pulpit. He told me that Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, would ascend the pulpit, praise Allah, send salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and then say that after the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, the best in this Ummah were Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, then Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. Similarly, he mentioned that Hazrat Amr bin Al-As, may Allah be pleased with him, and Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, also used to make it a point to send salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in their sermons.
Reference: (Jala’ Al-Afham Mutarjim p. 269)
Based on this evidence, there is no harm in sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in the sermons of Jumu’ah and the two Eids; rather, doing so brings goodness and blessings. It is also necessary to clarify here that standing and loudly reciting collective salutations before the Adhan, after the obligatory prayer, or after the Friday prayer is not established as Sunnah. Nor is there any evidence of this practice from the early generations. (In fact, doing so is an innovation and a major sin). (Compiled)
Reference: (Fatawa Ashab Al-Hadith p. 159, Maktabah Islamiyah Lahore)
Wahbah al-Zuhayli's Research:
There are five pillars of the Friday sermon.
① Praise and glorification of Allah Almighty, ② Sending blessings (Durood Sharif) upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, ③ Advising piety. These three matters are obligatory in both sermons, ④ Recitation of Quranic verses and their meanings, ⑤ Supplicating for the well-being of believing men and women.
When something is considered a pillar of an act, performing it becomes obligatory. Since sending blessings (Durood Sharif) is a pillar of the sermon, it is obligatory to recite it in the Friday sermon.
Reference: (Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu, Vol. 2, p. 286)
The preachers of the Salaf and the pious followers used to consider a sermon that does not begin with the praise and glorification of Allah Almighty (Batraa), meaning incomplete, and a sermon that is not adorned with Quranic verses and Durood Sharif as (Shawhaa), meaning disgraceful.
Similarly, the Master of the first and the last, the greatest preacher, Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ’s sayings also indicate that Durood Sharif should be recited in the sermon. As it is stated: "Send blessings upon me abundantly," and it is also established to send abundant blessings on the day of Friday, and the Friday sermon is also included in the day of Friday.
ثم اعلم أن الخطبة المشروعة هي ما كان يعتاده رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من ترغيب الناس وترهيبهم فهذا فى الحقيقة روح الخطبة الذى لأجله شرعت وأما إشراط الحمد لله أو الصلاة على رسول الله أو قراءة شيء من القرآن فهو خارج عن المقصود من شرعية الخطبة
“The prescribed sermon is that which was the blessed habit of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to encourage and warn the people; this is indeed the essence of the sermon for which the command of the sermon was given. The condition of praising Allah Almighty and sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and reciting the Holy Quran is excluded from the main purpose, as the main purpose is to admonish the people, so it is necessary to consider the language of the addressed people.”
Reference: (Fatawa Ahl al-Hadith, pp. 36-37, Vol. 2, compiled by Abu al-Salam Maulana Muhammad Siddiq, may Allah have mercy on him, from Sargodha, Idara Ihya al-Sunnah Sargodha)
It is clearly established from the fatwas of Mujtahid al-Asr, Muhaddith Zamān Sayyidna Hafiz Muhammad Abdullah Rupdri, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away in August 1964, and Sayyid Nawab Siddiq al-Hasan Khan, may Allah have mercy on him, that reciting Durood Sharif in the Friday sermon is a condition.
إذا فات الشرط فات المشروط
The most famous rule is that when the condition is nullified, the thing conditioned upon is also nullified.
③ It is in Musnad Ahmad: من صلى على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم واحدة صلى الله عليه وملائكته سبعين صلاة
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad 187/2)
Sayyidna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that whoever sends blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once, Allah Almighty sends down seventy mercies upon him, and the angels pray for mercy for him. (This virtue is especially related to Jumu’ah) (Sheikh al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, graded it as Hasan.)
Reference: (Mishkat al-Albani, Hadith No. 935)
Parenthetical Statement:
Numerous hadiths have been narrated regarding the virtues of sending blessings (Durood Sharif). Similarly, there are specific hadiths about frequently reciting Durood Sharif on the day of Jumu'ah (Friday). So, does Friday not fall under this? Does the Friday sermon take place on any other day besides Friday?
With due respect, it is requested that most fatwas have been omitted for fear of lengthiness, and mostly references from translated books have been given so that the general public may benefit. References from lengthy Arabic books have been deliberately omitted because the public neither has access to these books nor can they read or understand them.
Reciting Durood Sharif in the Friday sermon is a unanimously agreed upon issue by the Companions, the Successors, and the majority of hadith scholars.
هٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب وعلمه أتم وأحكم
