Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salam. Brother I have a question. We few doctors and others pray jummah salah at our hospital. Mosques are far and due to busy schedule we are unable to join Jummah at mosque. Would you please let us know how to give khutbah? What should we recite at the beginning? What should we recite at the end? Please write us in details. Thanks for your help.

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Answer:

How to give Jumaa sermon?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 62 Surah Jumuaa verses 9-10:

9 O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly) hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah and leave off business (and traffic): that is best for you if ye but knew!

10 And when the Prayer is finished then may ye disperse through the land and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) Salatul Jumu'ah or Friday prayer is absolutely obligatory upon every free, adult, sane, resident male believer who has the ability to attend the prayer and does not have a valid excuse to miss it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) did not make the Friday prayer in congregation obligatory upon the believing woman, children, the travelers, those who were severely ill, or one who has an absolutely valid excuse which would be acceptable in the Just and Supreme Court of Allah Subhanah.

The wisdom behind the Friday sermon and prayer gathering is so that a maximum amongst the community of the believers can, at least once in a week, gather all together and worship Allah Subhanah. Thus if there is any chance that you and the believing brother doctors could possibly negotiate a few hours off at the time of Jumuaa Prayers and attend the prayers at a mosque with the believers, it would be best in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

But if there is no mosque in your vicinity at all, or if some of you brothers are serving humanity in the emergency department and cannot find an alternative doctor to take your place, or if for any other absolutely valid reason which would hold weight in the Court of Allah Subhanah; it is permissible in Islam for a few brothers in such a situation to form a congregation and perform the obligatory Jumuaa sermon and prayers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.133

Ref: The number of people required for al-Jumu'ah

There is no dispute among the scholars that a congregation is a necessary condition for the validity of al-Jumu'ah. This is based on the hadith of Tariq ibn Shihab who reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Al-Jumu'ah is an obligation ( wajib) upon every Muslim in the community." However, the scholars do differ on how many people are required for al-Jumu'ah. There are fifteen different opinions on this question and they are mentioned by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari. The strongest opinion is that salatul Jumu'ah is valid if there are two or more people present since the Prophet (saws) is reported to have said: "Two or more constitute a congregation."

Ash-Shaukani says: 'The other prayers are considered to be made in congregation if there are two people present. The same applies to Jumu'ah salah, unless there is a reason for it to be different. There is no evidence to show that [for the purpose of the congregation] its number should be larger than that for the other prayers.’ Abdul Haqq says: 'There is no confirmed hadith on the number of people needed for al-Jumu'ah.' Similarly, as-Sayuti holds: 'There is no confirmed hadith which states a particular number [for the Jumu'ah salah].'" This is also the opinion of at-Tabari, Dawud, an-Nakha'i, and Ibn Hazm.

In light of the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and the subsequent commentary and understanding of the eminent scholars in Islam, if there are two or more believing brothers amongst you, it would constitute a congregation.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.138

Ref: Contents of the khutbah

It is preferred that the Friday khutbah (sermon) include praises of Allah, the Exalted, prayers upon the Prophet (saws), admonitions, and Qur'anic recitations.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Every speech that does not begin with the praises of Allah is defective." This is related by Abu Dawud and Ahmad.

In another version, it is stated: "The Friday khutbah that does not contain the testimony ["There is no God except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger] is like the defective hand." This is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi.

Ibn Mas'ud reports that the Prophet (saws) would say in his opening testimony: "All praise be to Allah, we seek His aid and we seek His forgiveness and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls. Whomever Allah guides, no one will be able to mislead him. Whoever He leaves astray will have no guidance for him. And I testify that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger whom He sent with the Truth and as a warner before the Hour. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be guided aright, and whoever disobeys them will only harm his own self and he will not harm Allah, the Exalted, at all."

Jabir ibn Samurah says: "The Messenger of Allah would deliver his khutbah standing, would sit in between the two khutbahs, would recite some verses, and would remind the people [about Allah]." This is related by Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Nisai.

Jabir also related that the Prophet (saws) would not make his admonitions on Friday too long, but give a very short khutbah. This is related by Abu Dawud.

Umm Hisham bint Harithah ibn an-Nu'man says: "I learnt [Surah] Qaf of the Glorious Qur'an from the Prophet (saws) for he recited it upon the pulpit every Friday when he addressed the people." This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, an-Nasa' i, and Abu Dawud .

In ar-Raudah an-Nadiyah, it is stated: "Thus the required khutbah, in terms of Islamic law, should be modeled after the Prophet's khutbah exhorting people to do good and warning them against dire consequences of the evil. This is the spirit of the address which the Islamic law has instituted. As to the other contents of the khutbah, like praising Allah, saying prayers upon His Messengers or reciting a portion of the Qur'an, none of these is its main purpose, which is to admonish people... It has been customary among the Muslims [in the light of the Sunnah] that if one wanted to make some sort of proclamation, he would begin with praises of Allah and prayers upon His Prophet (saws). Still, that is not the purpose of the khutbah; indeed, the purpose is that which is said after praises of Allah and prayers for the Prophet (saws).

It is the admonitary aspect of the Friday khutbah which the hadith emphasise, and if a khatib makes an admonition, he fulfills the purpose of shari'ah; if he precedes his khutbah with praises of Allah and prayers upon the Prophet (saws) and during his admonitions he uses Qur'anic verses, then he does it in a complete and satisfactory manner."

In light of the above authentic hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it was his (saws) Sunnah that he would give two short sermons during the Friday prayer, and sit down for a few moments between the two sermons. It was also the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to make the second sermon shorter than the first one. One should start the sermon with the Praise of Allah and send blessings upon the Messenger (saws), and strive to give admonition to the audience in light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.

It would also be best to give the sermon in a language which is understood by most of the audience so that they may understand what is being said, and take admonition from the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah. There is absolutely no obligation in Shariah that a Jumuaa sermon has to be related in Arabic or any other specific language; or that a particular or specific set of words or phrases have to be said or recited in a Friday Sermon.

After the conclusion of the Friday sermon, the ‘iqaamah’ is to be called and a two rakah prayer prayed in congregation would conclude the Friday mid-day obligatory prayer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan