The duration of the Khutbah of Jummah

The Khutbah of Jummah must be short rather than long. In the light of the Hadith, we see that it is not a Taqreer or a talk to deal with topics in detail. The language of Khutbah also has a particular style. Its language is not that of an ordinary talk. According to a Hadith of Abu Daawud, Hazrat Jabir (Radiyallahu Anhu) Bin Samurah (Radiyallahu Anhu) said, "Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not give long Khutbah on the day of Jummah. It comprised of a few words only." According to another Hadith of Saheeh Muslim and Musnad Ahmad, Hazrat 'Ammar Bin Yaaseer (Radiyallahu Anhu) said that: I heard Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying:

"The fact that a person extends the Salaah and shortens the Khutbah is an indication of his understanding of Deen. Thus extend the Salah and shorten the Khutbah."

In a Hadith of Abu Daawud, Hazrat Ammar Bin Yaaseer (Radiyallahu Anhu) said, "Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) has commanded us to shorten the Khutbah." On the other hand, according to the Mua'tta of Imam Malik (Rahmatullaahi alayh), Hazrat Abdullah Bin Mas'ud (Radiyallahu Anhu) considered the practice of prolonging the Khutbah and shortening the Salaah among the signs that will appear in the last era.

"... يطيلون الخطبة ويقصرون الصلاة ..."

"...they will prolong the Khutbah and shorten the Salaah ..."

These Hadith suffice to indicate that the Salaah must be relatively longer than the Khutbah. But nowadays, it is the opposite, especially nowadays when 'Khutbah' are given in Creole and are used for the development of themes in detail with a style of language inappropriate for Khutbah.

What should be the duration of the Khutbah of Jummah?

In the light of the Hadith of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), the 'Ulama say that the duration of the Khutbah should not be longer than the Salaah. It must be shorter than the Salaah. Prolonging the Khutbah more than the Salah is undesirable. The 'Ulama have estimated its duration to be the length of a Surah of Tiwaal Mufassal which are the Surah starting from Surah Al-Hujuraat till Surah Al-Buruj. Normally Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to read Surah from Tiwaal Mafassal in the Salaah of Jummah. Thus, the Khutbah must be the length of one of these Surahs so that the Salaah with its Ruk'u, Sajdah etc. becomes longer than the Khutbah. A Khutbah of this length can easily be given in 10 minutes. This indicates that there is no need to do Khutbah in another language besides Arabic. This Khutbah is not a speech to elaborate a topic in detail because it is difficult to do it within a short interval of 10 minutes. Even if it is done in this short interval, it will be of no use. And if it is longer, it will be against the Sunnah. Thus, it should be done in Arabic itself because as explained, the one who regards Khutbah to be a speech, he takes a considerable amount of time which is not in accordance with the Mubaarak Sunnah of our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). It is very unfortunate to accomplish an Ibaadah of such importance by mixing it with the impurity of Bid'ah.

If a person has been qualified as Khabeeth (impure) by a Sahaabi for merely sitting down to give Khutbah, then how much more impure would a person who gives it in another language be? How much more impure would the person who prolongs Khutbah be? All this is because it is a way of opposing the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). Neglecting the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) is very serious. One should not take it lightly. It is a lack of love for Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) which makes a person neglect the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) without regret. Neglecting the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a symptom of an impurity which is found inside the person, especially when one is proud of this system.

[English version of  "Longueur khutbah jum’ah" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.2]