Can the Jumuah Khutbah be delivered in English?

 

Nasihah (Advice): Protection from one Jumuah to the next

 

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “Whoever recites Surah Ikhlaas, Surah Falaq & Surah Naas 7 times after Jumuah Salaah before talking to anyone, will be protected until the following Jumuah.” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)

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Question and Answer:

 

  1. Could you please advise whether it is appropriate to deliver the Friday khutbah in English or a combination of English and Arabic, given that our congregation primarily speaks English?

 

  1. A. The Jumuah Khutbah must be delivered in the Arabic language. Delivering the Jumu’ah khutbah in any language other than Arabic is considered Makrooh Tahreemi. (close to Haraam)

 

Historical evidence from Islamic history shows that when the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) established Masaajid in foreign lands—such as those of the Byzantine Empire, the Persian Empire, and Africa—where newly converted Muslims did not understand Arabic, they still delivered the khutbah in Arabic. Even when some Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) spoke the local language, they never deviated from delivering the Friday khutbah in Arabic.

 

The Sahabah Radhiyallahu Anhum did use local languages for lectures and sermons, but never for the Friday khutbah. (Fataawa DUZ 2/663-664)

 

All four recognized schools of Islamic Fiqh unanimously agree that the khutbah must be delivered in Arabic. (Mawsoo’ah Fiqhiyyah Kuwaitiyyah 19/180-181)

 

Therefore, while a separate lecture can be delivered in the local language, the khutbah itself must be given in Arabic.

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

 

Mufti Muhammed Hamza Farooqui

Mufti Taahir Hansa

 

(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) 

 

Fatwa Department
Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) 

Council of Muslim Theologians
223 Alpine Road, Overport

Durban, South Africa
Tel : +27 (0) 31 2077099

Email: fatwa@jamiat.org.za
Fax : +27(0) 31 2074163
Website : www.jamiat.org.za

 

 

 

 

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