• Introduction
• A Deceptive argument
• The  Jumu'ah Khutbah his Dhikr.
• The Shari' meaning of  the Jumu'ah Khutbah
• Differences Between The Friday Dhikr (Khutbah) and other lecture

 The Jumu'ah Khutbah is one such  act of 'Ibaadah which is not the result of man's endeavors.  The  Sahaabah Ridhwaanullahu ta 'ala alaihim ajma'een did not formulate the Khutbah out of their minds.  It's  form and method were for directly by Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim.  The Jumu'ah Khutbah is thus  and act of pure 'Ibaadah.  It is therefore utterly fallacious to describe it has a mere lecture which  could be subjected to mans' whims and fancies.  It is an act of Divine 'Ibaadah which has to be retained in its' original form.  It's  purity cannot the adulterated by human interpolation. If this process of  modernistic and baatil interpolation has  to be allowed, then in a  while all Shar'i acts of 'Ibaadah will become distorted beyond recognition.  Bid'ah will replace the original Sunnah forms of 'Ibaadah.   It is precisely for this reason that Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim  said  that a  votary of Bid'ah is engaged in digging at the foundations a the Deen.  Muslims should  therefore jealousy and zealously guard the originality of  Shar'i practices whether such practices are fardh, waajib, Sunnah for Mustahab.  Our Deen does not tolerate  interference or  deviation from the path  laid down by Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim.   Those who seek to introduce the English language into our acts of 'Ibaadah are in  fact the enemies of the Deen, even though they may not be aware of it.

The  Khutbah is a act of pure Dhikr and Dhikr has to be in the Arabic language just as Tilaawat and Salaah and  the athaan have to be  in  Arabic . Tomorrow the modernists who argue that since the purpose of the athaan is to call the people to the Masjid,  it is better to recite it in English  or the language  which is understood by the people.  Such arguments have no validity  in Islam.  Such arguments cannot be entertained. 

While according to the Shaafi' Madhdhab the Khutbah will be valid if certain parts are in Arabic, it ( the Shaafi' Madhdhab) does not advocate the recital of the Khutbah in English or a other language besides Arabic.  All Madhdhabs are unanimous that the Jumu'ah Khutbah has to be in the  Arabic  language.  This has been the standing practice of the Ummah for the last fourteen hundred years, right from the time of the Sahaaba Ridhwaanullahu ta 'ala alaihim ajma'een.

The question of validity should not be misconstrued.  A  practice may  be valid, but not necessarily advocated or encouraged.  According to the Hanafi Madhdhab, if the Khatib mounts the mimbar and says only Subhanalllah the  Khutbah  is  valid.   After having  mentioned only Subhanalllah, if the Khatib  steps down and  starts the Jumu'ah  Salaah, the Jumu'ah is valid and discharged.  However, but such a validity does not mean that the  Hanafi Madhdhab advocates the Khutbah to be confined to the  mere utterance of Subhanalllah.

Similarly,  Salaah will be valid if a person come to the Masjid  dressed only in a cloth which comes him from navel to the knees.   The rest of his body can be exposed, but his Salaah will be valid.  However, it cannot be argued from such validity that the Hanafi Madhdhab or in other  Madhdhab advocates or encourages the performance of Salaah in such scanty dress.

Thus, the validity of the Khutbah as long as certain parts are in Arabic, doesn't mean it is permissible to recite the Khutbah  or  even part  of the Khutbah in English or any other  language.  It  is sinful to depart from the established practice of the Ummah.  No authority  of the Shari'ah advocates the Khutbah in English or  any other language besides Arabic.  People should, therefore not be misled by the devious arguments presented by  non-entities and the juhala.

 It must be clearly understood that the sources of Islamic law are only four, viz.
 

•  1.  Kitaabullah ta 'ala
•  2.  Sunnah of Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim,
•  3.  Ijma', ( Consensus of opinion of the  Sahaaba Ridhwaanullahu ta 'ala alaihim ajma'een and Jurists)
•  4.  Qiyaas ( Analytical reasoning of the Sahaaba Ridhwaanullahu ta 'ala alaihim ajma'een and the jurists.

The above mentioned verse  was sent down to decree that Jumu'ah Salaah and Jumu'ah Khutbah are a fardh 'Ibaadah, a fardh Dhikr which has to be done according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim.    None of the Illustrious Companions Ridhwanullahu ta 'ala alaihim ajma'een  ever delivered the Khutbah in another language even when they left Arabia and spread deen throughout the world. Allahu ta 'ala uses the term "Dhikr"  to describe Salaatul  Jumu'ah and Khutbatul Jumu'ah. One would not think of doing the Dhikr "Subhanallah" after salaah by saying "Glory be to Allah" 33 times. Imam Abu Hanifah Rahmatullahu ta 'ala alaih as well as other jurists maintain that the  Friday Khutbah is a  Dhikr and they all substantiate their claim on the basis of the above mentioned ayah of Qur'an.  The opinion of Imam  Abu Hanifah Rahmatullahu ta 'ala alaih summed up in the following quote:
 

"If the Khatib shortens the Khutbah to a brief Dhikr ( Remembrance of Allahu ta 'ala such as saying Al Hamdulillah ) ,it is permissible according to  Imam Abu Hanifah Rahmatullahu ta 'ala alaih."  (Hidayah)

According to the Shari'ah the Friday Khutbah is not regarded as an ordinary lecture ot talk.  Allahu ta 'ala refers to it as Dhikrullah.

Hadhrat Sa'eed ibn Musayyib Rathiallahu anhu states:

"It( the Dhikr mentioned in the Ayah) is the sermon of the Imam, (i.e. the khutbah)"

In Tafseerul Mazhaari we read:

"The best meaning (of the term Dhikr mentioned in this ayah) is that it refers to both the Jumu'ah Salaah and the Khutbah because the term can correctly be applied to both."

In Tafseerul Baidhaawi we read:

Shamsul Aimmah Sarakhasi Rahmatullah alaih says:

Finally from Sharhul Ihyaa al 'Uloom: