Introduction
'Ibaadah worship in Islam in its specific since has a special form which has been imparted to the Ummah by Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim. While the Islamic acts of 'Ibaadah have names with general for literal mean, their forms a specific,. Thus, Salaah, Sawm, Hajj, etc. while having literal means have specific forms which are not subject to logic nor to man's mind. All acts of 'Ibaadah a by Divine command and their specific forms were revealed to Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim through the agency of Wahi .
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.
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A Deceptive Argument
Those who advocate that the Jumu'ah Khutbah be in English or some other language, mislead people by their argument that the Shaafi' Madhdhab permits the Khutbah to be recited in a language other than Arabic. This argument is baseless and deceiving.
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 covers 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 defective and false reasoning of our modern, so-called mujtahideen who cannot even recite Qur'an properly is no source of Islamic law. The Knowledge of these modern "reformers", in most cases is limited to a couple of English books written by authors of dubious distinction and character and, of course, to a translation of the Qur'an by Yusuf 'Ali. If they have a value case we say to them: "present your proof on the basis of the four Proofs of Islamic law. We and all Muslims are not interested in your fancy type of reasoning which is nothing but the unfortunate and illegitimate consequence of western influence and skepticism. About such people Rasulullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim said:
Dhallu wa adhalloo
" They are astray and lead others astray."
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The Jumu'ah Khutbah is Dhikr.
Basically the Friday Khutbah is a form of Dhikrullah and it is absolutely necessary for the 'Ibaadah of Dhikr to be executed in the language of the Qur'an. Allahu ta 'ala says in the Qur'an:
O believers, when you are called for Salaah on the day of Jumu'ah
hasten to the Dhikr of Allah. (Suratul Jumu'ah)
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)
The opinion of Imam Abu Yusuf Rahimuhumullah and Imam Muhammad Ash Shaybaani Rahimuhumullah as well as other jurists is contained in the following quotation:
"And they ( Imams Abu Yusuf and Muhammad Ash Shaybaani Rahimuhumullah) state that (for the purpose of the Khutbah) a lengthy Dhikr could be described as a Khutbah if necessary." (Hidayah)
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The Shari' meaning of the Jumu'ah Khutbah
According to the Shari'ah the Friday Khutbah is not regarded as an ordinary lecture or 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:
"This Dhikr is the khutbah, and it has also been said that it refers to the Salaah.
( fas'aw ila Dhikrillah}"
Shamsul Aimmah Sarakhasi Rahmatullah alaih says:
"The ayah establishes that it (the khutbah) is Dhikr, for Allahu ta 'ala
says: "And hasten to the Dhikr of Allah."
Finally from Sharhul Ihyaa al 'Uloom:
"The correct version is that the recital of the whole khutbah (both Khuthabs) in Arabic is a Shart ( Compulsory condition for the validity of the khutbah). Therefore, if among the people there is none who can recite Arabic, the khutbah shall then be given in non-Arabic, and it becomes waajib for them to learn Arabic. If they do not, they become sinners and there is no jumu'ah."
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