Is it a MUST to attend to the Friday Khutbah?What if I skip it?

by Asma bint Shameem

ANSWER

Attending the Khutbah is a fundamental PART of the Jumu’ah prayer.

And it’s an obligation according to the majority of the scholars.

You can’t just “skip” the Khutbah for no reason and attend only the prayer.

🍃 Allaah says:

“O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah on Friday (Jumu‘ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu‘ah Khutbah and Salaah] and leave off business (and every other thing).

That is better for you if you did but know!” [al-Jumu‘ah 62:9]. 

The “remembrance of Allaah“ mentioned in the above Aayah IS the KHUTBAH.

🍃 The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“The words “O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah on Friday, come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu‘ah Khutbah) and Salaah] and leave off business” mean: stop dealing with trade and come and LISTEN to the KHUTBAH and perform Jumu‘ah prayer in the masjid with the Imaam.”

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,13/101-102)

The evidence that it is obligatory to attend the Khutbah is the fact that it is prohibited to buy and sell during the time of the Friday prayer.

If it was not obligatory, it would not be forbidden to sell during the Khutbah.

That’s because what is desirable does not make something permissible ‘forbidden’.

🍃 Allaah says:

“But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allaah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allaah is the best of providers."

(Surah Jumu’ah 62:11)

🍃 Ibn Attiyah said:

“This aayah is evidence that it is obligatory to attend the Khutbah in Friday prayer because Allaah did not say: and they left the prayer [rather, He said: they left you standing: meaning while giving the Khutbah]”

(al-Muharrir al-Wajeez)

🍃 And Al-Qurbubi said:

“The evidence that it is obligatory to attend the Friday Khutbah is the Saying of Allaah:

“and left you standing”;

this is a despise, and the person who abandons an obligation is Islamically rebuked; and the Prophet ﷺ did not pray the Friday prayer except after delivering the Khutbah.”

The whole purpose of the Friday prayer  is to remind the Muslims of important issues related to Imaan and the Aakhirah, etc 

If someone will keep missing the Khutbah, he will miss out on one of the main purposes of the weekly Friday congregation.

Thete are many ahaadeeth that point out the importance of ATTENDING and LISTENING to the Khutbah.

For example

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever does ghusl, then comes to Jumu’ah, and prays what is decreed for him, then LISTENS ATTENTIVELY until the khutbah is over, then prays with him (the Imaam), will be forgiven (his sins) between that and the next Jumu’ah, and three days more.” (Muslim 857)

🍃 And the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever washes his head and his body (ghusl) on Friday, then sets out early, is PRESENT at the beginning of the khutbah and is close (to the Imaam), then LISTENS ATTENTIVELY, for every step he takes he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyaam for one year.” (at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani) 

In fact, attending the Khutbah is so important that even the DEAF cannot miss it.

🍃Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“The apparent (meaning) of His statement:

‎يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝٩

‎[الجمعة (٦٢): ٩]

“O you who have believed, when the call (to prayer) is made on Friday, proceed to the remembrance of Allaah and leave off your trading. That is better for you, if you only knew”[al-Jumuʿah: 9]

is that it is OBLIGATORY to attend even if the khaṭeeb (one delivering the khuṭbah) speaks in other than Arabic and the attendee does not comprehend it.

This is why we say to the deaf, attend the khuṭbah even if you cannot hear.

We also say to the attendee, do not speak while the Imaam is delivering the sermon, due to the generality of the prohibition on speaking while the Imaam is delivering the sermon, (this is the case) even if the attendee is deaf, or does not understand the language of the Khateeb.”

(Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymeen, 16: 35, no. 1191)

🔺What if I missed the Khutbah?

If a person misses the Khutbah for a GENUINE reason, but he manages to catch the prayer itself, then his Jumu’ah is valid.

But if he does it on purpose, deliberately missing the Khutbah out of laziness and neglect, then he’s sinful for not attending the Khutbah.

And even if it were that his prayer is valid, he is definitely missing out on a lot of goodness and rewards.

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“People should definitely stop neglecting Jumu’ah , or else Allaah will most certainly seal their hearts and they will most certainly be among the negligent.”

(Saheeh Muslim)

🍃 Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan Al-Barraak explained this hadeeth and said:

“This is a spiritual punishment, which is more severe than a physical punishment such as imprisonment or flogging.

The Muslim ruler should punish those who fail to attend Jumu’ah prayers with no excuse, as a deterrent.

Let each Muslim fear Allaah and not miss performing one of the obligatory duties enjoined by Him, lest he expose himself to the punishment of Allaah; let him adhere to that which Allaah has made obligatory so that he may earn the reward of Allaah. And Allaah bestows His Bounty upon whomsoever He wills.”

(Islamqa Fatwa 7699)

And Allaah knows best.