Sermons are religious lectures and in Islam, the most important lectures are Friday sermons delivered before Friday prayers. The sermon is an important aspect of the Friday prayer and is considered a substitute for the two rak'ahs that are usually performed at the Zuhr prayer. The four major schools agree that sermons are obligatory, and without Friday prayers sermons are considered invalid. Finally, the Qur'an describes Friday prayers as follows: O you who believe, when you hear the call to prayer on Friday, go to do it (while remembering Allah [through the sermon]) and leave all affairs. It is much better for you, if you know it.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Preparing the Sermon
Step 1. Choose a good topic
Avoid topics that are controversial and will cause divisions among the congregation. Since Friday prayers are an opportunity for Muslims to gather, you should choose a topic that everyone agrees with. It's also a good idea to avoid complex topics, such as inheritance rules. After the Friday prayers are over, the congregation is expected to return home with a new lesson. If you elaborate on something or choose a confusing topic, they won't learn or remember anything.
Try to choose a relevant theme. For example, if you are giving a sermon before Ramadan, Eid or the Hajj season, bring up the topic of the virtues of those special moments
Step 2. Learn how to give a presentation
During Friday prayers, usually twice the number of people who come to the mosque and they are often enthusiastic about gaining new knowledge. With this understanding, you should know that these people have a respect for knowledge and you should be able to transfer your knowledge well and smoothly. There are many ways to do this, including:
- Look at the congregation. If they feel that you are speaking directly to them, they will feel included.
- Turn up the volume to emphasize certain points. This method will bring back the attention of listeners that may have been distracted.
- Understand the verses and hadiths you are using. Your credibility can be questioned if you stand on the pulpit to deliver a sermon, but can't remember a certain verse, or misread it, or even forget it. It can also cause a stir among the congregation and make them lose interest.
- Prepare yourself first. Memorize the verses or narrations that will be spoken. This is very important so that you don't have to keep looking at your notes. Study the translation in Indonesian as best you can, and memorize the verse in Arabic. Remember, if you mispronounce a verse, it can change its meaning. So, be careful. Don't be afraid to look at notes to remind you what to say.
- Learning the translation of a verse in Indonesian is as important as learning how to pronounce it in Arabic. If Indonesian is not your native language, you should avoid words that are difficult to pronounce. Some people may find it annoying or even funny if you mispronounce a word.
Part 2 of 2: Delivering the Sermon
There is a specific guide on how to do the Friday sermon. For example, the sermon is divided into two parts, and several prayers should be recited at the beginning and at the end of the sermon.
Step 1. Go up to the pulpit and greet the congregation
You should use the same in complete Arabic, "Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh" (May Allah's safety, mercy and blessings be upon you all). After saying hello, sit down.
After the khatib (the person delivering the sermon) sits down, the muezzin (the person who calls for prayer) will sound the call to prayer
Step 2. Stand up and recite Khutbatul Hajah
Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave praise to Allah before starting the sermon. Khutbatul Hajah is read in Arabic as follows:
- innal hamdalillahi nahmaduhu wanasta'inuhu wanastaghfiruhu wana'udzubillahi min syururi anfusina wa min sayyiaati a'maalina, man yahdihillaahu falaa mudhillalah, wa may yudhlil falaa haadiyalah, wa ashhadu allaa wahya ilaha illa Allahu wa ashama ilaha 'du.
- Praise be to Allah, only to Him we ask for help, and ask forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, no one can mislead him and whoever Allah leads astray, no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone, and He has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Step 3. Read the verses of piety
You can recite any verse that will invite people to believe and fear Allah. The verses that are usually read are Surah Ali Imran, 3:102, Surah An-Nisa, 4:1 and Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:70-71.
- Yaa ayyuhal-lazina aamanut taqullaha haqqa tuqatihi, walaa Tamutunna illa wa antum Muslimun (O you who believe, truly fear Him and never die unless you are Muslim.)
- Ya ayyuhan nasut taqu rabbakumul lazi khalaqakum min nafsiw wahidatiw wa khalaqa minha zaujaha wa bassa minhuma rijalan kasairaw wanisa a(n), wattaqullahal lazi tasa-aluna bihi wal-arham(a), innallaha kana alaikum to your merciful God! created you from one self (Adam) and (Allah) created a partner (Eve) from himself, and from both of them Allah multiplied many males and females. Fear Allah in whose name you ask one another, and (take care of) kinship. Indeed, Allah is always watching over you).
- Ya ayyuhal-lazina amanut-taqullaha wa qulu qaulan sadida. Yuslih Lakum a'maalakum wa yagfir Lakum zunubakum wa may yuti'illaha wa Rasulaha faqad faaza fauzan 'azima (O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak the truth, Allah will correct your deeds and forgive your sins). your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, then indeed, he wins with a great victory).
Step 4. Say another prayer
Although there are many supplications that you can read, the most common are about heresy (religious discoveries).
- Fa inna khairal hadith Kitabullah wa khairal hadyi, hadyu Muhammadin wa syarral agei muhdasatuha, wa kullu muhdasatin bid'ah wa kullu bid'atin dhalalah wa kullu dhalalatin finnar. Amma ba'du
- "Indeed, the best of words is the word of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). And the worst things are fabricated and every fabricated is a heresy and every heresy is a misguidance, and every error is there in hell."
Step 5. Begin your sermon
Sermons can cover any topic such as rituals or current or relevant social issues.
After you finish the first part of the sermon, recite Aqulu qauli wa astaghfirullah li walakum, which means "I am the one who has spoken this and I ask Allah's forgiveness"
Step 6. Sit down for a while
This is part of the sunnah. Take this opportunity to ask forgiveness from Allah and that is why you say a short prayer before sitting down to tell the congregation to repent during this time.
If your throat feels hoarse or dry from talking, keep a bottle of water close by and take a few quick sips. Most importantly, you don't leave the pulpit
Step 7. Get back up and say praises to Allah
Just like you did in the first part of the sermon, you need to say praises to Allah and Prophet Muhammad (saw) at the beginning of the second part. Say Alhamdulillah was Salatu Wassalamu 'ala Rasulullah, which means "Praise and gratitude belong to Allah, the Lord of all mankind. I ask Allah to bless and bestow prosperity on Prophet Muhammad (saw)". Continue your sermon.
Instead of talking about a new topic, take this opportunity (the second part is shorter than the first and shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes) to summarize what you have said. Focus on the future and tell the congregation how they can practice what has been said in their lives
Step 8. Conclude the sermon with prayers and condolences
Submit a wish on behalf of the Prophet Muhammad and say a prayer for the congregation in attendance and for Muslims around the world. Some prayers you can say include:
- Rabbana atina fiddun-ya hasanataw wa fil 'akhirati hasanataw waqina azaban-nar, which means "Our Lord, grant us goodness in this world and goodness in the hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of hell".
- Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bihi wa'fu anna waghfir lana warhamna anta maulana fansurna 'alal kaumil kafirin, which means "Our Lord, do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Forgive us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our protector, so help us against the disbelievers."
- Robbana la tuzig qulubanna ba'da iz hadaitana wa hab lana mil ladunka rahma innaka antal wahhab, which means "Our Lord, do not incline our hearts to misguidance after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Your side; for verily You are the Giver (of the gift)".
- Allahumma salli 'ala Muhmmdadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammandin kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid, which means "O Allah, O my Lord, glorify You Muhammad and his family as You have honored Abraham and his family and bestowed blessings upon you." You are to Muhammad and his family as You have blessed Abraham and his family, that You are most praised and most exalted in all the worlds."
Step 9. Announce prayer times
At the end of the prayer, you simply say wa aqimas salah (invitation to establish prayer). The congregation will stand to start the prayer.
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Friday prayers are obligatory prayers for Muslim men. Therefore usually the mosque will be full. Make sure everyone has a place and can stand properly. Before you start, you can say:
- Istawuu: straighten my head
- Istaqimu: straighten and tighten the saf
- I'tadilu: straighten the line
- You can also give this command in Indonesian as long as the congregation understands it. For example, you could say, “Make sure your line is tight. Stand straight, with shoulders and feet parallel. Please the children who have not performed their ablution move to the very back of the row."
Tips
- You must be clean and in the best clothes.
- When delivering a sermon, you should always face the congregation and be completely honest with the content of the sermon.
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Make sure your sermon is short. However, this does not mean there is no content. Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “A person who lengthens prayers and shortens sermons is a sign of his understanding (of religion). So, make your prayers longer and your sermons shorter because a passionate talk will hit you more.” The ideal sermon usually takes 15-20 minutes.
If the sermon is too long, the listener will likely get bored and lose focus. In other words, your preaching will be meaningless and unenlightening
- If someone is speaking while you are delivering a sermon, his worship (including his Friday prayers) is wasted. In case anyone doesn't know it, it's a good idea to tell the whole congregation before starting the sermon.
- Make sure you provide the correct references. Do your research first if you want to mention certain verses and hadiths and study their meanings and interpretations to get a thorough understanding.
- Try to use authentic or good hadith to prevent controversy or misunderstanding rather than conveying a narrative that has no solid basis.
Warning
- The sermon should be delivered before Friday prayers, not after.
- The majority of scholars agree that the Friday sermon should not be delivered in secret because it contradicts the purpose of the sermon. In addition, the sermon must also be delivered loudly so that everyone can hear it.
