Is It Wrong to Pray the Greeting of the Mosque During the Friday Khutba to Avoid People’s Correction?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

Is it wrong to pray the greeting of the mosque during the Friday khutba to avoid people correcting or objecting?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.

Following One’s Madhhab

In this matter, one should follow the madhhab that one adheres to.

The prayer of greeting the mosque is a Sunna. It is not an obligation. There are detailed discussions related to the prayer of greeting the mosque that can be found in the SeekersGuidance Answer Service; however, the key point is that it remains a Sunna.

Listening to the Friday khutbah, however, is wajib.

Listening to the Khutba

The beginning of fulfilling the command of attending the Friday prayer is to listen attentively to the remembrance of Allah, which is the khutba.

Allah Most High says:

“O you who believe, when the call is given on Friday for prayer, then rush to the remembrance of Allah, and leave trade.” [Quran, 62:9]

Accordingly, listening to the Friday khutba is wajib.

Because of this, the Sunna of greeting the mosque is left to fulfill the wajib of listening to the khutbah.

This is the position of the majority of the Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

The Hadith About Praying During the Khutba

There is an individual hadith in which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) instructed a man to stand and pray while the khutbah was taking place. The Hanafis, the Malikis, and others understand this as a specific instance due to the context of that particular man.

In that situation, the man was in need. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) stopped his khutba, waited for him to complete the prayer, and the Companions noticed the man’s need from his appearance. Afterward, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) spoke about the virtues of giving in charity.

Due to this context, the incident is not considered a general ruling.

Practical Guidance and Dealing With People

If you are a Hanafi, follow your madhhab and do not be overly concerned with people’s correction. People should listen to the khutba and refrain from occupying themselves with others.

You are not doing anything scandalous or unusually conspicuous. It is entirely possible that you prayed elsewhere in the mosque and then sat down.

In such situations, one should pay attention to the khutbah and ignore what people may say. In most cases, this is more than sufficient.

Being a believer involves having resolve. One should know what needs to be done and do it with tact and consideration, but not in a spineless manner. We avoid taking unnecessarily unusual actions, but matters such as this fall well within the realm of valid scholarly disagreement.

People also need to respect sound differences of opinion. Those who impose their own understanding of the religion on everyone else are a source of division in communities, not those who are following sound religious scholarship. Stick to what is correct, uphold good character, and refuse to argue.

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School,” which was published by White Thread Press in 2004 and is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.