Friday Khutbah in other then Arabic!
Asslamo Allaikum Sister,
UK has the same issue and people ask as to why Khtubah is given in a language (Arabic) which is not understood by many and there are a few answers:
1) Most Muslims in UK are Hanafee from Indian/Pakistani background and according to Hanafi Madhab it is Makrroh to issue Khutbah in ARABIC if the Imam knows Arabic
2) Khutbah is NOT a speech, rather it is Dhikr & part of Salah; there is NO condition that you have to understand Khutbah for your Salah to be valid; although it is obviously beneficial
3) Muslims in UK have the “custom” borrowed from sub-continent/Turkey/Afghanistan to give a talk in the native language BEFORE Jummuah
4) There is NO sound and undisputed precedence of Khutbah being delivered in any language besides Arabic by Sahaba (RA), Taba’een (RA) & Taba Taba’een (RA) when they visited lands where ARABIC was not spoken but there is NO evidence of prohibition either
a. Khutbah in language other then Arabic is permissible according to Imam Abu Hanfeea (RA) in the Hanafi Madhab; hence Egyptian/Syrian/Jordanian scholars give a Fatwa of permissibility
b. Khutbah in language other then Arabic is Makrooh (disliked) according to Imam Abu Yusuf (RA) in the Hanafi Madhab
c. It is well known that when the students of Imam Abu Hangeefa (RA) disagree with him; it is a stronger Madhab and the evidence is stronger!
Hence the Indian/Pakistani scholars give Fatwa on the stronger opinion
Please note that I am not very knowledgeable in anything let alone in Hanafi Madhab; so just giving background information…I don’t know which one is stronger according to Qur’aan/Sunnah
d. I do understand that there is NO sound undisputed evidence to give Khutbah in a language other then Arabic
e. I do understand that there is NO sound undisputed evidence for the prohibition give Khutbah in a language other then Arabic
I have not formally studied Hanafi Madhab & in Hanbali Madhab “e” automatically means permissibility (Iqtidha Siratul-Mustqeem by Shaykh Ibn-e-Taimiyyah); hence the Fatwa of scholars of Saudia for the permissibility of giving Khutbah in native languages
I whole-heartedly agree that our Imams in matters (other then Khutbah); should use local language since there is no difference of opinion on that!
P.S: Caution! As always this is background information ONLY!
Yes, I meant they do a brief translation to Norwegian of the khutbah in Rabita. There is one, a gambian masjid in Grønland that do the khutbah in its total in Norwegian, and then a brief obligatory part in arabic. Most of their members does not understand a word arabic, so why bother keeping khutbah in a language people cant understand hehe...
I always prefered Rabita, thats the only place I have been, where I was not thrown out for being a woman... But then again, I did not try too many masjids, mainly we bumped on some pakistani/indian masjids, they rejected us, but usually somali, moroccan and the international ones, would never do that.
