Does the Friday Khutbah Have to Be in Arabic?
Does the khutbah have to be in Arabic? A neutral summary of what the four schools of Islamic law and contemporary scholars say, and how to follow it either way.
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There is no single answer. The schools of Islamic law differ, and the question is still debated. Nearly all agree that the Qur’anic verse recited within the khutbah is said in Arabic. Beyond that, most classical jurists require Arabic from a khatib who is able to use it: the Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools, and Abu Hanifa’s two main students (the Shafi‘is for the integrals, the Malikis most strictly). Abu Hanifa’s own view, and many contemporary scholars and fiqh bodies, permit the body of the sermon in the local language, especially for a congregation that does not understand Arabic.
This article summarises those positions as fairly as we can. It is a survey of what scholars have said, not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own situation, ask a qualified local scholar.
The key distinction: the integrals vs the body
Almost every disagreement here makes more sense once you separate two parts of the khutbah:
- The integrals (arkan): the obligatory elements. Depending on the school these include praise of Allah, sending blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him), an exhortation to taqwa, and the recitation of at least one verse of the Qur’an.
- The body: the general advice, teaching and elaboration that makes up most of what you hear.
The strongest agreement across the schools is that the Qur’anic verse is recited in Arabic, because it is Qur’an. Most of the disagreement is about the rest.
What the four schools say
Presented as attributed positions, from most permissive to strictest on the language of the sermon:
Hanafi
Abu Hanifa’s view, as reported in Hanafi works such as Ibn ‘Abidin’s Radd al-Muhtar, is that Arabic is not a condition: a khutbah delivered in another language is valid, and the Jumu‘ah prayed after it counts, even if the khatib knows Arabic. His two main students, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, held that it must be in Arabic unless the khatib is unable. Later Hanafi scholars also describe a non-Arabic khutbah as disliked, some strongly so: al-Laknawi, in ‘Umdat al-Ri‘ayah, calls it makruh tahrimi. (Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, as cited by IslamQA, Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta and the Hanafi fatwa service Askimam, which also quotes al-Laknawi.)
Shafi‘i
The well-known position is that the integrals of the khutbah must be in Arabic, while the rest may be in another language; if no one in the community can deliver the integrals in Arabic, another language may be used while they learn it, and learning it is an obligation on the community. (Al-Nawawi, al-Majmu‘ 4/522, as cited by IslamQA.) Some Shafi‘i scholars held Arabic to be only recommended (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah 19/180, as cited by IslamQA).
Hanbali
The well-known position is that the khutbah must be in Arabic if the khatib is able, and if he is unable, another language is permitted, with the Qur’anic verse still recited in Arabic where possible. (Al-Bahuti, Kashshaf al-Qina‘ 2/34, as cited by IslamQA and quoted by Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta.) IslamQA’s survey of the question also reports that some Hanbali scholars hold the Shafi‘i position, without naming them.
Maliki
The strictest of the four: Arabic is treated as a condition of the validity of the khutbah, and therefore of the Jumu‘ah, even where the congregation does not understand Arabic. Maliki jurists add that if no one in a community is able to deliver it in Arabic, Jumu‘ah is not obligatory on them. (Al-Dardir, al-Sharh al-Kabir 1/378, and ‘Ullaysh, Minah al-Jalil 1/432, as quoted by Askimam; al-Nafrawi, al-Fawakih al-Dawani 1/306, as cited by IslamQA.)
Contemporary scholars and fatwa bodies
Many modern authorities lean toward permitting the local language for the body of the sermon, on the reasoning that the purpose of the khutbah is admonition and teaching, which requires a language the congregation understands:
- Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta states that the prevalent opinion is that a non-Arabic sermon is permissible and the prayer is valid, while noting that the preferred practice is to keep the Qur’anic verses, hadith and introduction in Arabic and then continue or translate in the local language.
- Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen held that the khateeb may deliver the khutbah in a language the attendees understand, since the aim is to exhort and teach them, with Qur’anic verses recited in Arabic and then explained (Fatawa Nur ‘ala al-Darb, as cited by IslamQA).
- Fiqh bodies such as the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League have recommended a middle path: Arabic is not a condition of validity, but the introduction and the Qur’anic verses are best delivered in Arabic, and the exhortation in the local language, so a non-Arab congregation both understands the sermon and stays connected to Arabic.
To be precise: this permissive position is strong and widely endorsed, but it is not a claim of consensus (ijma‘). The Maliki position, and the default Shafi‘i and Hanbali positions, remain part of the picture.
What mosques actually do
In practice, across the world, one pattern is near-universal and the rest varies by region:
- The ritual core stays Arabic almost everywhere: the opening praise, the blessings, and above all the Qur’anic recitation.
- Arab-majority countries typically deliver the whole khutbah in Arabic.
- South Asia commonly pairs a pre-khutbah talk (bayan) in Urdu, Bengali or the local language with the formal khutbah in Arabic.
- Western and other non-Arab diaspora mosques very often deliver the body of the sermon in English or the local language, keeping the formulae, du‘as and Qur’an in Arabic. Others deliver in Arabic and translate.
In short: an Arabic core, with mixed practice for the rest, trending toward the local language for the body in non-Arab communities.
So, does it have to be in Arabic?
It depends on which school and which scholars your community follows. What is not in dispute is the Arabic of the Qur’anic recitation. For the rest, the range runs from the majority view that Arabic is required of a khatib who can use it (strictest in the Maliki school) to Abu Hanifa’s view and many contemporary scholars permitting the local language, particularly where people do not understand Arabic. For a decision that applies to you and your mosque, the right step is to ask your local imam or a qualified scholar, not to take a blog’s word for it.
However your mosque does it, you can follow the meaning
Whichever position your mosque takes, if the khutbah is in Arabic and you do not follow it, you are not stuck. A live translation app transcribes the imam’s Arabic and shows the meaning on your phone in real time, and there are other practical routes too. Our guide on how to follow the khutbah without Arabic walks through all of them.
Sources
For readers who want the underlying scholarship, these reputable fatwa references cover the question in detail:
Frequently asked
Does the Friday khutbah have to be in Arabic?
The schools of law differ. Most classical jurists (the Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools, and Abu Hanifa’s two students) require Arabic from a khatib who can use it, the Maliki school most strictly; Abu Hanifa’s own view and many contemporary scholars permit the body of the sermon in the local language, especially for congregations that do not understand Arabic. The Qur’anic recitation within the khutbah is said in Arabic in nearly all views. For your own situation, ask a qualified local scholar.
Is a khutbah in English valid?
Abu Hanifa’s own view, and many contemporary scholars and fatwa bodies (such as Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta and the Islamic Fiqh Council), hold that a sermon delivered in English or another language is valid and the Jumu‘ah counts, particularly where the congregation does not understand Arabic. Most classical jurists are stricter: the Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools and Abu Hanifa’s two students require Arabic from a khatib able to use it (for the integrals, in the Shafi‘i school). This is a matter scholars differ on.
Does the whole khutbah have to be in Arabic, or just part of it?
Most of the discussion distinguishes the integrals (such as praise of Allah, blessings on the Prophet, and the Qur’anic verse) from the body of advice. The Qur’anic verse is recited in Arabic in nearly all views; opinions differ mainly on the language of the rest.
If following the khutbah is your practical concern, see how live khutbah translation works, or read how to follow the khutbah without Arabic.
About the author
RecitID Editorial Team · Editorial
The people building RecitID: a small team of engineers, Arabic editors, and designers working on Quran identification, translation, and reading tools.
