Is it obligatory to send blessings upon the Prophet in the Friday sermon?

The questioner : If someone were to say that sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a condition, and cited what has come in the books, a group of scholars deemed it valid.

The Shaykh : About what?

The questioner : He cited what is reported by al-Tirmidhi, which a group of scholars deemed authentic, from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, that supplication exists between the heavens and the earth until you send blessings upon your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : Yes. This supplication.

The questioner : What is it doing?

The Shaykh : The sermon does not require the congregation to gather for supplication in the first place. If the preacher delivered both sermons without any supplication, it is valid, even according to the school of jurisprudence.

The questioner : But he certainly thinks it is supplication.

The Shaykh : No, it is certainly not.

The questioner : May Allah welcome you.

The Shaykh : It is not decisive, my brother. If he preaches without supplication, it is valid. I reject the claim that it is invalid.

The questioner : Also, O Shaykh, the command is: "Send blessings upon the one whom Allah has commanded you to send blessings upon." This is the command now.

The Shaykh : I have a feeling about this. I mean, if he said, "Increase your sending of blessings upon the Messenger." Because if he said, "Send blessings upon the one whom you were commanded to send blessings upon," you see some people say, "We were commanded to send blessings now," and for this reason you find them rushing into the sending of blessings.

The questioner : But what supports it, O Shaykh, is that he sends blessings upon the Prophet.

The Shaykh : No, that does not support it, because even what you mentioned, he did not do it. He did not say to the people, "Send blessings upon me" in the middle of the Friday sermon. Yes.