The Imam’s Entry and His Greeting on Friday
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 17847 )
Q 1: Some Friday preachers arrive at the mosque and perform the recommended practice in one of the corners of the mosque, and they recite the Qur’an. When the time for the sermon arrives, they stand up and ascend the pulpit . Is this action in accordance with the Shari’ah?
A 1: It was the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to enter the mosque for the Friday prayer when its time entered, and to ascend the pulpit for the sermon without praying the greeting of the mosque or anything else. As for an imam who enters before the time and waits, there is no harm in that, but he must pray the greeting of the mosque upon his entry before he sits. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in the context of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) guidance in going out to the people on Friday to preach to them and lead them in prayer: “He would wait on Friday until the people gathered. When they gathered, he would go out to them alone, without a crier shouting before him, and without wearing a cloak, a turban, or black garments. When he entered the mosque, he would greet them. When he ascended the pulpit, he would face the people with his face and greet them,” to the end of what Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in his book (Zad al-Ma’ad 1: 429). For this reason, it is counted among the characteristics of Friday that the follower is occupied with prayer, remembrance, and recitation until the imam goes out. One of the opinions regarding the hour of response on Friday is that it is from when the imam sits on the pulpit until the completion of the prayer,
as narrated by al-Nawawi and others, based on the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) which is established in this regard. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q 1: Some Friday preachers arrive at the mosque and perform the recommended practice in one of the corners of the mosque, and they recite the Qur’an. When the time for the sermon arrives, they stand up and ascend the pulpit . Is this action in accordance with the Shari’ah?
A 1: It was the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to enter the mosque for the Friday prayer when its time entered, and to ascend the pulpit for the sermon without praying the greeting of the mosque or anything else. As for an imam who enters before the time and waits, there is no harm in that, but he must pray the greeting of the mosque upon his entry before he sits. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in the context of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) guidance in going out to the people on Friday to preach to them and lead them in prayer: “He would wait on Friday until the people gathered. When they gathered, he would go out to them alone, without a crier shouting before him, and without wearing a cloak, a turban, or black garments. When he entered the mosque, he would greet them. When he ascended the pulpit, he would face the people with his face and greet them,” to the end of what Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in his book (Zad al-Ma’ad 1: 429). For this reason, it is counted among the characteristics of Friday that the follower is occupied with prayer, remembrance, and recitation until the imam goes out. One of the opinions regarding the hour of response on Friday is that it is from when the imam sits on the pulpit until the completion of the prayer,
as narrated by al-Nawawi and others, based on the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) which is established in this regard. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.