If the khatib mentions the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on Friday, should we send blessings and peace upon him?
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The questioner : Shaykh, what is our position when the Friday khatib mentions the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Do we say, "May Allah send blessings and peace upon him," or do we remain silent?
The Shaykh : No, we remain silent.
The questioner : Nor...
The Shaykh : Because if we say it—my brother—when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, we must also say it when the Creator of the Messenger (Exalted and Majestic is He) or (Glorified and Exalted is He) is mentioned, or any phrase that exalts Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If this door is opened, people will depart from the purpose for which they abstained on Friday while the khatib is delivering the sermon, which is to benefit from this remembrance that they were commanded to attend;[Al-Jumu'ah 62:9], especially if someone enters and greets us! And we say to him, "And upon you be peace!" And if a fourth person sneezes, we say, "May Allah have mercy on you!" This means the matter has departed from what it was established for.
The questioner : But we are commanded to say, "May Allah send blessings and peace upon him," when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, whereas we are not commanded to say, "Exalted is His Majesty," when Allah is mentioned; meaning, are we commanded in the hadiths to do so when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned?
The Shaykh : ... The response to your statement is from two aspects. The first aspect is that if we were commanded to send blessings upon the Messenger, is not mentioning Allah with His Majesty and exalting Him even more obligatory? Yes, this is the primary obligation. The other aspect is: were we not commanded to enjoin good and forbid evil? So, do you enjoin good and forbid evil while the khatib is delivering the sermon?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is even more obligatory; because this is a correct matter that is obligatory; but there is much disagreement: is it obligatory to send blessings upon the Messenger every time he is mentioned, or is it sufficient to send blessings upon the Messenger once in the gathering? Then it is possible for this to occur in your heart; without you uttering it and occupying yourself with uttering the blessings upon the Messenger (peace be upon him), or returning the greeting, or responding to the sneezer, or the like.
The questioner : I mean.
The Shaykh : Responding to the sneezer—also; are we not commanded to do so?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Also, do we open the door to responding to the sneezer? And he is not commanded to return the response to us by saying, "May Allah guide you and rectify your condition." All of this is among the commands.
The Shaykh : No, we remain silent.
The questioner : Nor...
The Shaykh : Because if we say it—my brother—when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, we must also say it when the Creator of the Messenger (Exalted and Majestic is He) or (Glorified and Exalted is He) is mentioned, or any phrase that exalts Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If this door is opened, people will depart from the purpose for which they abstained on Friday while the khatib is delivering the sermon, which is to benefit from this remembrance that they were commanded to attend;
when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah
إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِThe questioner : But we are commanded to say, "May Allah send blessings and peace upon him," when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, whereas we are not commanded to say, "Exalted is His Majesty," when Allah is mentioned; meaning, are we commanded in the hadiths to do so when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned?
The Shaykh : ... The response to your statement is from two aspects. The first aspect is that if we were commanded to send blessings upon the Messenger, is not mentioning Allah with His Majesty and exalting Him even more obligatory? Yes, this is the primary obligation. The other aspect is: were we not commanded to enjoin good and forbid evil? So, do you enjoin good and forbid evil while the khatib is delivering the sermon?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is even more obligatory; because this is a correct matter that is obligatory; but there is much disagreement: is it obligatory to send blessings upon the Messenger every time he is mentioned, or is it sufficient to send blessings upon the Messenger once in the gathering? Then it is possible for this to occur in your heart; without you uttering it and occupying yourself with uttering the blessings upon the Messenger (peace be upon him), or returning the greeting, or responding to the sneezer, or the like.
The questioner : I mean.
The Shaykh : Responding to the sneezer—also; are we not commanded to do so?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Also, do we open the door to responding to the sneezer? And he is not commanded to return the response to us by saying, "May Allah guide you and rectify your condition." All of this is among the commands.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.