Can the Jumuah Khutbah be delivered in English?
Question
Could you please advise whether it is appropriate to deliver the Friday khutbah in English or a combination of English and Arabic, given that our congregation primarily speaks English?
Answer
The Jumuah Khutbah must be delivered in the Arabic language. Delivering the Jumu’ah khutbah in any language other than Arabic is considered Makrooh Tahreemi. (close to Haraam)
Historical evidence from Islamic history shows that when the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) established Masaajid in foreign lands—such as those of the Byzantine Empire, the Persian Empire, and Africa—where newly converted Muslims did not understand Arabic, they still delivered the khutbah in Arabic. Even when some Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) spoke the local language, they never deviated from delivering the Friday khutbah in Arabic.
The Sahabah Radhiyallahu Anhum did use local languages for lectures and sermons, but never for the Friday khutbah. (Fataawa DUZ 2/663-664)
All four recognized schools of Islamic Fiqh unanimously agree that the khutbah must be delivered in Arabic. (Mawsoo’ah Fiqhiyyah Kuwaitiyyah 19/180-181)
Therefore, while a separate lecture can be delivered in the local language, the khutbah itself must be given in Arabic.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Jamiatul Ulama KZN. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.