What is a khutbah?

A khutbah is a sermon given by the imam, most famously before the Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer. It reminds people of Allah, teaches something useful and ends with dua. Khutbahs are also given at the two Eids, at weddings and on a few other occasions.

The Friday khutbah

The best-known khutbah comes every Friday at midday. The imam climbs the minbar (the pulpit with steps), greets the people, the adhan is called, and then he speaks. The Friday khutbah is part of Jumu'ah itself: most scholars say Jumu'ah isn't valid without it, which is why the prayer is only two rak'ahs instead of Dhuhr's four.

إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ "When [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah." Quran 62:9

Many scholars explain "the remembrance of Allah" here as the khutbah and the prayer together.

How it's structured

The Prophet ﷺ gave two khutbahs on Friday and sat briefly between them; he recited Quran and reminded the people (Sahih Muslim 862). A typical khutbah today looks like this:

Opening: praise of Allah, the testimony of faith, and blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, usually in Arabic.
First part: the main message, such as patience, honesty, family, a current event or a lesson from the Quran.
Short sitting: a pause of a few seconds when people quietly make dua.
Second part: a shorter reminder and a closing dua for the community.

The Prophet ﷺ kept his khutbahs short and his prayer longer, and he called that a sign of a person's understanding (Sahih Muslim 869). Most Western mosques aim for 15 to 30 minutes.

What language is it in?

In the UK, Europe and the USA, most khutbahs mix Arabic for the set phrases and Quran verses with English (or the local language) for the main message. Scholars differ on how much Arabic is required. See Can the Friday khutbah be in English?

How to behave during the khutbah

Sit facing the imam, stay quiet and listen, even if you don't understand every word. Talking, and even telling someone else to be quiet, cancels part of the Friday reward. Phones should be silent and away. See Can I use my phone during the Friday sermon? For the full order of the day, see What happens at Friday prayer?

Other khutbahs

The Eid khutbah comes after the Eid prayer, not before. A short khutbah is also given at a nikah (wedding contract), and there is one during Hajj on the day of Arafah.

Key points

A khutbah is an Islamic sermon, best known on Friday.
The Friday khutbah has two parts with a short sitting between.
It comes before Jumu'ah but after the Eid prayer.
Listen quietly; talking and phones reduce your reward.

Tip: If the khutbah is mostly in Arabic at your local mosque, look up the English summary that many mosques post online, or find a mosque nearby that preaches in English.