Question: Some of the people of Takfeer use the Hadith of Abu Israil* as evidence for the permissibility of refuting and detesting the Imams if they oppose the Sunnah during the Khutbah. So what is the validity of using [this Hadith] as evidence?
Answer: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is the one who saw a person do something detestable. So he said to him: “do such and such”. So where in the Hadith is evidence for refuting the Khateeb? So there is not in this Hadith evidence for refuting the Khateeb. However, we mentioned earlier that speech with the Khateeb is allowed and it speaking with the Imam who is giving a khutbah does not enter into it [i.e. the prohibition]. This is because it does not involve preoccupying the khutbah. As for if the Imam is giving the khutbah and the people are talking, then this is not allowed. However, as for the Khateeb asking someone then he answers or he needs an affair to be brought for him or [he is asked] to supplicate or the likes, then it is permissible. As for a person interrupting the Khateeb saying: “do such and such” or “leave off such and such” or “this is like such and such”, then this is not correct ever. Rather it is obligatory for the people to listen to the khutbah. As for one standing and speaking with him (the Khateeb) and a person is opposing him, then this is chaos which will result in the khutbah going and there is no benefit taken from it”
[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 381]
Translator’s Note:
*The Hadith the Questioner is referring to is the following:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْطُبُ إِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ قَائِمٍ فَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ فَقَالُوا أَبُو إِسْرَائِيلَ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَقُومَ وَلاَ يَقْعُدَ وَلاَ يَسْتَظِلَّ وَلاَ يَتَكَلَّمَ وَيَصُومَ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مُرْهُ فَلْيَتَكَلَّمْ وَلْيَسْتَظِلَّ وَلْيَقْعُدْ وَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ ”
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: While the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering a sermon, he saw a man standing, so he asked about that man. They (the people) said, “It is Abu Israil who has vowed that he will stand and never sit down, and he will never come in the shade, nor speak to anybody, and will fast.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Order him to speak and let him come in the shade, and make him sit down, but let him complete his fast.” [Reported by Bukhari no. 6704 and Abu Dawood no. 3300]
Translated by
Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
