A sermon in Urdu before the khutba

Question

(1) Since in our time the Arabic Friday khutba is of no benefit [to the listeners] while one in Urdu is beneficial, is it permissible, after the praise and extolment [of Allah] (hamd and thana') and the two testimonies (shahadatayn) in Arabic, to deliver the khutba in Urdu verse and prose, or not? If it is permissible, is it makruh tahrimi or tanzihi? And does a khutba in Urdu fall under blameworthy bid'a (bid'a sayyi'a, innovation in religion) or under good (hasana) bid'a?

Answer

(1) The entire khutba should be purely in Arabic. Reading it in Urdu, or in Urdu [mixed with] Arabic, is a blameworthy bid'a (bid'a sayyi'a) and makruh tahrimi; this is the position on which the fatwa is given, and it is what is to be acted upon. Acting contrary to it is makruh tahrimi, which is not free of sin.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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