Ahmad's position indicates that he does not stipulate that, for he said: 'There is nothing fixed for the recitation in the sermon while on the pulpit; he may recite whatever he wishes.' He also said: 'If he preaches to them while he is in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), then performs ghusl and leads them in prayer, it is sufficient for him.' Yet, a person in a state of janabah is prohibited from reciting a verse. Al-Khiraqi said: 'He recited something from the Quran,' without specifying what was recited. It is possible that nothing is obligatory except for the praise of Allah and the exhortation (maw'izah), because that is called a sermon and fulfills the intended purpose, thus it is sufficient, and there is no evidence to support the stipulation of anything beyond that. By consensus, it is not obligatory to preach in the exact manner of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sermon, because it has been narrated that he would recite verses, and it is not obligatory [to recite] (14) verses, although it is recommended to recite them as such. This is also due to what Umm Hisham bint Harithah ibn al-Nu'man narrated, saying: 'I only learned "Qaf. By the glorious Quran" (Surah 50:1) from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as he used to recite it in every Friday sermon.' A similar account was narrated from a sister of 'Amrah who was older than her, both of which were narrated by Muslim (15). In the hadith of Al-Sha'bi, it is mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite a surah (16).

Section: It is recommended to sit briefly between the two sermons, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do this, as we have narrated in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar and Jabir ibn Samurah (17). This is not obligatory according to the view of the majority of scholars. Al-Shafi'i said: 'It is obligatory, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to sit during it.' Our position is that it is a sitting in which there is no prescribed remembrance, so it is not obligatory, unlike the first [sermon]. A group of people have delivered the sermon consecutively without sitting, among them Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah and Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Ahmad stated this. It is also narrated from Abu Ishaq that he said: 'I saw 'Ali preaching on the pulpit, and he did not sit until he finished.' The sitting of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was for the purpose of resting, and thus it was not obligatory.