as if he were a warner of an army, saying: 'He has caught you in the morning or the evening.' He would say: 'As for what follows, the best speech is the Book of Allah the Almighty, the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the worst of affairs are the newly invented ones, and every innovation is a misguidance.'
It is recommended to shorten the sermon; based on what Ammar narrated, he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: "The length of a man's prayer and the shortness of his sermon are a sign (22) of his understanding. So lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon."' Jabir ibn Samurah said: 'I used to pray with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and his prayer was moderate, and his sermon was moderate.' Muslim (23) narrated all these hadiths. Also from Jabir ibn Samurah, he said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not lengthen the sermon on the day of Jumu'ah; they were only a few words.' Narrated by Abu Dawud (24).
It is recommended that he leans on a bow, a sword, or a staff, based on what Al-Hakam ibn Hazn al-Kulafi (25) narrated, saying: 'I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and we stayed for some days during which we witnessed the Jumu'ah with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He stood leaning on a staff or a bow, then praised Allah and lauded Him with good, light, and blessed words.' Narrated by Abu Dawud (26). And because that is
(22) Meaning: a sign. (23) In: The Chapter on Moderation in Prayer and Sermon, from the Book of Jumu'ah. Sahih Muslim 2/591, 592, 594. The first was also recorded by Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on How to Deliver a Sermon, from the Book of the Two Eids. Al-Mujtaba 3/153, 154. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Avoiding Innovations and Disputes, from the Introduction. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/17. And Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on the Dislike of Adopting Personal Opinion, from the Introduction. Sunan Al-Darimi 1/69. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/310, 311, 319, 338, 371. The second was also recorded by Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on Shortening the Sermon, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Al-Darimi 1/365. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 4/263. The third was mentioned previously on page 175. (24) In: The Chapter on Shortening Sermons, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/253. (25) In [copies] A and M: "Al-Halfi" is a corruption. (26) In: The Chapter on the Man Who Preaches While Leaning on a Bow, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/251. It was also recorded by Imam =
