the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to deliver the sermon standing, then he would sit, then he would stand and deliver the sermon standing. So whoever tells you that he used to deliver the sermon sitting has lied, for by Allah, I have prayed with him more than two thousand prayers." Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Al-Nasa'i. As for sitting due to an excuse, such as illness or inability to stand, there is no harm in it, because the prayer of one who is sitting and incapable of standing is valid, so the sermon is even more entitled to this concession. It is recommended that he begins the sermon when the mu'adhin finishes his adhan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do that.
Section: It is recommended that people face the Imam when he delivers the sermon. Al-Athram said: I said to Abu 'Abd Allah: "The Imam is on my right side at a distance, so if I wanted to turn towards him, I would turn my face away from the Qibla." He replied: "Yes, you turn towards him." Among those who used to face the Imam were Ibn 'Umar and Anas. This is the view of Shurayh, 'Ata', Malik, Al-Thawri, Al-Awza'i, Sa'id ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, Ibn Jabir, Yazid ibn Abi Maryam, Al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and the People of Reason. Ibn al-Mundhir said: "This is like consensus." It was narrated from Al-Hasan that he faced the Qibla and did not turn towards the Imam. It was narrated from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib that he used to
= Book of Jumu'ah. Sahih Muslim 2/589. It was also narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, in: "The Chapter on What Has Been Reported Regarding Sitting Between the Two Sermons," from the Chapters on Jumu'ah. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/294. And Al-Nasa'i, in: "The Chapter on Separating the Two Sermons by Sitting," from the Book of Jumu'ah. Al-Mujtaba 3/90. And Ibn Majah, in: "The Chapter on What Has Been Reported Regarding the Sermon on Friday," from the Book of Establishing the Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/351. And Al-Darimi, in: "The Chapter on Sitting Between the Two Sermons," from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/366. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/98. (6) Omitted from M. (7) Narrated by Muslim, in: "The Chapter on Mentioning the Two Sermons Before Prayer and the Sitting Between Them," from the Book of Jumu'ah. Sahih Muslim 2/589. And Abu Dawud, in: "The Chapter on Delivering the Sermon Standing," from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/251. And Al-Nasa'i, in: "The Chapter on Silence During the Sitting Between the Two Sermons," from the Book of Jumu'ah. Al-Mujtaba 3/90. It was also narrated by Ibn Majah, in: "The Chapter on What Has Been Reported Regarding the Sermon on Friday," from the Book of Establishing the Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/351. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 5/87-95, 97, 100-102, 107, 108. (8) Omitted from A, M. (9) Abu 'Utba 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jabir al-Azdi al-Shami, of the second generation of jurists of the people of Syria after the Companions. He died in Medina in the year 153 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 6/297, 298.
