The seven under the Shade of Allaah Almighty 1

On the Day of Resurrection, all people that ever lived will be
gathered before Allaah toawait His judgment for all they have done of
saidduring their lives. During this time, the sun will come very close
to the people (as close as one mile according to some narrations).
People will want to get away from the heat of the sun but there will
be no Shade or shelter to goto and they will start sweating in
proportion to their sins. The more sins a person has the more he or
she will sweat.
During this traumatic time, however, the seven groups of people who
are mentioned in the following Hadeeth (Prophetic narration) willbe
completely immune tothe sun's heat and they will be in complete
comfort.
These people will be in such comfort because they will be enjoying the
only shade available on that day and that is the Shade of Allaah. They
willenjoy such an honor because of their piety and obedience to Allaah
while they were in this life.
The Prophet said: "There are seven whom Allaah will shade in His Shade
on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a
youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, theMighty and Majestic; a
man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each
other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man
who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal
intercourse], but be says: 'I fear Allaah'; a man whogives in charity
and hidesit, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand
gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so
his eyes shed tears." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
In this beautiful narration, the Prophet spoke about small acts
ofworship which result in such a huge reward: shade on the Day when
there will be no shade except His Shade, i.e., the Shade of His
Throne.
This may not seem like much at first but then reflect upon the
following narration: "On the Day of Resurrection, the sun would draw
so close to the people that there would be left a distance of only one
mile.The people will be submerged in perspiration according totheir
deeds, some up to their ankles, some up to their knees, some up to the
waist and some would have the bridle of perspiration (and, while
saying this, the Messenger of Allaah put his hand towards his mouth)."
[Muslim]
Let us examine now the characteristics and virtues of these seven
categories of people whowill be worthy of such anexalted position on
the Day of Gathering.
1. A Just Ruler:
The concept of Justice in Islam is very important and it is something
which the Muslim - Ruler and the ruled - must apply in all matters
without exception. Justice means to give each the right he deserves:
Muslim or non-Muslim, relative or stranger, friend or enemy. Allaah
Says (what means): "...And do not let hatred cause you to act
unjustly, that is nearer to piety." [Quran 5:8]
Unfortunately, even if weadmit this in theory, we quickly forget it in
practice. So we find that when we speak about our friends and loved
ones, we praise them beyond reason and whenwe speak about those whom
we hold difference with, we can find no good in them andwe just
capitalize on their bad points.
The Prophet said: "Allaah does not bless a people among whom a weak
man is not given his right." [At-Tirmithi]
The concept of justice is most important for the Ruler, since he is in
charge of his people and the primary disposer of justice in the land.
For this reason, the Ruler is given special mention as one of the
seven who will be honored with Allaah's Shade.
2. A youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah:
The great scholar, Imaam Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaani (d.131H) stated: 'From
the success of a youth is that Allaah guides him to a scholar of the
Sunnah (to study under and learnfrom).'
Indeed, it is a great blessing from Allaah for ayouth be guided
towardsworship and be befriended by the righteous, since it is in
youth that a person is most vulnerable to the temptations of life and
liable to drift away from the Islamic Path. This becomes apparent when
we look at society around us and we see that most of the worldly
distractions, such as music, games, clubs, fashion etc. are all
specifically targeted at the young.
'You're only young once!'they are told, which is why many Muslims
nowadays waste their youth thinking that they will pray, wear Hijaab
and go on Hajj, etc. whenthey are old, as if they have a guarantee of
longevity from Allaah! How well we would do toheed the Prophet's
advice when he said: "Take benefit of five before five: your youth
before your old age, yourhealth before your sickness, your wealth
before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied and
your life before your death." [Al-Haakim]
3. A man whose heart is attached to the mosques:
There is great encouragement in the Sunnah for men to pray in the
mosques and the reward associated with itis tremendous. Not only does
it make the person eligible for Allaah's Shadeon the day of
Judgement,but also: "he does not take a step [towards the mosque
except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is
removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease
supplicating for him [for]as long as he remains at his place of Prayer
[sayings]: O Allaah send blessings upon him, O Allaah have mercy upon
him..." [Al-Bukhaari]
It must be emphasized here however, that all the narrations
encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques are not intended to
lead one to the conclusion that Islam is a Religion which should be
confined to themosques, as many peopleimagine. Nonetheless, the mosque
should be at the heart of the Muslim community, and the role of those
in authority of the mosques is vital here.They are the ones mainly
responsible for making the mosque a welcome refuge for the Muslims.
To be concluded/

Entering the marital bond –: The marriage contract

The necessary components of themarital process:
This article, discusses some of the important issues to consider when
entering the bond of marriage. This includes the marriage contract and
witnesses to the marriage. It is imperative to remember that whatever
endeavor a person engages in, his or her intention should be purely
for the sake of Allaah, Almighty. For something as serious as
marriage, this should be obvious. The correct intention will ensure
that the union is blessed by Allaah and protected from difficulty and
tribulation. Our sole purpose in life should beto seek the pleasure of
Allaah in all that we do. If this goal were the focus, we would see
many happy, smiling married couples.
1. The marriage contract
The marriage contract is a necessary component in the marital process.
Marriage itself is actually considered to be a contract agreed upon by
the two parties. It is a binding, permanent agreement that can only be
broken through the process of divorce.
It should be entered with seriousness, and as with any contract, the
best attempt should be made to fulfill the obligations and
responsibilities due to the other party.
All scholars agree that the offer by one party and acceptance by the
other is an essential part of the marriage contract. Most of these
scholars also say that the offer must be from the woman's side (the
Wali - the guardian or one who represents him) and theacceptance from
the man during the process of the contract. The majority of the
scholars also say that it is necessary to have the presence of both
the prospective husband and the Wali during the process. The actual
presence of the woman to be wed is external to the whole process.
It is essential to mention here that the consent of the Wali is a
condition without which the contract is void.
The marriage contract itself may simply be in spoken form, although it
may also be completed through writing. Any wording that clarifies the
intention and goals of the contract would be acceptable. It is
important to mention that when the contract is entered into, the
aspects pertaining to marriage in the Sharee'ah (Islamic Law) become
binding upon each person, regardless of whether or not they are stated
inthe contract. These aspects would include the rights and
responsibilities of each party, such as the husband providing
sustenance for his wife and the wife being obedient toward her husband
and so forth.
Certain customs that are known and accepted by everyone can also take
the status of law and beconsidered binding on the parties. These, of
course, would only be acceptable if they do not contradict the
Sharee'ah. Some examples may be the custom of the husband providing
furniture for the house or the bride being taken to the home of the
groom.
Other stipulations may be added to the marriage contract if both
parties agree. These conditions cannot contradict the Sharee'ah nor
can they bring harm to anyone. The primary purpose of these additions
should be to avoid any conflict or hardship in the future.
Those who accept the stipulations must complete the condition or the
husband or wife has right to nullify the marriage. Allaah Says (what
means): "O believers, fulfill the contracts." [Quran; 5:1]
The Prophet said: "The Muslims must act upon their stipulations." [Abu
Daawood and Al-Haakim]. It is necessary to mention that some scholars
are of the opinion that additional conditions cannot be added to the
marriage contract.
2. Presence of witnesses
The majority of scholars agree that the presence of two witnesses is
an obligatory aspect of the marital contract. The Prophet said: "There
is no marriage save with a guardian and two (just) witnesses."
[Al-Bayhaqi]
The witnesses must be just and righteous, and also adult, matureand
sane. Most scholars state that the witnesses must be male,although Abu
Haneefah is of the opinion that it is allowed to have one male and two
females. The witnesses must also be Muslim between two Muslims. (Abu
Haneefah allows for non-Muslims witnesses if the marriage is to a
non-Muslim woman).
The reason for having Muslim witnesses is that the contract is
aserious one and is considered to be a religious contract.
Conclusion
As a woman eagerly prepares for her wedding day, buying clothes and
accessories, beautifying herself, informing family and friends, she
should reflect on the serious nature of the contract that she is about
to enter. It is a lifelong, binding contract that entails many duties
and responsibilities. She should become aware of the elements that are
necessary for completionof this bond (as outlined above and in the
previous article) as detailed in Sharee'ah, and learn about her role
as a wife and companion. She should also be informed about the rights
that are due to her from her husband.It is a beautiful reciprocal
relationship in which the rights of one party become the
responsibility of the other. There are many books available on this
topic and it would be wise to read some of these as part of the
preparation. In Islam, it is not enough to just get married. One must
have the knowledge to enter the union with wisdom andunderstanding and
a deep commitment to making it successful.
Equipped with the right intentionand knowledge, there should be little
room left for Satan to nudgebetween the man and woman who have
promised to love and honor each other all the days of their lives… and
in the Sight of Allaah.

Friday Prayers,- Friday khutbah in languages other than Arabic.

Could you kindly detail what should be done by the congregation for
Juma prayers? Basically, we listen to a speech in our language then
Adhan, then four sunna salaat. After this the Imam devlivers the
khutba in Arabic. During his khutbha how should we sit? Then there is
a pause in the khutbha, what should be recited here?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that it is better for the khutbah
to be in Arabic, but they differed as to whether that is
essential.There are three points ofview:
1-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, even if the listenersdo not know Arabic.
This is the view of the Maalikis and it is the well-known view of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Fawaakih al-Diwaani (1/306) and Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (2/34).
2-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, unless none of the listeners know Arabic, in which case he
should give the khutbah in theirlanguage.
This is the correct view according to the Shaafa'is, and it is the
view of some of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Majmoo' by al-Nawawi (4/522).
3-
It is mustahabb for the khutbah to be in Arabic but it is not
essential, and the khateeb may deliver the khutbah in his own language
instead of Arabic. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and some of the
Shaafa'is.
See: Radd al-Muhtaar (1/543) and al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (19/180).
This third view is the correct one, and it is the view favoured by a
number of our contemporary scholars, because there is no clearevidence
to say that the khutbah must be in Arabic, and because the purpose of
the khutbah is to exhort, benefit and teach, which can only bedone by
using the language of the people present.
It says in a statement of the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League:
The fairest opinion is that using Arabic when giving the khutbah on
Friday and at Eid in countries where it is not spoken is not a
condition of it being valid, but it is better to say the preliminaries
of the khutbah and any Qur'aanic verses quoted in Arabic, so as to get
non-Arabs used to hearing Arabic and the Qur'aan, which will make it
easier to learn it and read the Qur'aan in the language in which it
was revealed. Then the khateeb can follow that with exhortation in
theirlanguage which they understand. End quote.
Qiraaraat al-Majma' al-Fiqhi (p. 99) (fifth session, fifth statement).
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
There is no proof in the hadeeth to suggest that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stipulated that the Friday
khutbah should be in Arabic, rather he delivered the khutbah in Arabic
because it was his language and the language of his people. So the one
who addressed them and guided them and reminded them spoke in their
language that they understood. But he sent letters in Arabic to the
kings and rulers of nations, and he knew that they spoke languages
other than Arabic, and he knew thatthey would have them translated
into their languages so that they would know what was in them.
Based on this, it is permissible for the khateeb to deliver the
khutbah in a language where the people or the vast majority of its
inhabitants do not knowArabic to deliver the khutbah in Arabic then
translate it into the local language, so that they will understand
what he is advising and reminding them of, and they will benefit from
his khutbah.
He may also deliver the khutbah in the languageof his country, even if
it is not Arabic, and thus he will accomplish the guidance, teaching,
exhortation and reminder that are the purpose of the khutbah.
But it is better to deliver the khutbah in Arabic and then translate
it to the listeners, so as to combine the guidance ofthe Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his khutbahs and his
letters with achieving the aim of giving the khutbah, and so as to
avoid an area concerning which there is scholarly dispute. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (8/253).
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Perhaps it is better, and Allaah knows best, to discuss this matter in
detail and say:
If the majority of people in the mosque are non-Arabic speakers who do
not understand Arabic, then there is nothing wrong with giving the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, or delivering it inArabic
then translating it.
But if most of the peoplepresent know Arabic andunderstand it in
general,then it is better to stick to Arabic and not go against the
guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
especially since the salaf used to deliver khutbahs in mosques where
there were non-Arabs present,and it is not narrated that they used to
translate it, because Islam was prevalent and so was Arabic.
As for the evidence that it is permissible in cases of necessity;
there is some evidence to that effect in sharee'ah. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4]
For example, when the Sahaabah invaded non-Arab lands such as Persia
and Byzantium, they did not fight them until they called them to Islam
via interpreters. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz (12/372).
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The correct view with regard to this matter is that it is permissible
for the khateeb to deliver the khutbah in a language that the people
present understand, if the people present are not Arabs and do not
know Arabic. He may deliver the khutbah in their language, because
that is the means of explaining to them, and the purpose of the
khutbah is to explain thesacred limits of Allaah to His slaves, and
exhort them, and guide them. But the verses of Qur'aanshould be
recited in Arabic, then explained inthe language of the people.
The fact that he may give the khutbah in the language of the people is
indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4].
Allaah stated that the means of conveying should be in the language
that the people addressed understand. Based on that, he may give the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, but if he recites verses of
Qur'aan, they must be in Arabic, in which the Qur'aan was revealed,
then after that he may explain them to these people in their language.
End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb .
See the answer to question no. 984 .
Secondly:
The format of Jumu'ah prayer should not be changed to what is
mentioned in the question, whereby thereare two khutbahs, one before
the adhaan in thepeople's language and another after the adhaan in
Arabic. Ratherthere should a khutbah either in the language ofthe
people or in Arabic then translated into the other language
straightaway whilst the khateeb is still on the minbar.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked
about translating the Friday khutbah into some other languages, after
Jumu'ah prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam, so that those who do not know
Arabic could benefit from it. He replied:
We do not agree with what has been mentioned, and there is no
justification for delivering another khutbah on Friday before or after
the prayer.
If the aim is to translate the khutbah to those who do not understand
Arabic, then the khutbahetc can be translated via the radio at times
other than Jumu'ah prayer. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (3/20).
We encourage all Muslims to learn Arabic, because it is the language
of the Qur'aan and through it they can understand Islam better, and
understand the meanings of the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Shaykh Rasheed Rida (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
We have stated more than once that knowledge of Arabic is obligatory
upon every Muslim, because understanding the religion, establishing
its rituals and fulfilling its obligations all depend on understanding
this language, and cannot bevalid without it. Although the Friday
khutbah does not absolutely have to be in Arabic, this ritual is of
great importance.
The non-Arabs who entered Islam in the early period hastened tolearn
Arabic in order to understand the Qur'aan and Sunnah and to form bonds
through the language without whichthe unity of the ummah cannot be
achieved. The Sahaabah used to address the people in Arabic in every
land that they conquered, and it was not long before the language of
the lands that they entered became Arabic, due to the influence of the
spirit of Islam, not for worldly gains or by forceof compulsion. If
they had thought that it was acceptable to leave the non-Arab nations
who entered their religion with their own languages, they would have
hastened to learn the languages of those nations and established the
religious obligations and acts of worship for them in those languages,
and Greek would have remained Greek, Persian would have remained
Persian, and so on.
The difference in languages that we see today among Muslims is one of
the most serious bad effects of politics. If the Ottoman and
Iranianstates do not try to spread Arabic in their realms, there will
come aday when they will regret that. We cannot rely on any religious
reform in India or elsewhere in the Muslim world, unless Arabic is
taught from the primary stage and is made the language of knowledge.
End quote.
Majallat al-Manaar (6/496).
Fourthly:
With regard to praying four Sunnah rak'ahs before Jumu'ah, there is no
Sunnah prayer before Jumu'ah. Rather it is prescribed to offer
voluntary prayers in general before it, without specifying any
particular number.

Friday Prayers,- What should be said when the imam sits down between the two khutbahs at Jumu’ah prayer?.

What should be said when the imam sits down between the two khutbahs
at Jumu'ah prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to deliver two khutbahs on Friday and he separated them by
sitting down briefly on the minbar.
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to give two khutbahs and sit down between them. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (928).
It is not narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) or the Sahaabah, as far as we know, said any specific du'aa'
or dhikr between the two khutbahs of Jumu'ah. Rather some of the
scholars said that it is mustahabb to say du'aa' between the two
khutbahs, seeking the time when du'aa' is answered on Friday. Oneof
the strongest opinions about that timeis that it is from when the imam
first comes outto give the khutbah untilthe end of the prayer. This
has been discussed in the answer to question no. 112165 .
But because this du'aa' was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the noble Sahaabah, we should not
affirm it or take it as a binding Sunnah; it is also not permissible
to raise one's voice when saying it and disturb the others who are
present. Some scholars have warned against that.
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami narrated that al-Qaadi said: Du'aa' during this
sitting (between the twokhutbahs) will be answered. Then Ibn Hajar
said:
It may be understood from what al-Qaadi said that the Sunnah is for
the people present to make use of the time when the imam sits to say
du'aa', because it is affirmed that it is answered at that time.
Ifthey say du'aa' then it is better for it to be silent, because by
saying it out loud they may disturb others, and because saying it
silently is betterin the case of du'aa', unless it is for a reason.
End quote.
Al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (1/251-252).
Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan Abu Bateen (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: Du'aa' whilst sitting between the two khutbahs – I
do not know anything about it, and the one who does that seeking the
time mentioned on Friday (when du'aa' may be answered) should not
beobjected to. End quote.
Rasaa'il wa Fataawa al-Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah Abu Bateen (p. 163)
Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
As for raising the hands and the voice in du'aa' when the khateeb sits
down between the two khutabhs, we do not know of any Sunnah to support
that; there would be nothing wrong with it were it not for the fact
that it disturbs others and because they regarded itas a Sunnah to be
followed without any evidence.
What is narrated is to ask for silence when the imam ascends the
minbar, but the silence isfor the purpose of listening. Hence we say
that there is nothing wrong with saying du'aa' at times other than
when listening is required, but one shouldsay du'aa' quietly and not
disturb others with one's du'aa'. Not all the people should raise
theirhands so that this becomes one of the rituals of Jumu'ah for
which there is no teaching in the Sunnah. Rather they are going
against the clear Sunnah, if when the imam stands up and begins the
second khutbah they continue with their du'aa's. It is better for them
to listen and ponder at the time of the khutbah, and think and reflect
at the time when the imam is resting. The least that can be said about
this action of theirs is that it is an inappropriate innovation. End
quote.
Majallat al-Manaar (6/792).
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked whether
there is a specific du'aa' or dhikr that the worshipper maysay between
the two Jumu'ah khutbahs? Is it narrated that the khateeb should say
du'aa' between the two khutbahs or not?
He replied:
There is no specific dhikror du'aa', rather a person may say whatever
supplication he wants, because this isa time when du'aa's are
answered. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "On Friday there is a time when no Muslim slave asks Allaah for
something when he is standing and praying but He will give it to him."
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Moosa: "It is
between the time when the imam comes out – i.e., enters the mosque –
until the prayer ends."
This is a time when du'aa's are answered, soone should make the most
of this opportunity and say du'aa' between the two khutbahs, asking
for whatever he wants of the good things of this world and the
Hereafter.
The same may also be said of the imam; he should say du'aa' between
the two khutbahs but it should be silent, asking for whatever he wants
of things in this world and in the Hereafter.
The same may also be said concerning prostration during Jumu'ah
prayer, after reciting the adhkaar that were narrated from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one may say du'aa' as one
wishes.
And after the tashahhud and before the salaam, one may say du'aa' for
whatever one wants, after saying du'aa' for that which it is narrated
one should say du'aa' for. End quote.
He also said (may Allaah have mercy on him):
Du'aa' during this time isgood and is mustahabb, because this time is
a time when it is hoped prayers will be answered. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) toldus that on Friday there isa
time when no Muslim slave asks Allaah for something when he is
standing and praying but He will answer him.
The time of prayer is the most likely to be the time when du'aa's are
answered, because of the report narrated by Muslim from Abu Moosa
al-Ash'ari (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "It is
between the time when the imam comes out until the prayer ends."
Based on this, one should make the most ofthis opportunity and say
du'aa' between the two khutbahs.
With regard to raising the hands, I do not thinkthere is anything
wrong with it, because the basic principle with regard to du'aa' is
that its etiquette includes raising the hands. So if aperson raises
his hands there is nothing wrong with it, and if he says du'aa'
without raising his hands there is nothing wrong with it. This has to
do with du'aa' between the two khutbahs. End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb (Fataawa al-Salaah/Salaat al-Jumu'ah)
Thirdly:
Some fuqaha' said that itis mustahabb to recite Qur'aan when the imam
sits down between the two khutbahs, and someof them mentioned Soorat
al-Ikhlaas in particular, based on the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Samurah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peaceand
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give two khutbahs, sitting in
between them.He would recite Qur'aan and remind the people. Narrated
by Muslim (862). A similar version was narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his
Saheeh (7/42), which he included in a chapter entitled "Mention of
what the Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
say when he sat down between the two khutbahs." End quote.
Al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
His sitting between the two khutbahs was aboutthe length of Soorat al-Ikhlaas.
Should he recite Qur'aanor dhikr therein, or remain silent?
They did not discuss it, but in Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan it says that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
reciteQur'aan therein. End quote.
Mughni al-Muhtaaj (1/557).
The correct view is that the words of Jaabir ibn Samurah in the
hadeeth,"he would recite Qur'aanand remind the people" do not refer to
the sitting between the two khutbahs, rather they refer to what is
mentioned at the beginning of the hadeeth, "The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give two khutbahs", i.e., he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would deliver two khutbahs
on the minbar,which both included recitation of Qur'aan and
exhortation and reminders to the people.
Hence al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi said in Siyar A'laam al-Nubala' (16/102),
in his biography of Ibn Hibbaan, in an important discussion of
mistakes made by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh: One of the things which
al-Dhahabi regarded as a mistake on his part was his categorizing of
this hadeeth, when he – Ibn Hibbaan – said: Mention of what [the
Prophet] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
recitewhen he sat down between the two khutbahs. And he did not
mention anything. End quote. Meaning that the hadeeth does not
indicate what he mentioned in the chapter heading.
The more correct view –and Allaah knows best –is that there is no
binding Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) concerning this matter. The one whowants to use this brief moment
of silence to saydu'aa' or dhikr or recite Qur'aan may do so, so long
as he does not disturb others.
And Allaah knows best.