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.