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Fatwa CenterWhat the Khateeb says before Friday Khutbah
Question
What is the Islamic ruling on the following procedure?
I am from Cape Town, South Africa, and in our place a Khateeb (who delivers the Friday sermon) pronounces before ascending the pulpit the words of blessings for the Prophet and he also does so between two Khutbas. Is this correct according to the Qur'an and Hadith.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
It is known that the Prophet 
was not used to do any of the things that you mentioned in the question. So they are innovations in the religion and the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever performs an act which is not in accordance with ours [our religion], it will be rejected from him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Prophet's Sunnah for delivering the Friday sermon is as follows: He would ascend the pulpit without saying anything. After ascending the pulpit, he would greet the people by saying “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum”, and then he would sit down facing them.
Al Athram 
narrated that after the Prophet, ascended the pulpit on Friday, he used to face the people and say: “Assalaamu Alaykum”. Then he would praise Allah, Glorify Him and read a Quranic verse. Then he would sit. After that he used to stand up, deliver a sermon, then gets down.
This is why the companions of the Prophet were astonished when he once ascended the pulpit and said: "Ameen" three times, as they did not know him to say anything when ascending the pulpit.
Ka’b Ibn Ujrata said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to us: “Come to the pulpit”. We did as he ordered. So, when he ascended one step, he said: “Ameen”. Then he ascended the second step and said: “Ameen”, and then he ascended the third step and said “Ameen”. Thereupon, we said: “O Messenger of Allah! You did not use to do so. “On that he said: “Jibreel (Gabriel) said to me: “May Allah disgrace (or Far from the Mercy of Allah is) a servant upon whom the month of Ramadan came and he was not forgiven.” I said: “‘Aameen.” He then said: “May Allah disgrace (or Far from the Mercy of Allah is) a servant whose both parents or one of them attained old age in his life and they did not cause him to enter Paradise (due to his kindness to them).” I said: “‘Aameen.” He then said: “May Allah disgrace (or Far from the Mercy of Allah is) a servant in whose presence you were mentioned and he did not invoke Allah’s blessing on you.” I said: “‘Aameen.” [Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban]
Allah knows best.
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