Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 864
sahih

Ka'b b. 'Ujra reported that he entered the mosque and saw Abd al-Rahman b. Umm Hakam delivering the sermon in a sitting posture. Upon this he said:

Look at this wretched person; he delivers the sermon while sitting, whereas Allah said:" And when they see merchandise or sport, they break away to it and leave you standing."

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ، قَالَ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أُمِّ الْحَكَمِ يَخْطُبُ قَاعِدًا فَقَالَ انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الْخَبِيثِ يَخْطُبُ قَاعِدًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏ وَإِذَا رَأَوْا تِجَارَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا انْفَضُّوا إِلَيْهَا وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا‏}‏

Isnad

8 transmitters
  1. 1Muhammad bin al-Muthna - al-Zamanal-Basra · d. 252 AH
  2. 2Muhammad bin Bashar Bindaral-Basra · d. 252 AH
  3. 3Muhammad bin Ja'far bin Abi KathirMedina
  4. 4Shu'bah bin al-HajjajWasit,Basra · d. 160 AH
  5. 5Mansur bin al-Ma'tamar al-SalmiKufa · d. 132 AH
  6. 6'Amr bin Murrah bin 'Abdullahal-Kufa · d. 112 AH or before
  7. 7Abu 'Ubaidah ibn al-JarrahMakkah/Medina/Syria · d. 18 AH/640 CE
  8. 8Ka'b bin 'Ajra al-Salmi, al-AnsariMedina · d. ~52 AH
References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 7, Hadith 51
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 1881 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Enjoining good and forbidding evil are the characteristics of the Islamic nation and among its best merits and causes of its superiority over other nations. The most entitled among people to this, and the first ones addressed with this in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu ‘Ubaydah ‘Āmir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd narrates that Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque, referring to the mosque of Kūfah, a city in Iraq, to offer the Friday prayer. He found ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam - nephew of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān ibn Harb whom Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) assigned as the ruler of Kūfah in 58 AH, then after a year or more, he was dismissed - preaching to people while sitting on the pulpit, not standing as known in the Friday sermon. Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) condemned this saying: "Look at this deceitful person," because he was angry at the one who had violated the Prophet's Sunnah, "he is preaching while sitting," not doing what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did and not following his example, although the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this practice persistently. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, you have an excellent example in the Messenger of Allah.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it.} [Surat al-Hashr: 7] Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pray as you saw me pray." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri] Hence, his example should be followed when it comes to prayer and the delivery of the Friday sermon. Then, he supported his words with a verse from Allah's Book, in which Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11] Here, Allah mentioned that His Prophet was standing while delivering the Friday sermon. The Hadīth draws the preacher's attention to standing while delivering the Khutbah. It also calls the scholars' attention to enjoining good and forbidding evil. The Hadīth sheds light on how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to intensely get angry with whoever violated the Sunnah, even if it was someone who must be obeyed and respected from among the rulers, for no obedience is due to a creature when it comes to disobeying the Creator..
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