How to Make Duʿā’ On Jumuʿah

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The Question / السؤال

A brother asked me a question concerning making duʿā’ during the Jumuʿah Khuṭbah especially when there’s very clear and strong evidence that the Prophet forbade it. Here’s his question:

I have a question regarding making duʿā’ in the interval between the khutbah while the imām sits down. I have been told that I should remain silent throughout the entire khuṭbah with no exceptions. When I look around I see everybody is making duʿā’ and I don’t know if I should follow suit or question the authenticity of the practice. I was warned by a brother not to do so because it wasn’t Sunnah and potentially a bidʿah (a blameworthy innovation) therefore I stopped. I looked into this matter but I simply could not make the proper judgement. So what is the ruling for duʿā’ during that interval and for staying completely silent throughout the khuṭbah? I hope to receive clarification in shā’ Allāh.

The Answer / الجواب

al-Salāmu ʿalaykum. Another great question. Let’s analyze it. First, the ḥadīth which is the source for this ruling (ḥukm):

Report of Abū Hurayrah:

إِذَا قُلْتَ لِصَاحِبِكَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ: أَنْصِتْ، وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ، فَقَدْ لَغَوْتَ

“If you say to your companion on Friday, ‘Be quiet,’ while the imām is delivering the khuṭbah, you have engaged in laghw (vain, unnecessary and blameworthy speech).”

There is another report of Abū Hurayrah:

مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْجُمُعَةَ فَاسْتَمَعَ وَأَنْصَتَ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَزِيَادَةُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَمَنْ مَسَّ الْحَصَى فَقَدْ لَغَا

“Whoever performs wuḍū’ and performs it well, then comes to Jumuʿah, listens and remains silent, will be forgiven what is between that Friday and the next, plus three days. And whoever touches the pebbles has engaged in laghw.”

The reference to “touching pebbles” (man massa al-ḥasā) is equally important. It shows that the Prophet isn’t directing us to be merely concerned with being quiet but that we should also have a quietness of the mind and thoughts: even trivial physical distraction during the khuṭbah is characterized as laghw.

Now. On to your question regarding duʿā’.

Duʿā’ can be made audibly and silently. Everything we have from the ḥadīth sources points to audible utterances. Silent duʿā’ are not addressed and are thus permissible because a thing remains permissible by default unless there is a textual proof to the latter.

So the simple easy solution is: yes, follow the directives from the Sunnah on Fridays: bathe, smell nice, make your way to masjid early if possible, don’t tread on people to reach your sitting place, remain silent and focused, and according to great scholars like al-Zurqānī, make the duʿā’ in between the time the imāms sits on the minbar to deliver the khutbah and the prayer is finished, silently, and you won’t have any issues.

May Allāh accept your worship. Keep the great questions coming!

Imam Marc Manley
October 5, 2026