Treasure House of Prayers — Page 80
PRAYERS 80 His shelter from the evils of ourselves and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever All a h guides, no one can lead him astray and whomsoever He causes to go astray, no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except All a h. He is One and has no partner. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. The sermon is before the Friday prayer and after the ‘ I d prayer. 148 In traditions the recitation of these words is also recorded. ْ اِن َّ اَﺻ َْ ﺪَق َ ا ْ حل َّ ﺪِﻳ َْﺚ ِ کِﺘَﺎب ُ اﷲ ِ وَاِن ْ اَﻓﻀَﻞ َ اهل ْ ﺪ َّ ی ِ ﻫَﺪ ُۡ ی ُ حمَُﻤَّﺪ ٍ و ُْ ﺷَﺮُّ اﻻ َ ﻣُﻮر ِ حم و ُْ ﺪَﺛَﺎَُﺎ ْ Lُﻞُّ حم ٌ ﺪَﺛَﺔٍ ﺑِﺪ ِﻋَﺔ وَ Lُﻞُّ ﺿَﻼَﻟَﺔٍ ىفِ اﻟﻨَّﺎر. 149 Indeed the best truth is the book of God and the best tradition is the conduct of the Holy Prophet sa. The worst thing is to start something new. Every new thing is an innovation and every innovation leads to the Fire. Nik ah Sermon A sermon is not essential for Nik ah as the Holy Prophet sa solemnised the Nik ah of his aunt Um a mah binte ‘Abdul Mu tt alib with a person from Ban i Sulaim without a sermon. 150 In the traditions there is no mention of any special sermon. There is a reference to a sermon which can be delivered whenever there is a need. It is called Khu t batul- H ajjah meaning a sermon for any occasion. This sermon is recited at the time of Nik ah Hadrat ‘Abdull a h bin Mas‘ u d ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa has given us Jaw a me-ul-khair meaning, comprehensive and eloquent words containing blessings.