368 – ʿAmmār b. Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—say, ‘When a man lengthens the prayer and shortens the sermon, it is a sign of his understanding.’ ” Narrated by Muslim (1).

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
• qiṣar (shortness): with a kasrah on the qāf and a fatḥah on the ṣād, meaning to shorten it.
• maʾinna: with an open mīm, then a hamzah with kasrah, followed by a shaddah on the nūn; it means a mark or indication.
• fiqh (understanding): linguistically “comprehension”; technically, knowledge of the practical subsidiary rulings of the Sharīʿah together with their detailed proofs.

Points derived from the ḥadīth

1. It is recommended to keep the Friday sermon brief and concise while fully conveying its intended message.
2. Al-Buhūtī says in Sharḥ al-Iqnāʿ: “The sermon is not valid in a language other than Arabic when one is able to use Arabic; it is valid only when he is incapable, because the purpose is exhortation and reminder, along with praising Allah and invoking blessings upon His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and that cannot be fulfilled in other than Arabic.”
3. It is preferable to lengthen the Friday prayer within the legally approved limit, provided it does not impose hardship on the weak, the ill, or those with pressing needs.
4. A short sermon and a lengthened prayer testify to the preacher’s and imam’s sound understanding: he has been able to convey the meanings of the sermon with few words and a brief standing. In contrast, rambling and needlessly prolonging speech indicate ineptitude and an inability to communicate; the best speech is that which is concise yet meaningful.