When he delivered a sermon, his eyes would redden, his voice would rise, and his anger would intensify, as though he were warning of an approaching army, saying: “It will attack you in the morning! It will attack you in the evening!” He would say, “My being sent and the Hour are like these two,” bringing his index and middle fingers together. He would also say: “To proceed: the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst matters are newly introduced ones, and every innovation is misguidance” (1).

He never delivered a sermon without beginning it with praise of Allah. As for the assertion of many jurists that he began the sermon for rain by seeking forgiveness, and the Eid sermon by proclaiming Allah’s greatness, they have absolutely no Sunnah from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to support it. The Sunnah indicates the contrary: that all sermons should begin with praise of Allah (2). This is one of the three positions held by Ahmad’s followers, and it was the position preferred by our teacher—may Allah sanctify his soul (3).

He delivered his sermons standing. Reports with incomplete chains of transmission from ‘Atā’ (4) and others relate that when he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) ascended the pulpit, he would turn to face the people and then say: “Peace be upon you.” Al-Sha‘bī said (5): Abū Bakr and ‘Umar used to do this as well.

He would conclude his sermons by seeking forgiveness, and he frequently preached using the Quran. In Sahīh Muslim (6), Umm Hishām bint Hārithah said: I did not learn “Qāf. By the Quran