In a wording reported by al-Nasā’ī (1): “And every innovation is misguidance, and all misguidance is in the Fire.”
In his sermons, after praising and extolling Allah and pronouncing the testimony of faith, he would say: “To proceed” (2).
He would keep the sermon brief and make the prayer lengthy, frequently remember Allah, and choose concise, comprehensive expressions. He would say: “Indeed, a man’s lengthy prayer and brief sermon are a sign of his understanding of religion” (3).
In his sermons, he would teach his Companions the foundations and laws of Islam, giving commands and prohibitions whenever occasion arose. Thus, while delivering a sermon, he instructed a man who entered to pray two units of prayer (4), and forbade a man from stepping over people’s shoulders, telling him to sit down (5).
He would interrupt his sermon when a need arose (6), or to answer a question from one of his Companions, then return to his sermon and complete it (7).
(1) In al-Mujtabā (1578) and al-Kubrā (1799, 5861); its chain of transmission is sound.
(2) This is reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, through mass transmission (tawātur). See Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Book of Friday Prayer, chapter “Saying ‘To proceed’ in the sermon after praising Allah,” and Chapters on Eclipses, chapter “The imam saying ‘To proceed’ in the eclipse sermon”; and Sahīh Muslim (867, 901/2, 905, 1017/70, 1504/7 and 8).
(3) Reported by Muslim (869) from ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir.
(4) Reported by al-Bukhārī (930, 931) and Muslim (875).
(5) Reported by Ahmad (17697), Abū Dāwūd (1118), al-Nasā’ī in al-Mujtabā (1399) and al-Kubrā (1718), and al-Bayhaqī (3:231), from ‘Abd Allāh ibn Busr. It was authenticated by Ibn Khuzayma (1811), Ibn Hibbān (2790), al-Hākim (1:288), and al-Albānī in Sahīh Abī Dāwūd—al-Umm (4:281), and selected by al-Diyā’ al-Maqdisī (2:47–49).
(6) “Lahu” (for him) is omitted from Qāf, Mīm, and the printed edition.
(7) Reported by Ahmad (12201, 12284), Abū Dāwūd (1120), al-Tirmidhī (524), al-Nasā’ī in al-Mujtabā (1419) and al-Kubrā (1744), and Ibn Hibbān (2805), through Jarīr ibn Hāzim, from Thābit, from Anas. Jarīr ibn Hāzim was mistaken and erred in this report, as al-Bukhārī stated, according to al-Tirmidhī’s quotation of him in al-Jāmi‘ and al-‘Ilal al-Kabīr (p. 93). Abū Dāwūd and al-Dāraqutnī held the same view. Al-Bukhārī said: “The sound version is what is reported from Thābit, from Anas, who said: ‘The call to commence the prayer was given, and a man took the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, by the hand and continued speaking to him until some of the people became drowsy.’ This is the hadith.”
Al-Dāraqutnī said in his al-‘Ilal (2358): “He erred in this report. It is neither a hadith of Anas nor a hadith of Thābit. Rather, it is reported from Yahyā ibn Abī Kathīr, from ‘Abd Allāh ibn Abī Qatāda, from his father. When Hammād ibn Zayd learned of Jarīr ibn Hāzim’s report, he said: ‘He only heard it from Hajjāj al-Sawwāf, from Yahyā ibn Abī Kathīr, from Ibn Abī Qatāda, from his father, at a gathering of Thābit al-Bunānī; he mistakenly thought that he had heard it from Thābit.’ It seems likely that Hammād ibn Zayd’s account is the correct one.” Thus, the hadith is not authentic.
For the report to which al-Bukhārī referred, see Sahīh al-Bukhārī (643, 642, 6292) and Sahīh Muslim (376/126, 376). The hadith of Yahyā ibn Abī Kathīr to which al-Dāraqutnī referred was reported by al-Bukhārī (637). Hammād ibn Zayd’s account was reported by Abū Dāwūd in al-Marāsīl (64). See also al-Tirmidhī’s al-‘Ilal al-Kabīr (p. 94).