62 — As recorded in Sunan Abī Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī (1), on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every sermon that lacks the testimony is like a severed hand.”

Praise is the key to speech

63 — Praise is the key to speech. In Sunan Abī Dāwūd (2) it is narrated from the Prophet ﷺ: “Every matter of consequence that is not opened with praise is maimed.”

64 — Hence the Sunnah for sermons is to begin with praise, to conclude the remembrance of Allah with the testimony, and only then for the speaker to address his topic.

65 — The same pattern appears in the tashahhud of the prayer: it opens with al-taḥiyyātu lillāh (all greetings belong to Allah) and ends with, “I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”

66 — Sūrat al-Fātiḥa is divided into two halves: one for the Lord and one for the servant. The Lord’s half begins with praise and ends with monotheism—“You alone we worship” (1:5)—while the servant’s half is supplication whose opening is likewise monotheism—“and You alone we ask for help” (1:5).

Takbīr, tahlīl, and tasbīḥ introduce praise

67 — Takbīr (declaring “Allah is the greatest”), tahlīl (proclaiming “there is no deity but Allah”), and tasbīḥ (saying “Glory be to Allah”) serve as a prelude to praise.