The first of these sermons is delivered one day before Yawm al-Tarwiya—that is, on the seventh of Dhu al-Hijjah. On that day the imam in Mecca gives a single sermon after the noon prayer, explaining the rites to the people.

The second takes place on Yawm ʿArafah, before the prayer, once the muʾadhdhin has fallen silent after the adhan in front of the imam, as is done on Friday. It consists of two sermons separated by a brief sitting, and if he so wishes the muʾadhdhin may call the adhan when the imam sits after the first sermon.

The third is delivered at Mina on the second of the Days of Sacrifice—the Day of Settlement (Yawm al-Qarr). After noon the imam gives a single sermon, informing the pilgrims that the first dispersal (al-nafr al-awwal) takes place on the following day. According to Mālik and his companions there is no sermon on Yawm al-Nahr itself, and the majority of scholars follow this view.

Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib transmitted a ruling on the Hajj sermons identical to Mālik’s, whereas al-Zuhri said, “The third sermon was originally on Yawm al-Nahr, but the rulers postponed it because they were preoccupied.”