—deliberately keep his sermon concise.

A fuller wording of the hadith states: “So prolong the prayer and shorten the sermon, for a measure of eloquence can have the effect of sorcery.”

The “prolonging” intended here is a length that does not fall under the censure of excessive delay. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would recite Sūrat al-Jumuʿah and Sūrat al-Munāfiqūn in the Friday prayer, as Muslim reports from Ibn ʿAbbās. Al-Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr likewise related that “on the two ʿĪds and on Friday he would recite ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High’ (87) and ‘Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming?’ (88).”¹ In comparison with his sermon, this amounted to lengthening the prayer, yet it is far from the excessive length that is forbidden.

Umm Hishām bint Ḥārithah ibn al-Nuʿmān said: “I learned ‘Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an’ (50) only from the tongue of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him; he would recite it every Friday from the pulpit when he addressed the people.”