Khutbah al-Hajah in Arabic and English, Word by Word
Khutbah al-Hajah in Arabic and English: the opening of many Friday khutbahs, with transliteration, a word-by-word meaning and its hadith sources.
Khutbah al-Hajah is the short Arabic opening the Prophet ﷺ taught for sermons, and you'll hear it at the start of many Friday khutbahs. It praises Allah, asks His help and forgiveness, seeks refuge from the evil in ourselves and our deeds, bears witness to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, then recites three ayat: 3:102, 4:1 and 33:70-71.
If you've sat through it every Friday and caught only "Allah" and "Muhammad", this page is for you. You'll get the whole text in Arabic, transliteration and English, then each line word by word, with every source and its grading.
What is khutbah al-hajah?
Khutbah al-hajah means "the sermon of need": a khutbah is a sermon or address, and hajah is a need. The name comes from the hadith itself. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said the Prophet ﷺ "taught us khutbat al-hajah". You'll also see it spelled khutbatul hajah or khutbat al-haajah.
عَلَّمَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خُطْبَةَ الْحَاجَةِ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us the address in case of some need: Praise be to Allah from Whom we ask help and pardon, and in Whom we take refuge from the evils within ourselves. He whom Allah guides has no one who can lead him astray, and he whom He leads astray has no one to guide him. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”
Three ayat follow in the narration. Imam Muslim recorded it in his Book of Friday Prayer, and Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah in their chapters on the marriage sermon. Al-Albani gathered its narrations in a short book, Khutbat al-Hajah (IslamQA 198038). For the day itself, see the virtues of Friday and the surahs read on it.
What is khutbah al-hajah in Arabic and English?
In Arabic, khutbah al-hajah begins "innal hamda lillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu", which in English means "all praise belongs to Allah; we praise Him and ask His help". The table gives every line in the fullest wording, from Sunan Ibn Majah 1892, graded sahih by al-Albani (Zubair 'Ali Za'i graded it da'if).
| Part | Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Praise | إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ | Innal hamda lillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu wa nastaghfiruh | All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, ask His help and ask His forgiveness. |
| 2. Refuge | وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا | Wa na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayyi'ati a'malina | We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from our bad deeds. |
| 3. Guidance | مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ | Man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lah | Whoever Allah guides, no one can lead astray. Whoever He leaves astray, no one can guide. |
| 4. Witness (Allah) | وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ | Wa ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah | I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, alone, with no partner. |
| 4. Witness (the Messenger ﷺ) | وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ | Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh | And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. |
| 5. Ayah 3:102 | يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ ... | Ya ayyuhal-ladhina amanut-taqullaha haqqa tuqatihi wa la tamutunna illa wa antum muslimun | Full ayah and meaning below |
| 5. Ayah 4:1 | يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ... | Ya ayyuhan-nasut-taqu rabbakumul-ladhi khalaqakum min nafsin wahidatin wa khalaqa minha zawjaha wa baththa minhuma rijalan kathiran wa nisa'a, wattaqullahal-ladhi tasa'aluna bihi wal-arham, innallaha kana 'alaykum raqiba | Full ayah and meaning below |
| 5. Ayah 33:70-71 | يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوۡلࣰا سَدِيدࣰا ... | Ya ayyuhal-ladhina amanut-taqullaha wa qulu qawlan sadida. Yuslih lakum a'malakum wa yaghfir lakum dhunubakum, wa man yuti'illaha wa rasulahu faqad faza fawzan 'adhima | Full ayah and meaning below |
| Then: to the topic | أَمَّا بَعْدُ | Amma ba'd | As for what follows (to proceed) |
What does innal hamda lillah nahmaduhu mean?
Innal hamda lillah nahmaduhu means "all praise belongs to Allah; we praise Him". The line then adds two requests, for help and for forgiveness. So the speaker praises first and asks second.
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ
Innal hamda lillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu wa nastaghfiruh
All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, we ask His help and we ask His forgiveness.
inna (indeed) · al-hamda (all praise) · lillah (belongs to Allah) · nahmaduhu (we praise Him) · wa nasta'inuhu (and we ask Him for help) · wa nastaghfiruh (and we ask Him for forgiveness). In nasta'inuhu and nastaghfiruh, the "nasta" at the front carries the sense "we ask for".
You already say two of these words in al-Fatiha, in every rak'ah: al-hamd (1:2) and nasta'in, "we ask for help" (1:5). For the rest of your prayer line by line, see what each line of your salah means.
What does na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina mean?
Na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina means "we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves". The first protection the speaker asks for is from what's inside: "our selves" and "our deeds".
وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا
Wa na'udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayyi'ati a'malina
And we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from our bad deeds.
wa na'udhu (and we seek refuge) · billahi (in Allah) · min shururi (from the evils of) · anfusina (our selves) · wa min sayyi'ati (and from the bad of) · a'malina (our deeds)
Na'udhu shares the root ع و ذ with "qul a'udhu" in Surah al-Falaq (113:1) and with the isti'adha before you recite (16:98); see how the isti'adha and basmalah start your recitation. Shurur is the plural of sharr, the word in "min sharri ma khalaq", "from the evil of that which He created" (113:2).
What does man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah mean?
Man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah means "whoever Allah guides, no one can lead astray". The second half turns it round: "wa man yudlil fala hadiya lah", whoever He leaves astray, no one can guide.
مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ
Man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lah, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lah
Whoever Allah guides, no one can lead him astray, and whoever He leaves astray, no one can guide him.
man (whoever) · yahdihi (guides him) · Allahu (Allah) · fala (then there is no) · mudilla (one who leads astray) · lah (for him) · wa man yudlil (and whoever He leaves astray) · fala hadiya lah (then there is no guide for him)
The line is two pairs of opposites. Yahdihi and hadi come from the root ه د ي, guidance, the root of "ihdina", "guide us" (1:6). Mudill and yudlil come from ض ل ل, going astray, the root of "ad-dallin" at the end of al-Fatiha (1:7). One root, several words. For more, see 3-letter Arabic words with meaning from the Qur'an.
| Root | In khutbah al-hajah | In al-Fatiha | Core meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ح م د | al-hamd, nahmaduhu | al-hamdu (1:2) | praise |
| ع و ن | nasta'inuhu | nasta'in (1:5) | help |
| ه د ي | yahdihi, hadi | ihdina (1:6) | guidance |
| ض ل ل | mudill, yudlil | ad-dallin (1:7) | going astray |
What does the shahadah in khutbah al-hajah mean?
The shahadah in khutbah al-hajah means "I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger". You say the same witness in the tashahhud of every prayer. In Ibn Majah 1892, the narration behind the table, Ibn Mas'ud calls the tashahhud "the khutbah of the prayer" and this one "the khutbah of need".
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Wa ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh
And I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
ashhadu (I bear witness) · an la ilaha (that there is no deity) · illallah (except Allah) · wahdahu (alone) · la sharika lah (He has no partner) · anna Muhammadan (that Muhammad) · 'abduhu (is His servant) · wa rasuluh (and His Messenger)
Which three ayat are recited in khutbah al-hajah?
The three ayat recited in khutbah al-hajah are Al 'Imran 3:102, an-Nisa 4:1 and al-Ahzab 33:70-71. In the Qur'an each one opens with "ya ayyuha", "O you", and each one says "ittaqu": fear Allah, be mindful of Him. Ibn Majah 1892 gives them in the order below; Abu Dawud 2118 starts with 4:1.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ
“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].”
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسࣲ وَٰحِدَةࣲ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالࣰا كَثِيرࣰا وَنِسَآءࣰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبࣰا
“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.”
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوۡلࣰا سَدِيدࣰا يُصۡلِحۡ لَكُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَكُمۡ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.”
Listen for "ittaqu", from the root و ق ي, the root of taqwa. Read in full, the ayat say it four times: once in 3:102, twice in 4:1 and once in 33:70. Both narrations quote 4:1 from "wattaqullahal-ladhi tasa'aluna bihi", so you may hear three. Then notice how the last ayah meets the opening. The khutbah asked forgiveness (nastaghfiruh) and refuge from our bad deeds (a'malina), and 33:71 says He will "amend for you your deeds" (a'malakum) and "forgive you your sins" (yaghfir), with the same two roots.
What does amma ba'd mean in a khutbah?
Amma ba'd means "as for what follows", the Arabic way of saying "to proceed". It's the hinge of the khutbah: the set opening ends and the topic of the day begins. Jabir ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) described the Prophet's ﷺ Friday khutbah and how he went on from amma ba'd:
أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرُ الْهُدَى هُدَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَشَرُّ الأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ
“Jabir ibn 'Abdillah said that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered the khutbah ... he would say: "Amma ba'd. The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error."”
When did the Prophet ﷺ say khutbah al-hajah to Dimad?
The Prophet ﷺ said khutbah al-hajah to Dimad, a man from Azd Shanu'a, when Dimad offered to treat him in Makkah after hearing foolish people there call him mad. Dimad (may Allah be pleased with him) asked to hear the words again, the Prophet ﷺ repeated them three times, and Dimad gave his pledge on Islam. Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported it:
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ ... وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ ... لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ قَوْلَ الْكَهَنَةِ وَقَوْلَ السَّحَرَةِ وَقَوْلَ الشُّعَرَاءِ فَمَا سَمِعْتُ مِثْلَ كَلِمَاتِكَ هَؤُلاَءِ وَلَقَدْ بَلَغْنَ نَاعُوسَ الْبَحْرِ
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, ask His help; ... and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Amma ba'd." Dimad said: "Repeat these words of yours before me", and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) repeated them to him three times. He said: "I have heard the words of soothsayers and the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they reach the depth (of the ocean of eloquence)."”
Why is khutbah al-hajah hard to follow on a Friday?
Khutbah al-hajah is hard to follow on a Friday because it's quick and it comes while you're still settling. Dimad heard it in his own language. You hear it every week in a language you may still be learning, and years of hearing teach you its sound, not its words.
You didn't stop listening. Nobody split the Arabic into words for you.
How do you learn khutbah al-hajah one Friday at a time?
You learn khutbah al-hajah one Friday at a time by taking one line a week, following only that line when the imam says it, and testing yourself after salah.
One line a Friday
- 1
Read the whole table once
Before Friday, read the table above from top to bottom, Arabic and English. Don't memorise yet.
- 2
Take the praise line first
Say "innal hamda lillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta'inuhu wa nastaghfiruh" aloud five times with its meaning. Tick the two words you already know from al-Fatiha: al-hamd and nasta'in.
- 3
Follow only that line on Friday
When the imam begins, follow your one line in your head, word by word. Let the rest pass.
- 4
Add one line each week
Next Friday add the refuge line, then the guidance line, then the shahadah. Keep the earlier ones going.
- 5
Learn the ayat by their signals
For the three ayat, count the "ittaqu": three or four, depending on where the imam starts 4:1. During the week, read each ayah word by word on quran.com.
- 6
Test yourself after salah
After Jumu'ah, write each line you've learned in English from memory. Circle any word you missed and look it up before next Friday. To keep growing your Arabic, add the 50 most common words in the Qur'an the same way.
A table gives you the meaning. A teacher can hear you say each line, correct the vowels you blur and ask you what "yudlil" means with the page closed. If that would help, you can find a teacher of your choice and try up to 3 teachers free.
Key takeaways
- Khutbah al-hajah, "the sermon of need", is the Arabic opening the Prophet ﷺ taught, reported by Ibn Mas'ud in Abu Dawud 2118 (graded sahih by al-Albani).
- Khutbah al-hajah has five parts: praise, refuge, guidance, the shahadah and three ayat (3:102, 4:1 and 33:70-71), then "amma ba'd", "to proceed".
- Four roots in khutbah al-hajah are already in al-Fatiha: ح م د (praise), ع و ن (help), ه د ي (guidance) and ض ل ل (going astray).
- Read in full, the three ayat say "ittaqu" four times, and 33:71 speaks of amending "your deeds" and forgiving sins, two things the opening also asks about.
Further reading
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