Understanding the khutbah without knowing Arabic
Every Friday, many people in mosques across Germany and Europe listen to the khutbah without understanding much of it. That can change. Here are ways that help, and what to keep in mind.
Last updated: October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Why so many do not understand the khutbah
In mosques in Germany and across Europe, Muslims from many countries pray side by side. Many speak Turkish, Bosnian, Albanian, Kurdish, Persian or Urdu at home, and many younger people mostly German. Yet in many mosques the khutbah is given wholly or partly in Arabic, the language of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Even Arabic speakers do not always follow everything. The khutbah is in Standard Arabic, not in a dialect. It is full of Qur’an verses, hadith and technical terms that rarely come up in daily life. And in large halls the sound echoes, so single words get lost.
Whether the khutbah may also be given in another language is a question on which the scholars hold different views. Some mosques give it in Arabic and summarise it in the local language afterwards, others use both languages.
Why it is worth understanding
The khutbah is more than a set part before the prayer. In the Qur’an, Allah calls the believers on Friday “to the remembrance of Allah”, which the scholars explain as the khutbah and the prayer:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا نودي للصلاة من يوم الجمعة فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله وذروا البيع ذلكم خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون
“O you who believe, when the call is made for the prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade. That is better for you, if only you knew.”
Qur’an 62:9
Every week you hear an admonition: about faith and prayer, family, patience or honesty. If you understand it, you can take it home with you. The Prophet ﷺ said:
من يرد الله به خيرا يفقهه في الدين
“When Allah wants good for someone, He gives him understanding of the religion.”
al-Bukhari 71, Muslim 1037
Five ways to understand the khutbah better
1. Ask for a summary
Many mosques sum up the khutbah briefly after the prayer, or share it on their website and in messaging groups. Ask at your mosque. If there is nothing yet, suggest it kindly to the committee.
2. Learn the key vocabulary
Some words come up in almost every khutbah: taqwa, sabr, akhirah, dunya, jannah. Once you know twenty of them, you quickly see what it is about. Our short glossary explains the most important ones. The fixed parts repeat every week too, such as the praise at the start. More in How a khutbah is structured.
3. Read translated khutbah texts
Some mosques and religious authorities publish the text of the khutbah before or after, often in translation too. Read it next to the Arabic. Next time you will recognise whole sentences.
4. Read along live
Live translation apps show you the Arabic text during the khutbah and translate it line by line. That is a help, not a replacement for knowledge: machine translations can contain mistakes. Make sure that Qur’an verses appear in an established translation. Even the Friday khutbah at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah is now translated into many languages, so that visitors without Arabic can follow it.
5. Ask
If you did not understand something, ask the imam or someone with knowledge after the prayer. Most are glad to be asked.
The right seat
Sit as close to the imam as you can. That is Sunnah, and you hear him better. The Prophet ﷺ said:
من غسل يوم الجمعة واغتسل ثم بكر وابتكر ومشى ولم يركب ودنا من الإمام فاستمع ولم يلغ كان له بكل خطوة عمل سنة أجر صيامها وقيامها
“Whoever washes thoroughly on Friday, sets out early and reaches the beginning, walks and does not ride, sits close to the imam, listens and does nothing idle, for every step he is credited with a year’s deeds, the reward of its fasting and its night prayer.”
Abu Dawud 345, graded sahih by al-Albani
In large mosques the loudspeakers matter too. Sit where you can hear one clearly, and not right at the back by the entrance, where doors open and people whisper. If you read along with an app, sit within about two metres of a loudspeaker, with the bottom of the phone towards it.
Come early and you will find a good seat without stepping over anyone. Why both matter is explained in The Friday prayer: its order and etiquette.
Respect for the khutbah
While the imam speaks, everyone is silent. Even telling someone to be quiet is already too much:
إذا قلت لصاحبك يوم الجمعة أنصت والإمام يخطب فقد لغوت
“If you say to your neighbour on Friday, while the imam is giving the khutbah, ‘Be quiet!’, then you yourself have spoken idly.”
al-Bukhari 934, Muslim 851
Nor should you play with your hands. Another hadith says:
ومن مس الحصى فقد لغا
“And whoever touches the pebbles has done something idle.”
Muslim 857
If you read along on your phone, do it so that it disturbs no one and does not distract you:
- Put the phone on silent and turn off notifications.
- Turn the brightness down.
- Do not type, do not write messages and do not open other apps.
- Do not record or film without asking the imam first.
If you notice that the phone distracts you more than it helps, read before or after instead. And if you are unsure whether reading along is right for you, ask a scholar.
Questions
Do I have to understand every word?
No. What is asked of you is to listen in silence and not let yourself be distracted. The more you understand, the more you take with you. Start with the words that come up often.
May I read a translation during the khutbah?
A translation should help you listen, not distract you. Keep to the points above: silent, no typing, nothing else open. For a ruling on your case, ask a scholar.
Where can I find the khutbah in my language?
Ask your mosque for a summary or for the text. Some mosques and religious authorities also publish their khutbahs in translation.
Is it worth learning Arabic?
Yes. Even a basic vocabulary and the fixed phrases of the khutbah help a lot. And Arabic opens the Qur’an and the Sunnah to you.
The verses of the Qur’an and the hadith are rendered here by meaning.
For questions about rulings, ask a scholar.