Holding The Asaa During The Jumuah Khutbah

The Fuqaha (jurists) have written that if any town was conquered by the sword, then the Imaam should deliver the Jumuah Khutbah whilst holding the sword in his left hand and reclining on it.

The wisdom behind such an act has been recorded by Allama Shaami Rahimahullah,

أَيْ بِِلسَّيْفِ لِيُُِيَهُمْ أَنَََّّا فُتِحَتْ بِِلسَّيْفِ فَإِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ عَنْ الِْْسْلَامِ فَذَلِكَ بَِقٍ فِِ أَيْدِي الْمُسْلِمِيَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتََّّ تَرْجِعُوا إلََ الِْْسْلَامِ )رد المحتار ص 162 ج 2 )

This is to show that this town was overpowered by means of the sword, and if you turn away from Islam then this (sword) is still remaining in the hands of the Muslims, they will fight you until you return to Islam.

If any town was not overpowered by the sword but through the effort of Dawat and Tabligh or by entering a peace treaty with the inhabitants of the place, then in such a country the Khutbah should be delivered by reclining on a staff (Asaa.) However, this act is neither Fardh, nor Waajib nor an emphasized Sunnat rather it is a Mustahab act, but with the proviso that people do not regard (acting upon the Mustahab) as obligatory. If it is regarded as obligatory, then the practice should be discarded.

Allama Teebee Rahimahullah has written in the commentary of Mishkaat that persisting on a Mustahab/preferable act (to the extent that at no cost it may be omitted) renders it into a Bid’at.