Allah the Almighty said: "O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you if you only knew." Surat Al-Jumu'ah, Verse 9.
The unified sermon (i.e., an official body preparing a standard text that all preachers must adhere to) is a matter of administrative organization, not an independent act of worship; therefore, opinions among contemporary scholars vary.
Since we, the Muslims, are keen on the Friday prayer (and its sermon), it is fitting for us to benefit from the large gathering - thanks be to Allah - of worshipers who rush to the mosque eager to hear a good, honest, and impactful word that can guide them and sometimes solve their contemporary problems. But, unfortunately, the topics of the sermon are always repetitive, worn out, and unimpactful!
And I wonder, have our problems, issues, and concerns ended to the extent that we find nothing to talk about?!
I am convinced that there are annual religious and historical occasions, so there is no harm in reminding about them as lessons to be learned. However, the basics of Islam that we learned in schools, homes, and mosques, I see no importance in repeating them occasionally.
Here arises the question, is there a prophetic tradition of unifying the sermon topic and mandating it across all the mosques of the kingdom - may God increase their number – and what is the wisdom behind this, and is it the best approach?
In my opinion, the time has come to allow our honored preachers the freedom to choose topics that suit their regions in a nation whose population exceeds ten million people - mashallah - because a worshiper (recipient) in an area suffering from the spread of drugs, for example, needs more awareness and reminders than another area which might be suffering from environmental issues, and in another where traffic accidents abound, the focus on the topic should be according to the need.
Scholars of jurisprudence say: the same fatwa issued at the same time can differ depending on the place, according to circumstances (economic, political, social, financial) etc...
Thus, the noble Islamic religion is broad, inclusive, and realistic, suitable for all times and places; let us deal with it logically, with a broad horizon and an open heart, and let every preacher have the freedom to choose the topic of the sermon according to the place and circumstance, provided it is limited to a reasonable duration so as not to bore the worshipers. Based on our evaluation, they can either continue or be relieved of this great responsibility they will be questioned about before Allah and by those who entrusted them with it.
Allah the Almighty said: "Do you not see how Allah presents an example, a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?" Surat Ibrahim, Verse 24
