Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher
In a Jumma arrangement at work, for the last 3 years we have been praying with a khutba in English in two parts with a little Arabic quran or dua mixed inside it. A group of five of us rotate to do the khutba. Recently, I did the khutba that way I now think is correct. lesson/ adhan/ 2 Arabic khutbas/ iqamat. My colleagues want a unified way in fear of confusion and fitna among the musallies.
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
The Friday khutba is composed of integrals (if these are omitted, the khutba is invalid) and sunnas (omitting these does not affect the validity of the khutba). For a description of the integrals and sunnas of the Friday khutba, see Reliance of the Traveller, f18.9-f18.11. A good description of a near-minimal Friday prayer is available at:
Minimal Friday Prayer
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00001803.aspx
According to the Shafi’i school, the integrals of the khutba must be delivered in Arabic (Fath al-‘Allam, 3.52, Dar Ibn Hazm). It is permissible, however, to give admonition in another language.
As such, performing the Friday khutba as you have described (i.e., a lesson followed by 2 khutbas entirely in Arabic) will be valid but not necessary, provided all the conditions and integrals of the Friday khutba are met. It is good practice, however, for non-scholars to do what you have described by giving a general talk before the khutbas and then delivering a minimal khutba (as described at the link provided above) in Arabic at the end, since this will ensure that they don’t inadvertently deliver an invalid khutba.
As for convincing your colleagues, listing evidence from primary textual sources will be of little avail: those who are untrained in the techniques of deriving rulings directly from the Qur’an and sunna will not be able to appreciate the evidences. Instead, you will likely find yourself going in circles: you will quote an evidence, to which they will quote a counter-evidence, to which you will quote a counter-evidence etc, and neither side will really understand what they are saying.
There are rules for deriving rulings from primary sources (detailed in the science of usul al-fiqh) and there are rules for conducting a debate (detailed in the science of adab al-bahth wa’l-munazarah).
You should instead convince them of the obligation of following qualified scholarship. The articles on following madhabs available at Mas’ud Khan’s website (www.masud.co.uk) are an excellent starting point.
And Allah knows best
Hamza.