I heard Jabir b. 'Abdullah saying that in the sermon of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) he praised Allah, lauded Him (and subsequently said [other words] and raised his voice, and the rest of the hadith is the same).
The Book of Prayer - Friday
Sahih Muslim 867 b
Hadith Context
This narration from Jabir ibn Abdullah describes the Prophet's manner of delivering the Friday sermon. The text indicates this is part of a longer hadith with similar content to other narrations about Friday prayer protocol.
Scholarly Commentary
The opening praise of Allah (hamd) is the sunnah method for beginning sermons, following the Quranic command: "And declare the praise of your Lord" (110:3). The Prophet's raised voice demonstrates the importance of audible delivery so all congregants may benefit.
Classical scholars note that the sermon structure begins with praise of Allah, followed by blessings upon the Prophet, then admonition and Quranic recitation. The raised voice reflects the gravity of the religious counsel being delivered.
This hadith establishes the essential components of the khutbah, emphasizing that proper Islamic sermons must begin with divine praise and be delivered with clarity and projection to fulfill their educational and spiritual purposes.