Keeping Good Intentions when Delivering a Sermon

عن مالك بن دينار عن الحسن قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ما من عبد يخطب خطبة إلا الله عز و جل سائله عنها أظنه قال ما أراد بها. قال جعفر كان مالك بن دينار إذا حدث بهذا الحديث بكى حتى ينقطع ثم يقول تحسبون أن عيني تقر بكلامي عليكم وأنا أعلم أن الله عز و جل سائلي عنه يوم القيامة ما أردت به. رواه ابن أبي الدنيا والبيهقي مرسلا بإسناد جيد (الترغيب والترهيب 1/171)

Hazrat Maalik bin Dinaar (Rahimahullah) reports from Hazrat Hasan Basri (Rahimahullah) that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whichever servant of Allah Ta’ala delivers a khutba (sermon) before people, Allah Ta’ala will question him regarding it.” The narrator says, “I think the meaning of this Hadith is that Allah Ta’ala will question him regarding his intention at the time of delivering the khutbah.”

Ja’far (Rahimahullah) relates that when Hazrat Maalik bin Dinaar (Rahimahullah) would relate this Hadith, he would cry so profusely until he was unable to speak, and he would then say: “Do you think that I feel pleased and easy to deliver a lecture before you? Whereas I know that Allah Ta’ala will question me on the day of Qiyaamah regarding my intention for delivering the discourse before you.”