Translating the Friday Khutbah
Question

                Is it permissible to hold the Jummah Khutbah in English if the majority of the community does not understand Arabic? Have the scholars agreed on this issue or is there a difference of opinions?
Praise be to Allah.Some of the scholars said 
          that it is not permitted to translate the khutbah given from the minbar 
          on Friday and the two Eids into foreign (non-Arabic) languages. Their 
          intention (may Allaah have mercy on them) was to maintain and preserve 
          the Arabic language, and to follow the way of the Messenger 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions (may 
          Allaah be pleased with them), which was to give the khutbah in Arabic 
          in the lands of the Persians and others, and to encourage the people 
          to learn Arabic and pay attention to it.  
Other scholars said that 
          it is permissible to translate khutbahs into other languages if most 
          of the people being addressed do not know Arabic, based on the reason 
          for which Allaah enjoined the khutbah, which is to teach the people 
          about the rulings that Allaah has prescribed for them and to tell them 
          of the sins which are forbidden, to guide them towards good characteristics 
          and to warn them against bad characteristics. Undoubtedly paying attention 
          to the aims and purposes is more important and takes precedence over 
          paying attention to the words used, especially when the audience does 
          not understand Arabic and the khutbah does not have any effect on them 
          and does not motivate them to learn Arabic. (Especially in these times 
          when the Muslims have fallen behind and others have advanced, and the 
          language of the dominant people has become widespread and the language 
          of the defeated is in a weaker position).  
If 
          the aim of conveying knowledge and Islamic teaching to the people can 
          only be achieved among non-Arabs by translating the khutbahs into their 
          languages, then the view that it is permissible to translate the khutbah 
          into the prevalent language of the audience so that they may understand 
          what is being said takes precedence and should be followed, especially 
          if not translating the khutbahs will lead to conflicts and arguments. 
          Undoubtedly translating the khutbah in such a case becomes essential 
          to serve the people’s interests and avoid mischief.
 If 
          there are some people in the congregation who do understand Arabic, 
          then the khateeb should combine the two languages, giving the khutbah 
          in Arabic then repeating it in the other language which the other people 
          understand. In this manner he will achieve the two purposes, avoiding 
          mischief and conflict among the people whom he is addressing.
 There 
          is a great deal of evidence to support that in the pure sharee’ah, such 
          as the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And 
          We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order 
          that he might make (the Message) clear for them.” 
[Ibraaheem 
          14:4] 
         And 
          the Messenger of Allaah 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded Zayd ibn Thaabit 
          to learn the language of the Jews so that he might send letters to them 
          in their language and establish proof against them, and so that he might 
          read their letters when they were sent, and explain to the Prophet 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what they said. And when 
          the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) attacked the Romans and 
          Persians, they did not fight them until they had called them to Islam 
          by means of interpreters. When they conquered the foreign countries 
          they called the people to Allaah in Arabic and commanded the people 
          to learn it. Whoever among them did not know Arabic, they called him 
          in his own language and made him understand what was meant in the language 
          that he did understand. Thus proof was established. Undoubtedly this 
          is the only way, especially at the end of time when Islam is like a 
          stranger and every people is clinging to its own language. There is 
          a very real need for translation now, and the daa’iyah cannot convey 
          his message without it.
       

The khateeb should do that which best suits the interests of the people 
          he is addressing. If the best is to give the khutbah part by part, in 
          Arabic and then translated, then he should do that. If the best is to 
          translate the entire khutbah, after giving the khutbah (in Arabic) or 
          after the prayer, then he should do that. And Allaah knows best.