Reflections on Visiting Imams, Resident Imams and the Responsibility of Religious Leadership

The Friday khutbah occupies a unique position in the religious life of a Muslim community. It is not simply another lecture in the mosque programme, nor should it be approached as an opportunity for public speaking or personal promotion. The khutbah is itself an act of worship, and the person who stands upon the minbar is entrusted with addressing the believers at a particularly significant moment in their week. For many Muslims, especially those who may not regularly attend classes, lectures or other educational programmes, the Friday khutbah may be their principal opportunity to hear a sustained religious reminder. What is said from the minbar can therefore influence attitudes, family life, religious practice, community relationships and, in some cases, a person’s understanding of Islam itself.

This places a considerable responsibility upon the khatib. The effectiveness of a khutbah should not be judged simply by how entertaining it was, how large the attendance became, how many people took photographs with the speaker afterwards or how many views the recording received online. Its deeper value lies in whether it contributes to the guidance, education and spiritual development of those who heard it. A khutbah should ideally form part of a broader process of tarbiyah, helping people gradually to develop their relationship with Allah, their understanding of revelation, their character and their responsibilities towards others.

For this reason, the role of the resident imam is particularly important. An effective resident imam will generally have a longer-term vision for the community. His khutbahs are not necessarily isolated speeches, but part of an educational journey. A particular subject may be introduced one week, developed several weeks later and eventually connected to practical programmes, classes, pastoral work or youth initiatives. The imam may know that a certain issue requires repeated discussion because the community has not yet fully understood it, while another subject may need to be approached carefully because of local circumstances.

It is within this wider context that the increasing practice of inviting guest imams, scholars and khatibs should be considered. There is much that is positive about this practice, and there is no reason why a mosque should become so inward-looking that it believes only its resident imam can ever address its congregation.

At the same time, being invited to a mosque carries its own responsibilities. A person who enters another community as a guest should understand that he is entering a place where others have already invested years of work. The mosque has a history, the congregation has particular circumstances, and the resident imam may have spent many years developing relationships with the people sitting in front of him. The visiting speaker should therefore approach the invitation not merely as an engagement to deliver a speech, but as an opportunity to contribute respectfully to a community that is already on a religious journey.

The Minbar Is an Amanah

There is a tendency in contemporary religious culture to place considerable emphasis upon personalities. Some speakers have become highly recognisable through social media, television, conferences and online platforms. Their popularity can undoubtedly bring benefit, and there is nothing inherently wrong with a scholar or speaker having a large following. However, popularity should never be confused with suitability, and the number of followers a person has should not be the primary consideration when determining whether his particular approach is appropriate for a particular community.

The resident imam occupies a different position from a visiting speaker. He is normally the person who remains after the guest has departed and who has to continue dealing with the congregation. He knows the families, the young people, the elderly, the converts, the people who are struggling with their faith and those who require pastoral support. He may know that an issue has already been discussed at length or that a particular matter is sensitive within the community. He may also know which educational themes the mosque is currently trying to develop.

The visiting speaker cannot reasonably be expected to know all of this. That is precisely why communication between the guest and the resident imam is so important.

BBSI has heard from imams who have felt that visiting speakers sometimes arrive without making any meaningful effort to understand the community they are about to address. One imam explained anonymously:

“The difficult thing is not that a guest comes to speak. We welcome that. The problem is when someone arrives, delivers a strong message based on assumptions about the community and then leaves, while I am left to deal with the questions and misunderstandings that follow. A short conversation beforehand could have made such a difference.”

Another imam described the issue in similar terms:

“I don’t want to tell a guest scholar what to say. That is not my role. I would simply like him to ask what the community is like, what we have been working on and whether there are any local sensitivities he should understand. That is not controlling the khutbah; it is basic professional courtesy.”

This distinction is important. Consultation should not be confused with restriction.

A qualified scholar should not be treated as somebody who is merely required to repeat whatever the resident imam or mosque committee wants to hear. Nor should a visiting scholar be expected to surrender his scholarly judgement. If he believes that an important matter needs to be addressed, he should be able to address it. The purpose of speaking with the resident imam beforehand is not to dictate the content of the khutbah but to ensure that the speaker understands the context in which his words will be received.

Sometimes the most valuable contribution a guest can make is precisely to challenge the congregation. A guest should not be expected to say only what everyone already believes. Islam requires people to be reminded, corrected, and encouraged. However, effective correction requires wisdom, and wisdom is strengthened when the person giving advice understands the circumstances of those receiving it.

The Guest Sees the Community for a Few Hours; the Imam Serves It Throughout the Year

The difference between a visiting speaker and a resident imam is not a question of who is more knowledgeable or important. It is fundamentally a difference of role.

A guest may spend a few hours in a mosque and deliver a khutbah. The resident imam may then spend the following weeks dealing with the consequences, answering questions, counselling families and helping people understand how the message should be implemented. This is why the guest should not assume that his brief encounter with the congregation gives him the same understanding of its circumstances as someone who has served there for years.

One imam told BBSI:

“We had spent months working on a particular issue through khutbahs, classes, and conversations with families. A visiting speaker came and approached it from a completely different angle without knowing the background. People came to me afterwards asking whether the mosque had changed its position. I had to spend a considerable amount of time explaining what had actually been meant.”

Such experiences should not lead mosques to stop inviting guests. Rather, they should encourage better communication between resident and visiting imams.

An effective guest speaker should ideally seek to complement the existing work of the mosque. If the resident imam has been working on family relationships, youth development, Qur’anic understanding, character development, or another area of tarbiyah, the guest may be able to reinforce that work from a different scholarly perspective. His contribution can then become part of a longer process rather than an isolated event.

The objective should be to leave the community stronger, more knowledgeable, and more connected to its religious responsibilities than it was before the guest arrived.

Adab Begins Before the Microphone Is Switched On

The etiquette of a guest speaker is not limited to the content of his khutbah. Indeed, the manner in which a religious teacher behaves before and after speaking can sometimes communicate more than the speech itself.

A visiting scholar should make an effort to greet the resident imam, introduce himself, and establish a basic relationship before addressing the congregation. This should not be understood as a demand for ceremony or excessive hospitality. There is no need for the guest to be treated like a celebrity, nor should the resident imam be expected to spend the entire visit praising him or promoting his status. A simple salām, an introduction, and a conversation about the community are sufficient to establish an atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual respect.

BBSI has heard from imams who have been surprised when guest speakers arrive at their mosque, deliver the khutbah, and leave without properly introducing themselves to the resident imam.

One imam remarked:

“I don’t expect special treatment from a guest. But if someone comes into the mosque where I work, stands on the minbar and addresses the congregation without even properly greeting or speaking to me, it does feel strange. We are both supposed to be serving Allah, so there should at least be basic brotherhood between us.”

There is an important principle here. A person who is invited to teach people about Islam should himself demonstrate the manners that Islam teaches. The congregation observes not only the words of its scholars but also their conduct. If a guest speaks extensively about humility, brotherhood, and good character but appears dismissive towards the imam who serves the mosque, the contradiction is not lost on those watching.

Adab is therefore not an ornament added to religious service. It is part of religious service itself.

The Guest Should Understand the Local Imam’s Tarbiyah Programme

A particularly valuable conversation between a guest and a resident imam can concern the broader educational direction of the mosque.

A resident imam who takes his responsibilities seriously will normally be thinking beyond the next Friday. He may have a sequence of khutbahs planned, a programme for Ramadan, youth activities, Qur’an classes, family programmes or a particular educational objective for the coming year. He may be trying gradually to change certain attitudes within the community rather than addressing every problem through a single dramatic speech.

A guest who understands this can make his contribution considerably more effective.

He does not have to follow the resident imam’s programme word for word, nor should he be expected to become an extension of it. Rather, awareness allows him to avoid unnecessarily contradicting or confusing work that has already been taking place.

This is particularly important in communities where the imam has spent years establishing trust. Religious development is often gradual. A community may need repeated reminders before a particular issue changes. A single guest speaker who arrives with an uncompromising message may believe he is achieving something significant, but if his approach causes people to disengage from the mosque or distrust their local imam, the longer-term consequences may be counterproductive.

The measure of successful religious leadership is therefore not always the immediate emotional response. Sometimes the most beneficial khutbah is one that provides a foundation for work that will continue long after the guest has returned home.

A Guest Should Not Need to Be Treated as a Celebrity

The modern culture of religious speaking has created a degree of celebrity around some scholars and speakers. This is understandable in part because social media has transformed the way religious knowledge is communicated. A scholar can now address audiences across continents from a single platform. Nevertheless, religious service should never become dependent upon the cultivation of personal importance.

The best scholars often demonstrate humility precisely because they understand the weight of the amanah entrusted to them. They do not need the mosque to create an atmosphere in which everybody is required to emphasise their importance. They come, teach, interact with people, and leave.

One imam told BBSI:

“Some of the most respected scholars who have visited our mosque have actually been the easiest people to host. They came in, gave salām, asked about the community, spoke to the people and thanked everyone afterwards. They didn’t need to be treated as celebrities.”

Another imam said:

“The problem begins when the speaker seems to expect the resident imam to spend the whole visit making him feel important. The imam is there to serve the community too. It should be a relationship between two people serving Allah, not a hierarchy of personalities.”

This is a valuable reminder for everyone involved in religious work. Knowledge should increase humility, not entitlement.

The Financial Dimension Requires Particular Sensitivity

There is also a financial aspect to guest khutbahs that deserves careful and balanced consideration.

BBSI recognises that scholars who travel to mosques may reasonably receive payment for their time and expenses. Religious teachers have families, responsibilities, and professional commitments, and there is nothing inherently objectionable about a mosque compensating someone fairly for his time, travel, and expertise. Indeed, mosques should be conscious of the financial demands placed upon scholars who are frequently asked to travel long distances and give up substantial portions of their weekends.

At the same time, BBSI has heard concerns about instances in which guest khatibs have reportedly requested fees of £500, £750 or even £1,000 for a relatively short Friday khutbah. Such cases are not representative of all scholars, and they should not be used to make sweeping accusations about religious speakers. Nevertheless, where such arrangements occur, they raise legitimate questions about how the sacred responsibility of the minbar is being understood.

The concern is not simply the numerical amount. The deeper question is whether the khutbah is gradually being treated as a commercial appearance rather than an act of worship and religious service.

One imam told BBSI:

“I have no problem with a scholar being paid properly. Scholars have families and expenses, just like everyone else. But when the conversation becomes, ‘How much for twenty-five minutes on the minbar?’ it makes me uncomfortable. We have to be careful that the commercial culture around public speaking doesn’t start defining religious service.”

There should therefore be fairness on both sides. Mosques should not exploit scholars by expecting extensive travel and preparation without reasonable compensation, while scholars should also approach invitations with the consciousness that the khutbah is an amanah and not merely another speaking engagement.

Moderation, dignity, and sincerity should guide the arrangement.

The Resident Imam Must Also Exercise Generosity

The principle of adab applies equally to resident imams.

A resident imam should not regard every visiting scholar as a threat to his position. The mosque does not belong personally to the resident imam, and the minbar should not become a source of possessiveness or insecurity. If a visiting scholar can provide benefit to the congregation, the resident imam should welcome that benefit.

There will naturally be differences of approach among scholars. One speaker may have a different style, emphasis or interpretation from another. Provided the difference falls within legitimate scholarly boundaries, this should not automatically be treated as a challenge to the resident imam’s authority.

The mature approach is to recognise that different scholars can contribute different things. The resident imam brings continuity, pastoral knowledge, and long-term relationships. The guest brings another perspective, particular expertise, and a fresh voice. The congregation can benefit from both when each understands his role. The resident imam should therefore be generous enough to welcome beneficial guests, while the guest should be humble enough to respect the imam whose daily work sustains the community.

The True Measure of a Successful Guest Visit

The success of a guest visit should ultimately be measured by its benefit to the community rather than by the excitement surrounding the event.

A guest speaker may deliver a powerful khutbah that receives tremendous applause, but if the congregation leaves without any meaningful direction, the lasting benefit may be limited. Conversely, a quieter khutbah may provide the foundation for a young person to improve his prayer, for a family to reconsider its relationships, or for a community to begin a new programme of learning.

The guest should therefore ask himself before travelling to a mosque: What can I contribute that will genuinely benefit these people?

He should also ask afterwards: Have I strengthened the work of those who serve here, or have I unintentionally made their work more difficult?

These are questions of sincerity and amanah.

The purpose of the khutbah is not to demonstrate the personality of the speaker. It is to guide people towards Allah.

The Minbar Is Not a Stage

Perhaps the most important principle to remember is that the minbar should never become a stage for personality, competition or prestige.

The minbar is a place from which people are reminded of Allah, taught about Islam and encouraged towards righteousness. Whoever stands upon it, whether resident or guest, should feel the seriousness of that responsibility.

The guest should enter with humility, speak with knowledge and wisdom, respect those who serve the mosque throughout the year and depart with gratitude. The resident imam should welcome beneficial scholarship, share relevant local knowledge and avoid possessiveness. Mosque committees should facilitate communication and cooperation rather than treating guest speakers merely as names capable of attracting crowds.

When these principles are followed, the presence of a guest scholar can become a source of considerable khayr. The guest does not compete with the resident imam; he strengthens him. The resident imam does not feel threatened by the guest; he benefits from him. The congregation does not become caught between personalities; instead, it receives knowledge from people who recognise that they are ultimately serving the same purpose.

That is the spirit in which the minbar should be approached.

The finest guest khatib is therefore not necessarily the person who receives the loudest applause, attracts the largest crowd or generates the greatest online engagement. It is the person who understands that he has temporarily been entrusted with addressing a community of believers, respects the imam who serves that community throughout the year, speaks with knowledge and wisdom, and leaves behind something that can continue to benefit the people after he has departed.

Likewise, the finest resident imam is not the one who guards his minbar jealously, but the one secure enough in his own responsibility to welcome another scholar who can benefit his congregation.

And the finest mosque is not necessarily the one that hosts the greatest number of famous speakers, but the one that understands how those visits can become part of a coherent and sustained programme of Islamic education and tarbiyah.

Ultimately, the question is not who receives the microphone. The question is what we do with the amanah once we are given it.

For ease of reference, the following principles summarise the main etiquette discussed in this article.

1. Enter as a guest. A visiting imam or khatib should approach the mosque with humility, recognising that he is entering an established community with its own imam, history and circumstances.
2. Contact the resident imam beforehand (in some mosques the imam is not consulted by the board). A simple conversation before the visit allows the guest to understand the community and its circumstances and gives the resident imam an opportunity to share useful context.
3. Understand that consultation is not censorship. Speaking with the resident imam does not mean that the guest is being told what he must say. A qualified scholar should retain his scholarly independence while nevertheless making an effort to understand the context in which he is speaking.
4. Respect the long-term work of the resident imam. The resident imam may have spent years developing a programme of education and tarbiyah. A guest should seek, wherever possible, to complement rather than unnecessarily disrupt that work.
5. Begin with basic adab. Greet the resident imam, introduce yourself and establish a relationship of brotherhood before addressing the congregation. Religious service should itself model the manners being taught.
6. Do not expect celebrity treatment. A scholar should not require excessive praise, attention or promotion. Humility is part of the character expected from those who carry religious knowledge.
7. Be fair and moderate regarding payment. Mosques should treat visiting scholars fairly and cover reasonable expenses, while scholars should remain conscious that the khutbah is an act of worship and an amanah rather than merely a commercial speaking engagement.
8. Consider the local context. Difficult or sensitive issues may need to be addressed, but wisdom requires understanding the circumstances of the people being addressed.
9. Remember that the resident imam remains after you leave. A visiting speaker should consider whether his words will help the imam continue his work or leave him with unnecessary confusion and difficulty to resolve.
10. Do not undermine legitimate scholarly differences. Where there are recognised differences of opinion, a guest should exercise wisdom and avoid presenting matters in a way that unnecessarily creates conflict or division within the congregation.
11. Resident imams should also show generosity. The resident imam should not become possessive about the minbar or view every visiting scholar as competition. Beneficial scholarship from others can strengthen the community and complement his own work.
12. Leave the community stronger than you found it. The ultimate measure of a guest’s contribution should be whether the visit increased knowledge, strengthened faith, encouraged good character and supported the long-term religious development of the community.

The minbar is an amanah, and everyone who approaches it should remember that the real objective is not the reputation of the speaker, the popularity of the mosque or the size of the audience. It is the guidance and benefit of the people, and ultimately the pleasure of Allah.

BBSI hopes that these reflections will encourage greater communication between guest and resident imams and help establish a culture in which scholars can visit one another’s communities with mutual respect and genuine brotherhood. When the etiquette of the guest is combined with the generosity of the host, the minbar can remain what it was always intended to be: a place of guidance, remembrance, knowledge and benefit.

We would also welcome hearing from imams and khatibs across the UK about their experiences of hosting or receiving guest speakers. If you have a relevant experience, observation, concern or suggestion that you believe would contribute to this discussion, you are welcome to contact BBSI at bbsiboard@gmail.com. Where appropriate, experiences may be shared anonymously so that lessons can be drawn without identifying individuals or institutions.

BBSI Editorial Board