al-Khitaba al-Islamiyya
- Author died
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- Editions
- Modern University Office (Al-Maktab Al-Jami'i Al-Hadith)
al-Khitaba al-Islamiyya (Islamic Oratory) is a manual by Abd al-Ati Muhammad Shalabi on the theory, preparation, ethics, and historical models of Islamic preaching and public address.
Purpose and Scope
In his introduction, Shalabi writes that the book is intended to guide individuals who already possess a natural aptitude for public speaking, rather than to create an orator from scratch. It seeks to provide aspiring Muslim preachers (khatibs) with the necessary rhetorical training, moral grounding, and stylistic examples across different historical periods to deliver effective religious exhortation.
Structure and Contents
The work is organized into twenty thematic topics combining theoretical discussions with anthologized speeches:
Theoretical Foundations and Preacher Training
- Preparation of Da'wa Personnel: Discusses the holistic selection and upbringing of callers to Islam across six dimensions: physical, psychological, intellectual, moral, social, and scientific health, emphasizing moral character (al-tarbiya al-khuluqiyya) and broad education in Islamic jurisprudence, Quranic exegesis, Hadith, and Arabic linguistics.
- The Science of Oratory (Ilm al-Khitaba): Explores oratory as a discipline governed by principles of persuasion and influence, highlighting its close interdisciplinary connections with logic, psychology, and sociology.
- Acquiring Oratorical Skill: Outlines the pathways to mastering public speaking, including innate disposition, studying foundational rules, reading eloquent prose, acquiring a rich vocabulary, cultivating emotional composure and patience, and rigorous threefold training across ideas, literary style, and vocal delivery.
- Oratorical Etiquette, Provisions, and Structure: Treats the decorum of the speaker, the intellectual provisions required, speech coordination and organization, and the arts of religious preaching (khutab al-waz al-dini).
Historical Anthologies and Models
The historical portion begins with an examination of oratory in early Islam as an instrument of social, political, and spiritual reform, followed by selected addresses:
- Prophetic Speeches: Includes the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ earliest public addresses in Mecca, his first Friday sermon in Medina, speeches delivered at the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada), the conquest of Mecca, the Battle of Uhud, the Khayf mosque, the prayer for rain (istisqa), and during his final illness, accompanied by critical commentary.
- The Rightly Guided Caliphs and Later Figures: Features addresses by Abu Bakr (including his speeches upon the Prophet's death and at Saqifat Bani Sa'ida), Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Umayyad caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, and the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun.
- Modern Speeches: Concludes with selected contemporary sermons by Dr. Ahmad al-Sharabasi covering topics such as da'wa methodology, youth, and the status of the prophetic Sunna, followed by a final section on auxiliary factors supporting the preacher.
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