Khutbah is an Arabic word that means sermon and is commonly used to refer to the Friday khutbah, which is done before the Jumuah prayer (Friday noon prayer) . It is a key component of Jumuah and is considered obligatory, so without it, the Friday prayer is invalid. The khutbah serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition. It is a religious narration that may be pronounced in a variety of settings and at various times, but the khutbah specifically refers to khutbah al-juma, usually meaning the address delivered in the mosque at weekly (usually Friday) and annual rituals. Other religious oratory and occasions of preaching are described as dars (a lesson) or waz (an admonition), and their formats differ accordingly.

The khutbah originates from the practice of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, who used to deliver words of exhortation, instruction, or command at gatherings for worship in the mosque, which consisted of the courtyard of his house in Medina. The khutbah probably derived, though without a religious context, from the pronouncements of the khaṭīb, a prominent tribal spokesman of pre-Islamic Arabia. The khutbah is read in mosques on Fridays at noon prayer and contains an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of the reigning.