What is the Sitting Between in Khutbah Called?

What shall we recite or say when the Imam sits down between the two khutbahs at Juma at Friday’s prayer? Is there any specific dua or dhikr we should say?

We know that when the Imam is giving the khutbah, we must not speak. We must not even return salam when someone comes and says Salaam alaikum—we should ignore him and not reply to him. We should not even tell someone who’s talking to hush; this even is prohibited.

The reason is that we should give our full attention to the Imam, to the orator who is giving the khutbah of Juma.

When the Imam Sits in Silence

Now having said that, we know that there are two sermons and the Imam sits in between them—pauses for about like 20 to 30 seconds.

So what should we say during this pause?

There isn’t anything prescribed.

Three Scholarly Opinions

Some scholars say you should offer salutation upon the Prophet (alayhi salaatu wa salaam) because this is highly recommend and recommended during a Friday.
So you say:
Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala Muhammad, etc.

Others say you should seek Allah’s forgiveness by saying:

اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
Allahummaghfirli Warhamni Wahdini Waafini Warzuqni 

A third portion of the people said that it is recommended for you to make dua because the Prophet himself told us:

“I assume there is a moment during the Friday day, from the break of dawn till sunset, where no man or woman would ask Allah for something — Allah ‘Azza wa Jall would give it to them.”

So there is a moment, and moment in Arabic is saa’ah. And saa’ah can translate to an hour and can translate to a moment of time.

So there is a moment that people should seek and look for, trying to make dua so that Allah would answer their du’as.

And there are some narrations that this hour or this moment is between the two sermons.

So there’s no problem at all making dua.

Can We Raise Our Hands?

What about raising our hands when making dua between the two sermons?

When the dua is on your own, there’s no problem in raising your hands and making dua.

So when the Imam says:

“Aqoolu qawli haadha wa astaghfir-Allaah”

(I say these words of mine and I ask Allah for forgiveness)

and he sits down for this twenty to thirty seconds—if you raise your hands, praise Allah, offer salutation to the Prophet (alayhi salaam) and say:

“O Allah, pay off my debts”
“O Allah, make my son pass the exam”
“O Allah, guide my wife not to be nagging and demanding”

All of this is as good as gold, and there’s no problem in that.