Khutba

   The khutba is a religious ceremony read on Fridays. It used to consist of prayers for the Prophet, the first four (Rashidun, or rightly guided) caliphs, the current caliph, and the ruler who was regarded as sovereign. Thus, to have one's name pronounced in the khutba was the equivalent to proclaiming full independence. The Sharafnama, for example, mentions various Kurdish rulers who had their names read in the khutba and thus could be considered sovereign and independent.