At a Musjid in our area, a Mufti reads from a kitaab before Isha Salaat.

Answer

In terms of the Shariah, these practices are bid'ah. They are an onerous and an impermissible imposition on the musallis as well as a departure from the Sunnah. The time for reading the kitaab adopted by the Mufti Sahib is improper. It is not permissible to compel by hook or crook people to listen to a lecture. Talks and kitaab-readings should be postponed until after completion of the Sunnat and Nafl Salaat. Whoever wishes to sit, will sit, and whoever wishes to depart, will depart. But, the time chosen by the Mufti Sahib forces everyone to sit and listen to his talk. The talk/reading thus serves no benefit for those who are averse to participate. The Mufti is the cause of such musallis making gheebat in their hearts, for they must be reprimanding or even cursing him on account of the inconvenience he is subjecting them to. Such innovative practices ultimately become hard core bid'ah.