صَلاَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ
Jumu‘ah (Friday Congregational Prayer)
Everyone who is obliged to pray the mandatory prayers is obliged to pray the Jumu‘ah if he is a resident in a permanent dwelling [as opposed to tents, for example], and if the distance between him and the masjid is one farsakh (three miles) or less. 370 Exempted are the woman, the slave, the
كُلُّ مَنْ لَزِمَتْهُ الْمَكْتُوْبَةُ لَزِمَتْهُ الْجُمُعَةُ، إِذَا كَانَ مُسْتَوْطِنًا بِبِنَاءٍ، وبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا فَرْسَخٌ فَمَا دُوْنَ. إِلاَّ الْمَرْأَةَ، وَالْعَبْدَ،
369. Virtues of Jumu‘ah
The day of Jumu‘ah has a special position, for the Messenger of Allah (SA) said:
“The best day upon which the sun has risen is Jumu‘ah. On it, Adam was created, and on that day he entered paradise, and on that day he was expelled from paradise, and the Hour will come on Jumu‘ah.” (M – from Abu Hurayrah)
خَيْرُ يَوْمٍ طَلَعَتْ عليه الشَّمْسُ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ فيه خُلِقَ آدَمُ وَفِيهِ أُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَفِيهِ أُخْرِجَ منها ولا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إلا في يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ.
It is imperative that we Muslims make this day a special day for us, particularly those living as minorities where the day is a normal weekday.
370. Ibn Qudâmah explained in al-Mughni that the distance of one farsakh applies to people who live outside of town. All the people in town must go to the masjid, regardless of the distance. He justified this with several points, one of which is that it is rare for a town to be wider than one farsakh. (Note that it would take about 45 to 60 minutes to walk the distance of one farsakh [3 miles] at a moderate pace.)
In our times, the accessibility of a masjid is what matters. People must pray Jumu‘ah
if the masjid of their town is within a reasonable commute. It is vital for Muslim minorities to live near masjids or to establish masjids where they live.
traveler, --- and one who is excused because of sickness, rain, 371 or fear. 372 If one of the first three groups [a woman, a slave, or a traveler] attends, it will count for them, but it does not become valid by their presence. As for the one who is excused [because of sickness, rain, or fear], if he attends, then it becomes obligatory on him and also valid by his presence.
إذا تَوَضَّأ أَحَدُكم ثم خَرَجَ إلى المَسْجِدِ فَلا يُشَبِّكْ بين أصَابِعِه فإنَّه فِي صَلاة
371. (Kash-shâf al-Qinâ‘): This includes severe cold, severe wind, snow, and hail as well. Bukhari and Muslim reported that ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Abbâs said to the mu‘adh-dhin on a rainy day:
“When you have announced, ‘I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ do not say, ‘Come to the prayer,’ but say instead, ‘Pray in your houses.’” He (the narrator) said that it looked like the people disapproved of that. Ibn ‘Abbâs said:
"إِذَا قُلْتَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَقُلْ حَىَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ قُلْ صَلُّوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ"
“When you have announced, ‘I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ do not say, ‘Come to the prayer,’ but say instead, ‘Pray in your houses.’” He (the narrator) said that it looked like the people disapproved of that. Ibn ‘Abbâs said:
"أَتَعْجَبُونَ مِنْ ذَا قَدْ فَعَلَ ذَا مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي إِنَّ الْجُمُعَةَ عَزْمَةٌ وَإِنِّي كَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُحْرِجَكُمْ فَتَمْشُوا فِي الطِّينِ وَالدَّحْضِ."
“Are you surprised by that? Someone (referring to the Prophet [SA]) better than I did it. Jumu‘ah prayer is certainly compulsory, but I did not want to cause you hardship by asking you to come out and walk in mud and on slippery ground.”
372. Included as an excuse also is fear of harm to one’s property or livelihood. Examples mentioned on this include: a baker who fears that his bread will burn, someone who fears that his property will be stolen, etc. (al-Mughni and Kash-shâf al-Qinâ‘)
In our times, this would include employees in jobs that do not allow them to leave the workplace, such as on-call physicians, guards, train and bus drivers, and other on-duty workers. For those in more flexible jobs who are still not allowed to leave for Jumu‘ah, it is recommended that they look for other, comparable jobs that would allow them to leave. In the meantime, if they fear the loss of their livelihood, they are exempt from Jumu‘ah.
The conditions of its validity include:
- doing it on time, 373
- in a village, 374
- being attended by forty of the residents therein [in the village] who are obliged to pray it, 375
وَمِنْ شَرْطِ صِحَّتِهَا:
- فِعْلُهَا فِيْ وَقْتِهَا.
- فِيْ قَرْيَةٍ.
- وَأَنْ يَحْضُرَهَا مِنَ الْمُسْتَوْطِنِيْنَ بِهَا أَرْبَعُوْنَ مِنْ أَهْلِ وُجُوْبِهَا.
373. Time of Jumu‘ah
(A): The valid time begins at the same time as that of the Eid prayer or ḍuḥâ’ (the optional prayer in the mid to late morning), and it lasts until ‘aṣr, because:
“The Prophet (SA) would pray Jumu‘ah, and then we would take our camels to rest when the sun passed its zenith.” (M – from Jâbir ibn ‘Abdullâh)
The majority: The time is like that of dhuhr prayer. They interpret the hadith of Jâbir (RA) and other reports from the Companions as encouraging people to pray Jumu‘ah early, immediately after noon.
374. Permanent dwellings, as opposed to tents and the like.
375. Quorum for Jumu‘ah
(A) + (+S): 40 people, because ‘Abdur-Raḥmân ibn Ka‘b ibn Mâlik said to his father, “O my father! I see you supplicating for As‘ad ibn Zurârah every time you hear the call for Jumu‘ah; why is that?” He replied, “O my son, he was the first one to lead us for the Jumu‘ah prayer before the Messenger of Allah (SA) came from Makkah, in Naqi‘ al-Khadimât, in the plain of Ḥarrat Banu Bayâdah.” He was asked, “How many of you were there at that time?” He said, “Forty men.” (Ma)
(-M): 12 people. (-H): 3 people
in addition to the imam.
(a) + (-t): 3 people. An-Nakha‘i, aṭ-Ṭabari, Ibn Ḥazm, ash-Shawkâni and several contemporary scholars: Ṣalât ul-Jumu‘ah is valid if there are two or more people present, since the Prophet (SA) is reported to have said, “Two or more constitute a congregation.” (Ma. Ma:S) He said to Mâlik ibn Ḥuwayrith:
“If it is the time for the prayer, let one of the two of you make adhân and the eldest of the two of you lead the prayer.” (B)
إذا حَضَرَتْ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَذِّنَا وَأَقِيمَا ثُمَّ لِيَؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُكُمَا.
This hadith indicates that two are enough for the congregational prayer. They argued that the other reports about other numbers relating specifically to Jumu‘ah are weak, unclear, or coincidental, as explained by many scholars. As-Suyooṭi holds, “There is no confirmed hadith which states a particular number [for the Jumu‘ah ṣalâh].” I have presented this matter in some detail since many Muslims in Western countries will not be able to gather 40 individuals for the prayer, particularly if they pray at their place of work or school. For many of them, the alternative would be to not pray Jumu‘ah for years.
376. Number of Sermons in the Jumu‘ah Prayer
(A) + (+M, +S): Two sermons are a condition of validity. They argued that the Prophet (SA) never prayed it without two sermons, and he said:
"Pray as you see me pray." (B – from Mâlik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith)
صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي.
(-H): One suffices for the validity. Ibn Ḥazm: No sermon is required for the validity
377. For this is the way of the Prophet (SA), who also said:
"Every affair (or speech) that is not started by the praise of Allah is cut off (ajdam, which also means ‘leper’)." (D – from Abu Hurayrah. Nawawi:R)
كُلُّ كَلَامٍ لَا يُبْدَأُ فيه بِالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ أَجْذَمُ.
378. Sending Blessings on the Prophet (SA)
It is prescribed in general on Friday to send many blessings upon our most beloved, our guide to the light of Islam, and the one who sacrificed and endured all kinds of hardship to bring us out of the darkness of ignorance by the grace of Allah (ST). Revering the Messenger (SA) is part of revering the message and the One Who sent that message. Anas reported that the Prophet (SA) said: