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The Friday prayer

صلاة الجمعة

Who must attend the Friday prayer, its time, where and with how many it is held, and its sermon.

Quran

Allah tells the believers that when the call is made for the prayer on Friday, they should hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade (62:9). The Prophet ﷺ said the Friday prayer in congregation is a duty on every Muslim except four: a slave, a woman, a child or one who is sick (Abu Dawud 1067, graded sahih by al-Albani and Muhyi ad-Din 'Abd al-Hamid, and its chain sahih by Zubair 'Ali Za'i).

It is two rak'ahs in place of dhuhr, after a sermon. All agree that it needs a congregation and its own time. The schools differ on how many make it valid, where it may be held, and when its time begins.

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On whom it is due

  1. On whom it is due

    It is due on a resident, adult, sane Muslim man who is free and healthy. It is not due on a woman, a child, a slave, one who is ill, or a traveller; one who nurses a sick person with no one to replace him is counted with the sick.

    Where the schools differ

    islamweb's fatwa adds that one with a disabling condition, such as great age or blindness, is excused; for the majority a blind man who finds a guide, unpaid or for a fair wage, must attend.

    Sources: Sunan Abi Dawud 1067; The conditions of the Friday prayer (islamweb fatwa 7637)

What makes it valid

  1. What makes it valid

    Its time must have come.

    All four schools: condition

    Where the schools differ

    For the majority its time is the time of dhuhr. The Hanbalis hold that it begins after sunrise, though after midday is better.

    Sources: The conditions of the Friday prayer (islamweb fatwa 7637)

  2. What makes it valid

    It is prayed in congregation.

    All four schools: condition

    Where the schools differ

    On how many make the congregation: forty men for the Shafi'is and Hanbalis; twelve besides the imam, not travellers, in the well-known Maliki view; the imam and three others for the Hanafis. islamweb's fatwa adds that no text fixes a number, that Ibn Taymiyyah held three enough and ash-Shawkani two.

    Sources: The number with which the Friday prayer is valid (islamweb fatwa 3476); The conditions of the Friday prayer (islamweb fatwa 7637)

  3. What makes it valid

    Where it may be held.

    Where the schools differ

    The Hanafis require a town with a ruler or his deputy, with its suburbs and nearby villages; the Shafi'is, a place of buildings, town or village; the Malikis, a place fit for settled living, not a camp of tents; the Hanbalis set no such condition, so it is valid even in the open country. The Hanafis alone also require the ruler's permission.

    Sources: The conditions of the Friday prayer (islamweb fatwa 7637)

  4. What makes it valid

    A sermon before the prayer, with praise of Allah, remembrance and a reminder. islamweb's fatwa counts it among the conditions of validity.

    Sources: The conditions of the Friday prayer (islamweb fatwa 7637)

Attending it

  1. Attending it

    Take a bath before coming.

    Most scholars: sunnah

    Where the schools differ

    A group of the early scholars, and the Zahiris, held the Friday bath obligatory; most scholars hold it a recommended Sunnah.

    Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 877; The ruling on the Friday bath (islamweb fatwa 11802)

  2. Attending it

    Listen in silence to the sermon: the Prophet ﷺ said that one who tells his neighbour to be quiet while the imam is speaking has himself spoken idly (al-Bukhari 934).

    Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 934

Evidence

QuranAl-Jumu'a (Friday)Quran 62:9

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ٩

O you who have believed, when [the adhān] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumuʿah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allāh and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Saheeh International · QuranEnc v1.1.2

Another translation: Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan · QuranEnc v1.1.2

9. O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salât (prayer) on Friday (Jumu‘ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allâh [Jumu‘ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salât (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if you did but know!

Read in context on Quran.com
Sahih

Sunan Abi Dawud 1067

Grades
GraderVerdict
Al-AlbaniSahih (Sahih)
Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul HamidSahih (Sahih)
Zubair Ali ZaiIsnaad Sahih (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ، حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُرَيْمٌ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْتَشِرِ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْجُمُعَةُ حَقٌّ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ إِلاَّ أَرْبَعَةً عَبْدٌ مَمْلُوكٌ أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ أَوْ صَبِيٌّ أَوْ مَرِيضٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ طَارِقُ بْنُ شِهَابٍ قَدْ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ‏.‏

Narrated Tariq ibn Shihab: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Friday prayer in congregation is a necessary duty for every Muslim, with four exceptions; a slave, a woman, a boy, and a sick person. Abu Dawud said: Tariq b. Shihab had seen the Prophet (ﷺ) but not heard anything from him

View on sunnah.com
Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 877

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْجُمُعَةَ فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Anyone of you attending the Friday (prayers) should take a bath

View on sunnah.com
Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 934

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا قُلْتَ لِصَاحِبِكَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَنْصِتْ‏.‏ وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَقَدْ لَغَوْتَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the Imam is delivering the Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act

View on sunnah.com
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