Friday Prayer (Jumu’ah): Rules, Sunnah & Significance

Friday Prayer (Jumu’ah): A Comprehensive Guide

Friday Prayer Rules and Issues

In Islam, the day of Friday holds great significance, which will be discussed further. For now, let me mention that Allah, the Lord of Glory, has revealed a Surah named after Friday, in which several rulings related to Friday are mentioned. Let’s reflect on one of the verses of this Surah. Allah Almighty says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (الجمعة:9)

Translation: O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Here, Allah addresses the believers with three points:

1. The first point is related to the adhan (call to prayer) for the Friday prayer, meaning that the adhan will be given to call the believers to the mosque for the Friday prayer. The words of this adhan are not mentioned anywhere in the entire Quran; this adhan is known to us from the hadith. Let’s see how the adhan began in the light of the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

كانَ المُسْلِمُونَ حِينَ قَدِمُوا المَدِينَةَ يَجْتَمِعُونَ فَيَتَحَيَّنُونَ الصَّلَاةَ ليسَ يُنَادَى لَهَا، فَتَكَلَّمُوا يَوْمًا في ذلكَ، فَقالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: اتَّخِذُوا نَاقُوسًا مِثْلَ نَاقُوسِ النَّصَارَى، وقالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: بَلْ بُوقًا مِثْلَ قَرْنِ اليَهُودِ، فَقالَ عُمَرُ: أوَلَا تَبْعَثُونَ رَجُلًا يُنَادِي بالصَّلَاةِ، فَقالَ رَسولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ: يا بلَالُ قُمْ فَنَادِ بالصَّلَاةِ(صحيح البخاري:604)

Translation: When the Muslims arrived in Madinah, they would gather and wait for the prayer without any call for it. One day, they discussed this matter. Some suggested taking a bell like the Christians, and others suggested a horn like the Jews. But Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Why not send a man to call for prayer?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then said, “O Bilal, get up and call for the prayer.”

In Sahih Bukhari, there is a preceding narration from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

ذَكَرُوا النَّارَ والنَّاقُوسَ، فَذَكَرُوا اليَهُودَ والنَّصَارَى فَأُمِرَ بلَالٌ أنْ يَشْفَعَ الأذَانَ، وأَنْ يُوتِرَ الإقَامَةَ(صحيح البخاري:603)

Translation: (For announcing the prayer time) people mentioned fire and bells. Then the Jews and Christians were mentioned. Then Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was ordered to say the adhan (call to prayer) in pairs and the iqamah (second call to prayer) in singles.

This hadith indicates that the adhan should be given in pairs and the iqamah in singles, which is what is understood from the authentic narration.

This was the history of the adhan. Regarding the adhan, we also learn that for Friday, there should originally be only one adhan, which is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). It is narrated from Saib bin Yazid that he said:

كانَ النِّدَاءُ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ أوَّلُهُ إذَا جَلَسَ الإمَامُ علَى المِنْبَرِ علَى عَهْدِ النبيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، وأَبِي بَكْرٍ، وعُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عنْهمَا، فَلَمَّا كانَ عُثْمَانُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عنْه، وكَثُرَ النَّاسُ زَادَ النِّدَاءَ الثَّالِثَ علَى الزَّوْرَاءِ(صحيح البخاري:912)

Translation: During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), the first call to prayer on Friday was given when the Imam sat on the pulpit for the sermon. But during the time of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), when the number of Muslims increased, he added a third call to prayer at a place called Al-Zawra.

At the end of this narration, Abu Abdullah Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) explains that Al-Zawra is a place in the market of Madinah.

During the time of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), an additional adhan was added due to necessity and benefit. However, in today’s advanced times, this additional adhan is not needed. Therefore, for Friday, only one adhan should be given when the Imam sits on the pulpit for the sermon, as it was done during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

2 Allah mentions the second point that when the adhan (call to prayer) for Friday is given, you should hasten towards the prayer, meaning there should be no laziness or delay. Here, Allah commands to hasten and be prompt for the Friday prayer because Friday is a great day. In fact, one should be present in the mosque even before the Friday adhan to gain maximum virtue. The prohibition of hastening for regular prayers applies when the iqamah (second call to prayer) is given; one should not rush but walk calmly to join the prayer. The prohibition is specifically for rushing to avoid missing a rak’ah (unit of prayer). However, there is no prohibition on hastening for the prayer when the adhan is given.

3 The third point is that when the adhan for Friday prayer is given, business transactions should be stopped. The verse mentions “sale,” which means selling. When the seller stops selling, the buyer will also not come, so the primary activity is halted. However, this also includes the prohibition of buying. The Hanafis use this to argue that the Friday prayer should only be held in cities and not in villages. This reasoning is incorrect because buying and selling occur everywhere, in both villages and cities. The primary meaning here is that when the adhan for Friday prayer is given, whatever work a person is doing, whether it is trade or any other worldly activity, should be stopped, and one should hasten towards the prayer. Looking at the history of the Friday prayer, it is evident that the Friday prayer is to be held everywhere, in both villages and towns.

Abdur Rahman bin Ka’b bin Malik said:

كُنتُ قائدَ أبي حينَ ذَهَبَ بصرُهُ، فَكُنتُ إذا خَرجتُ بِهِ إلى الجمعةِ فسمِعَ الأذانَ استَغفرَ لأبي أُمامةَ أسعدَ بنِ زُرارةَ، ودعا لَهُ، فمَكَثَتُ حينًا أسمعُ ذلِكَ منهُ، ثمَّ قُلتُ في نَفسي: واللَّهِ إنَّ ذا لعَجزٌ، إنِّي أسمعُهُ كلَّما سمعَ أذانَ الجمعةِ يستغفِرُ لأبي أُمامةَ ويصلِّي عليهِ، ولا أسألُهُ عن ذلِكَ لمَ هوَ ؟ فخَرجتُ بِهِ كما كنتُ أخرجُ بِهِ إلى الجمُعةِ، فلمَّا سمعَ الأذانَ استغفَرَ كما كانَ يفعَلُ، فقُلتُ لَهُ: يا أبتاهُ، أرأيتَكَ صلاتَكَ على أسعَدَ بنِ زُرارةَ كلَّما سَمِعتَ النِّداءَ بالجمعةِ لمَ هوَ ؟ قالَ: أي بُنَيَّ، كانَ أوَّلَ من صلَّى بنا صلاةَ الجمُعةِ قبلَ مَقدَمِ رسولِ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ من مَكَّةَ، في نقيعِ الخضَماتِ، في هزمٍ مِن حرَّةِ بَني بياضةَ، قُلتُ: كَم كنتُمْ يومئذٍ ؟ قالَ: أربعينَ رجلًا(: صحيح ابن ماجه:893)

Translation: When my father’s eyesight was lost, I used to lead him to the Friday prayer. When I took him out for the Friday prayer and he heard the adhan, he would seek forgiveness for Abu Umamah As’ad bin Zurarah (may Allah be pleased with him) and pray for him. I heard this from him for a long time. Then one day I thought to myself, “By Allah, this is foolishness. I have been hearing him every Friday, whenever he hears the adhan, he seeks forgiveness for Abu Umamah and prays for him, and I have not asked him why.” So, one day, as usual, I took him out for the Friday prayer. When he heard the adhan, he sought forgiveness as he used to do. I asked him, “O my father, why do you pray for As’ad bin Zurarah whenever you hear the Friday adhan?” He replied, “O my son, he was the first to lead us in the Friday prayer before the arrival of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) from Makkah, in the plain of Naqi’ al-Khadamat, in a place from the volcanic region of Banu Bayadah.” I asked, “How many were you at that time?” He said, “We were forty men.”

This hadith shows that the Friday prayer was performed in Madinah even before the migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The first companion to lead the Friday prayer was As’ad bin Zurarah (may Allah be pleased with him). This raises the question of how the Friday prayer was performed before the Prophet’s arrival if it was made obligatory in Madinah. Scholars have answered that the Friday prayer was actually made obligatory in Makkah, but due to the circumstances, it was not appropriate to establish it there, so the people of Madinah were commanded to perform it. Another explanation is that the Friday prayer was made obligatory in Madinah, and As’ad (may Allah be pleased with him) led the prayer for educational purposes, to gather people once a week to teach them about the religion. Later, Allah made it obligatory.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the Friday prayer began to be held in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi). The first place where the Friday prayer was held after the Prophet’s Mosque was a village. Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

أَوَّلُ جُمُعَةٍ جُمِّعَتْ بَعْدَ جُمُعَةٍ جُمِّعَتْ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَسْجِدِ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ بِجُوَاثَى  يَعْنِي قَرْيَةً مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ(صحيح البخاري:4371)

Translation: The first Friday prayer held after the one in the Prophet’s Mosque was in the mosque of Abdul Qais in Jawathi, which is a village in Bahrain.

Imam Bukhari mentioned this hadith in another place as well, under the chapter “The Friday Prayer in Villages and Cities” (Sahih Bukhari: 892). Similarly, in Sunan Abi Dawood, Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

إنَّ أوَّلَ جمعةٍ جمِّعت في الإسلامِ بعدَ جمعةٍ جمِّعت في مسجدِ رسولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بالمدينةِ لجمعةٌ جمِّعت بجواثاءَ قريةٍ من قرى البحرين. قالَ عثمانُ قريةٌ من قرى عبدِ القيس(صحيح أبي داود:1068)

Translation: The first Friday prayer held in Islam after the one in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah was in Jawathi, a village in Bahrain. Uthman said: It is a village of the tribe of Abdul Qais.

Imam Abu Dawood titled this hadith under the chapter “The Friday Prayer in Villages.”

From the history of the Friday prayer, it is clear that the first Friday prayer after the Prophet’s Mosque was held in a village, which is a clear indication that just as the Friday prayer is held in cities, it should also be held in villages. Therefore, the Hanafi ruling is contrary to the hadith, while the other three Imams agree that the Friday prayer should be held in both cities and villages.

1. Friday is a day of Eid: Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

   إنَّ هذا يومُ عيدٍ، جعلَهُ اللَّهُ للمسلمينَ، فمن جاءَ إلى الجمعةِ فليغتسل، وإن كانَ طيبٌ فليمسَّ منْهُ، وعليْكم بالسِّواك (صحيح ابن ماجه:908)

   Translation: This is a day of Eid, Allah has made it a day of Eid for the Muslims. So whoever comes to Friday (prayer), let him take a bath, and if he has perfume, let him apply it, and you should use the miswak (tooth-stick).

   Friday is a weekly day of Eid, and therefore, special attention should be given to it. Muslims should take a bath, apply perfume, and use the miswak on this day.

2. Friday is the best day, and one should send abundant blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him): Aus bin Aus (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

   إنَّ من أفضلِ أيَّامِكُم يومَ الجمعةِ فيهِ خُلِقَ آدمُ وفيهِ قُبِضَ وفيهِ النَّفخةُ وفيهِ الصَّعقةُ فأكْثِروا عليَّ منَ الصَّلاةِ فيهِ فإنَّ صلاتَكُم معروضةٌ عليَّ قالَ قالوا يا رسولَ اللَّهِ وَكَيفَ تُعرَضُ صلاتُنا عليكَ وقد أرِمتَ – يقولونَ بليتَ – فقالَ إنَّ اللَّهَ عزَّ وجلَّ حرَّمَ علَى الأرضِ أجسادَ الأنبياءِ (صحيح أبي داود:1047)

   Translation: Among the best of your days is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he died, on it the trumpet will be blown, and on it the shout will be made. So send abundant blessings upon me on this day, for your blessings are presented to me. They said: O Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings be presented to you when you have decayed? He said: Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets.

In light of this hadith, Muslims should frequently send blessings and peace upon the Prophet ﷺ on Fridays. Wherever you send blessings upon him, it is conveyed to him. Another narration indicates that angels convey these blessings to him. Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إنَّ للَّهِ ملائِكةً سيَّاحينَ في الأرضِ، يُبلِّغوني من أُمَّتي السَّلامَ (صحيح النسائي:1281)

Translation: Allah has angels who roam the earth and convey to me the greetings of my Ummah.

Those who send greetings to Madinah through others are engaging in an innovation (bid’ah) because there is no evidence that anyone should present blessings and peace on behalf of another at the Prophet’s grave. The hadith indicates that wherever we send blessings, they are conveyed to him, so there is no need to send them through someone else.

(3) There is a reward for arriving early at the mosque on Friday: The evidence for this is the narration of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ غُسْلَ الجَنَابَةِ ثُمَّ رَاحَ، فَكَأنَّما قَرَّبَ بَدَنَةً، ومَن رَاحَ في السَّاعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، فَكَأنَّما قَرَّبَ بَقَرَةً، ومَن رَاحَ في السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ، فَكَأنَّما قَرَّبَ كَبْشًا أقْرَنَ، ومَن رَاحَ في السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ، فَكَأنَّما قَرَّبَ دَجَاجَةً، ومَن رَاحَ في السَّاعَةِ الخَامِسَةِ، فَكَأنَّما قَرَّبَ بَيْضَةً، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإمَامُ حَضَرَتِ المَلَائِكَةُ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ (صحيح البخاري:881)

Translation: Whoever performs ghusl on Friday like the ghusl of janabah and then goes (to the mosque), it is as if he has offered a camel as a sacrifice. Whoever goes in the second hour, it is as if he has offered a cow. Whoever goes in the third hour, it is as if he has offered a horned ram. Whoever goes in the fourth hour, it is as if he has offered a chicken. Whoever goes in the fifth hour, it is as if he has offered an egg. When the Imam comes out, the angels present themselves to listen to the remembrance.

Regarding the five hours mentioned in this hadith, Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) explains: “The Prophet ﷺ divided the time from sunrise until the Imam’s arrival into five parts. Each part is approximately equivalent to an hour as known today, though it may sometimes be more or less due to the variation in time. Therefore, from sunrise until the Imam’s arrival, there are five periods, and their beginning is from sunrise. Another opinion is that it starts from dawn, but the first opinion is more correct because before sunrise is the time for Fajr prayer.” (Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen: 16/Question No. 1260).

(4) Performing Jumu’ah Prayer Leads to Forgiveness of Sins Until the Next Jumu’ah: Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ، وتَطَهَّرَ بما اسْتَطَاعَ مِن طُهْرٍ، ثُمَّ ادَّهَنَ أوْ مَسَّ مِن طِيبٍ، ثُمَّ رَاحَ فَلَمْ يُفَرِّقْ بيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ، فَصَلَّى ما كُتِبَ له، ثُمَّ إذَا خَرَجَ الإمَامُ أنْصَتَ، غُفِرَ له ما بيْنَهُ وبيْنَ الجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى (صحيح البخاري:910)

Translation: Whoever performs ghusl on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, uses oil or perfume, then goes to the mosque and does not separate two people sitting together, prays as much as is written for him, and remains silent when the Imam comes out and starts the sermon, his sins between that Friday and the next will be forgiven.

Performing ghusl on Friday is not obligatory but is recommended. However, those without any valid excuse should definitely perform ghusl on Friday due to its emphasis. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

أنَّ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عنْه، بيْنَما هو يَخْطُبُ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ إذْ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ، فَقالَ عُمَرُ بنُ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عنْه: لِمَ تَحْتَبِسُونَ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ؟ فَقالَ الرَّجُلُ: ما هو إلَّا أنْ سَمِعْتُ النِّدَاءَ تَوَضَّأْتُ، فَقالَ: ألَمْ تَسْمَعُوا النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ قالَ: إذَا رَاحَ أحَدُكُمْ إلى الجُمُعَةِ فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ (صحيح البخاري:882)

Translation: Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving the Friday sermon when a man (Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him) entered. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Why do you come late for the prayer?” The man replied, “I only delayed because I performed ablution after hearing the call to prayer.” Umar said, “Did you not hear the Prophet ﷺ say, ‘When one of you goes to the Friday prayer, he should perform ghusl’?”

The ghusl for Jumu’ah should be performed after Fajr because it is for the Jumu’ah prayer. If someone performs ghusl before Fajr due to an excuse, there is no harm.

Additionally, some people engage in dhikr during the sermon, which is incorrect. The correct practice is to remain completely silent and attentively listen to the sermon, as mentioned in the hadith above. The previous hadith also supports this, where angels listen to the sermon. No other actions should be performed during the sermon, including speaking or telling someone to be quiet, as well as touching pebbles, which are considered idle actions.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِذَا قُلْتَ لِصَاحِبِكَ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ: أنْصِتْ، والإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ، فقَدْ لَغَوْتَ (صحيح البخاري:882)

Translation: When the Imam is delivering the Friday sermon, and you tell your companion to be quiet, you have engaged in idle talk.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَن تَوَضَّأَ فأحْسَنَ الوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ أتَى الجُمُعَةَ، فاسْتَمع وأَنْصَتَ، غُفِرَ له ما بيْنَهُ وبيْنَ الجُمُعَةِ، وزِيادَةُ ثَلاثَةِ أيَّامٍ، ومَن مَسَّ الحَصَى فقَدْ لَغا (صحيح مسلم:857)

Translation: Whoever performs ablution and does it well, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens attentively and remains silent, his sins between that Friday and the next will be forgiven, plus three extra days. And whoever touches pebbles has engaged in idle talk.

(5) There is an Hour of Acceptance on Friday: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

أنَّ رسولَ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم ذكَر يومَ الجمُعةِ، فقال : فيه ساعةٌ، لا يُوافِقُها عبدٌ مسلمٌ، وهو قائمٌ يُصلِّي، يَسأَلُ اللهَ تعالى شيئًا، إلا أعطاه إياه . وأشار بيدِه يُقَلِّلُها (صحيح البخاري:935)

Translation: The Prophet ﷺ mentioned Friday and said: “There is an hour on Friday during which no Muslim servant stands in prayer and asks Allah for something but He will give it to him.” And he gestured with his hands to indicate how short that time was.

There is a difference of opinion regarding when this hour of acceptance is. Two well-known opinions are:

1. From the start of the prayer until it ends: There is a hadith in Tirmidhi (490) and Ibn Majah, which Sheikh al-Albani has classified as very weak, so this opinion is not the strongest. The hadith is as follows: Amr ibn Awf al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

في يومِ الجمعةِ ساعةٌ منَ النَّهارِ، لا يسألُ اللَّهَ فيها العبدُ شيئًا إلَّا أُعْطيَ سؤلَهُ قيلَ أيُّ ساعةٍ قالَ حينَ تقامُ الصَّلاةُ إلى الانصرافِ منها (ضعيف ابن ماجه:214)

Translation: There is an hour on Friday during which no servant asks Allah for anything but He will give it to him. The companions asked: “Which hour is it?” He said: “From the time the prayer is established until it is concluded.”

The second opinion is that the hour of acceptance is from after Asr until sunset. This opinion is stronger because there is an authentic hadith supporting it. Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

يومُ الجمعةِ ثِنتا عشرةَ – يريدُ – ساعةً لا يوجَدُ مسلِمٌ يسألُ اللَّهَ عزَّ وجلَّ شيئًا إلَّا آتاهُ اللَّهُ عزَّ وجلَّ فالتمِسوها آخرَ ساعةٍ بعدَ العصرِ (صحيح أبي داود:1048)

Translation: “Friday consists of twelve hours. In one of these hours, there is a time when no Muslim asks Allah for anything but He will give it to him. Seek it in the last hour after Asr.”

From this, we understand that on Fridays, we should make abundant supplications between Asr and Maghrib, hoping that our prayers coincide with this hour of acceptance.

(6) Dying on Friday is a Sign of a Good End: Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

ما مِن مسلمٍ يموتُ يومَ الجمعةِ أو ليلةَ الجمعةِ إلَّا وقاهُ اللَّهُ فِتنةَ القبرِ (صحیح الترمذٰی: 1074)

Translation: “No Muslim dies on the day of Friday or the night of Friday except that Allah protects him from the trial of the grave.”

(7) Reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday is Recommended: Among the hadiths related to reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays, the strongest are those narrated by Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him), as mentioned by Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him). For a detailed investigation of the hadiths related to reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays, refer to Dr. Abdullah bin Fawzan bin Saleh Al-Fawzan’s book “Al-Ahadith Al-Waridah Fi Qira’at Surah Al-Kahf Yawm Al-Jumu’ah”. This book summarizes that the hadith of Abu Sa’id is narrated both as marfu’ (attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) and mawquf (attributed to the companion). The mawquf narration is authentic, and even without the specific mention of Friday, it is established that Abu Sa’id used to recite Surah Al-Kahf. However, the specification of Friday is not established.

Despite this, most scholars have considered the recitation of Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays to be recommended. Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) used to recite Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays is recommended. When asked about the hadith related to reciting Surah Al-Kahf after Asr on Fridays, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) responded that there are reports about reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays in general, but he had not heard specifically about after Asr.

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays is a recommended act. Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that there are hadiths about reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays, though they are not free from weakness. However, some scholars have stated that these hadiths support each other and are sufficient to be used as evidence.

Furthermore, Shaykh Ibn Baz explained that the hadiths about this matter support each other, indicating the recommendation of reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays. There is an established mawquf narration from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding this practice. Such a hadith cannot be acted upon merely based on opinion; rather, it indicates that they had a Sunnah to follow.

Ruling on Jumu’ah Prayer for Men and Women:

Jumu’ah prayer is obligatory for every free, sane, adult, and resident Muslim man, but it is not obligatory for women. Tariq bin Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

الجمعةُ حقٌّ واجبٌ على كلِّ مسلمٍ في جماعةٍ إلاَّ أربعةً عبدٌ مملوكٌ أوِ امرأةٌ أو صبيٌّ أو مريضٌ (صحيح أبي داود: 1067)

Translation: “Jumu’ah prayer in congregation is obligatory for every Muslim except four: a slave, a woman, a child, and a sick person.”

From this hadith, it is understood that Jumu’ah is not obligatory for women. However, women can and should pray Jumu’ah with men. Mosque builders should make separate arrangements for women in the mosque so that they can attend Jumu’ah and benefit from the sermon and prayer, just as the female companions used to pray in the mosque during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyidah Umm Hisham bint Haritha bin Nu’man (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

ما حَفِظْتُ ق، إلَّا مِن في رَسولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، يَخْطُبُ بهَا كُلَّ جُمُعَةٍ، قالَتْ: وَكانَ تَنُّورُنَا وَتَنُّورُ رَسولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ وَاحِدًا (صحيح مسلم: 873)

Translation: “I memorized Surah Qaf from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to recite it every Friday during the sermon. She said: Our oven and the oven of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were one.”

This hadith indicates that Umm Hisham (may Allah be pleased with her) used to pray Jumu’ah in the Prophet’s Mosque, which is how she memorized Surah Qaf from the Prophet’s sermons. If a woman prays at home on Friday, she should perform the Dhuhr prayer and also perform the Sunnah prayers before and after it. However, there is no separate Jumu’ah prayer for women. Therefore, the practice of women gathering and performing their own Jumu’ah prayer is not correct.

Negligence in Jumu’ah Prayer:

Generally, Muslims show laziness towards the five daily prayers, and some even exhibit extreme negligence towards Jumu’ah prayer, whether due to busyness, work, or laziness. Allah has commanded them to leave business for Jumu’ah prayer, yet some Muslims skip Jumu’ah for work. Many people who work full duty in companies or study in colleges and schools on Fridays do not care about Jumu’ah, thinking they are busy and Jumu’ah is not obligatory for them. Some do not even consider Jumu’ah at all. Here are two hadiths for such people to take heed:

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar and Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that they heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say while standing on the wooden pulpit:

لَيَنْتَهينَّ أقْوامٌ عن ودْعِهِمُ الجُمُعاتِ، أوْ لَيَخْتِمَنَّ اللَّهُ علَى قُلُوبِهِمْ، ثُمَّ لَيَكونُنَّ مِنَ الغافِلِينَ (صحيح مسلم: 865)

Translation: “People must cease neglecting Jumu’ah or Allah will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless.”

Similarly, Abu Jadd Damri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

من ترَكَ ثلاثَ جُمَعٍ تَهاونًا بِها طبعَ اللَّهُ علَى قلبِهِ (صحيح أبي داود: 1052)

Translation: “Whoever neglects three Jumu’ahs out of laziness, Allah will seal his heart.”

Those who skip Jumu’ah due to business or education should organize their schedules and make time for Jumu’ah prayer in any case. They should perform Jumu’ah prayer in the mosque with other Muslims, as Allah has commanded: when the call for Jumu’ah prayer is given, leave business and hasten to the remembrance of Allah.

Rak’ahs of Jumu’ah Prayer:

For Jumu’ah prayer, there are two obligatory rak’ahs. There is no confirmed Sunnah before the obligatory prayer, but anyone entering the mosque should perform at least two rak’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. After Jumu’ah prayer, there are two or four confirmed Sunnah rak’ahs. For more details, you can refer to my article “Rak’ahs of Jumu’ah Prayer and Some Related Issues.”

Before the Obligatory Jumu’ah Prayer:

There is a hadith mentioned earlier with the words “فَصَلَّى ما كُتِبَ له” meaning that whoever goes to the mosque before the sermon and prays as much as is written for him. Here, this prayer is considered as Nawafil (voluntary prayers), so anyone coming early to the mosque on Jumu’ah can pray as many two rak’ahs as they wish without any specific limit. It is proven from Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) to pray four rak’ahs before Jumu’ah, while it is proven from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) to pray twelve rak’ahs, but these are Nawafil, not confirmed Sunnah.

After the Obligatory Jumu’ah Prayer:

It is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to pray two obligatory rak’ahs and two confirmed Sunnah rak’ahs. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that he said about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

وكان لا يُصلِّي بعدَ الجمُعةِ حتى يَنصَرِفَ، فيُصلِّي ركعتَينِ (صحيح البخاري: 937)

Translation: “He did not pray after Jumu’ah until he returned home, and then he would pray two rak’ahs.”

These are the main rak’ahs of Jumu’ah prayer: two obligatory rak’ahs followed by two confirmed Sunnah rak’ahs. One can also pray four Sunnah rak’ahs after the obligatory prayer, as there is evidence for this. Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

إذا صلَّى أحدُكم الجمعةَ فليصلِّ بعدها أربعًا (صحيح مسلم: 881)

Translation: “When one of you has prayed Jumu’ah, let him pray four rak’ahs afterward.”

Regarding the voluntary prayer before Jumu’ah, as mentioned earlier, whoever comes to the mosque and prays as much as they wish, this is voluntary and is referred to as Nawafil.

Summary:

Before the obligatory Jumu’ah prayer, there is no confirmed Sunnah, but anyone entering the mosque should perform at least two rak’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. If there is time before the sermon, they can pray as many two rak’ahs as they wish. After the obligatory Jumu’ah prayer, one can pray either two or four rak’ahs of Sunnah. Some scholars have mentioned that if the Sunnah is prayed in the mosque, it should be four rak’ahs, and if prayed at home, it should be two rak’ahs. However, there is no evidence for this distinction, so one can pray either two or four rak’ahs after the obligatory prayer, whether in the mosque or at home. For more details, you can refer to my article “The Number of Rak’ahs After Jumu’ah Prayer: Distinction Between Mosque and Home” available on my blog.

Conditions for Those Coming to the Mosque for Jumu’ah Prayer:

There are five possible conditions for those coming to the mosque for Jumu’ah prayer, and the rulings for these conditions are as follows:

1. Early Arrival for Jumu’ah Prayer: 

   A person who arrives at the mosque before the Jumu’ah prayer and sermon should perform at least two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid before sitting down, as it is prohibited to sit in the mosque without praying two rak’ahs. Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

   دَخَلْتُ المَسْجِدَ وَرَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ جَالِسٌ بيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيِ النَّاسِ، قالَ: فَجَلَسْتُ، فَقالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ: ما مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَجْلِسَ؟ قالَ: فَقُلتُ: يا رَسولَ اللهِ، رَأَيْتُكَ جَالِسًا وَالنَّاسُ جُلُوسٌ، قالَ: فَإِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ المَسْجِدَ، فلا يَجْلِسْ حتَّى يَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ (صحيح مسلم: 714)

   Translation: “I entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting among the people, so I sat down. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘What prevented you from praying two rak’ahs before sitting down?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I saw you and the people sitting, so I sat down.’ He said: ‘When one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit until he has prayed two rak’ahs.’”

After Tahiyyat al-Masjid, Performing Additional Nawafil:

After performing Tahiyyat al-Masjid, one can perform additional Nawafil if they wish, or they can suffice with just the two rak’ahs. There is a common misconception among people that no prayer is allowed at the time of Zawal (midday), so some individuals entering the mosque on Jumu’ah do not pray and sit down immediately. This is a mistake.

1. First Point: It is not prohibited to perform Nawafil from the time the sun rises to the height of a spear until just before midday. This is the time for Salat al-Duha, so there is no harm in performing Nawafil in the mosque on Jumu’ah.

2. Second Point: While it is generally prohibited to perform Nawafil at midday, on Jumu’ah, one can perform Nawafil before, during, or after midday. Additionally, prayers with specific reasons, such as Tahiyyat al-Masjid, Tahiyyat al-Wudu, and Tawaf prayer, can be performed at any time without restriction. To further clarify this issue, consider the following narration:

Hazrat Abdullah bin Saydan Salmi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

شهدتُ الجمعةَ مع أبي بكرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ فكانت خطبتُه وصلاتُه قبل نصفِ النهارِ ، ثم شهِدْنا مع عمرَ فكانت خطبتُه وصلاتُه إلى أن أقولَ : انتصف النهارُ ، ثم شهدنا مع عثمانَ فكانت خطبتُه وصلاتُه إلى أن أقولَ : زال النهارُ ، فما رأيتُ أحدًا عاب ذلك ولا أنكَرَه (الأجوبة النافعة للألباني : 23 اسنادہ حسن)

Translation: “I attended the Jumu’ah with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and his sermon and prayer were before midday. Then we attended with Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and his sermon and prayer were at midday. Then we attended with Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and his sermon and prayer were after midday. I did not see anyone criticize or object to this.”

This narration shows that the companions did not object to performing Jumu’ah prayer at different times around midday, indicating flexibility in the timing of Jumu’ah and related prayers.

This narration is evidence that one can perform voluntary prayers even at noon, and there is also room for performing the Friday prayer at this time. However, the obligatory Friday prayer should be performed according to the time of Dhuhr, as the time for Jumu’ah is essentially the same as that of Dhuhr. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he said:

أنَّ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ كانَ يُصَلِّي الجُمُعَةَ حِينَ تَمِيلُ الشَّمْسُ (صحيح البخاري:904)

Translation: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the Friday prayer when the sun had declined.

(2) When a person comes to the mosque for the Friday prayer and the Imam is sitting on the pulpit and the Adhan is being called, it is better for him to respond to the Adhan first and then pray the Tahiyyat al-Masjid (two units of prayer). This way, he will get the reward for responding to the Adhan. However, if someone starts praying the Tahiyyat al-Masjid immediately without responding to the Adhan, there is no harm in it because responding to the Adhan is Sunnah, and not responding to it does not incur any sin, while the command to pray the Tahiyyat al-Masjid is more emphasized.

(3) When a person comes to the mosque for the Friday prayer while the Imam is delivering the sermon, he should perform two light units of prayer and then sit down. Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he said:

جَاءَ سُلَيْكٌ الْغَطَفَانِيُّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَخْطُبُ فَجَلَسَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ” يَا سُلَيْكُ قُمْ فَارْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَتَجَوَّزْ فِيهِمَا “، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ فِيهِمَا (مسلم:875)

Translation: Sulaik al-Ghatafani (may Allah be pleased with him) came on Friday while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon, and he sat down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, “O Sulaik! Stand up and pray two units and make them brief.” Then he said, “If any of you comes on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two units and make them brief.”

In the Hanafi school, contrary to this hadith, a person entering the mosque during the sermon does not perform the Tahiyyat al-Masjid prayer; instead, they sit down immediately. This is a clear opposition to the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It is astonishing that people, in following their Imam, abandon the command of the Imam of the universe, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed the companion who sat down upon entering the mosque to stand up and perform two units of prayer. This is a command of the Messenger, and from the verse in Surah An-Nisa (4:80), we understand that obeying the Messenger is obeying Allah. Thus, abandoning the command of the Messenger is turning away from the obedience of Allah.

(4) When a person enters the mosque for the Friday prayer after the prayer has already started, if they catch both units of the Friday prayer from the beginning, then Alhamdulillah, they will receive the full reward of the Friday prayer. If they join the Imam in the second unit, they should complete the second unit after the Imam finishes and then conclude their prayer. This way, they will still receive the reward of the congregational Friday prayer because catching at least one unit with the Imam grants the reward of the congregation. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

مَنْ أَدْرَكَ رَكْعَةً مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ الصَّلَاةَ (صحیح البخاری:580)

Translation: Whoever catches one unit of the prayer (in congregation) has caught the prayer (in congregation).

Similarly, Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

مَنْ أَدْرَكَ رَكْعَةً مِنْ صَلَاةِ الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا، فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ الصَّلَاةَ (صحيح ابن ماجه:929)

And in Sunan An-Nasa’i, it is further clarified that their prayer is complete. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

مَنْ أَدْرَكَ رَكْعَةً مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا فَقَدْ تَمَّتْ صَلَاتُهُ (صحيح النسائي:556)

Translation: Whoever catches one unit of the Friday prayer or any other prayer, their prayer is complete.

As for the one who catches the Imam in the second rak’ah’s ruku‘ (bowing), what should he do? There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the rak’ah of the one who catches the ruku’. Some count it as a rak’ah, while others do not. The stronger opinion is that the rak’ah is not counted for the one who catches the ruku’. Therefore, the person who joins the Imam in the ruku’ of the second rak’ah will perform the Dhuhr prayer after the Imam finishes.

(5) When a person enters the mosque for the Friday prayer while the Imam is in the second rak’ah’s prostration or tashahhud, he should join the prayer and then perform four rak’ahs of Dhuhr after the Imam finishes, as he has missed the Friday prayer. To catch the Friday prayer, it is necessary to join at least one rak’ah with the Imam, as clarified by the evidence provided above.

Additional rulings and issues regarding the Friday prayer:

• Just like men, women can also benefit from the blessings of Friday. They should perform ghusl, use miswak, recite Surah Al-Kahf, send abundant blessings upon the Prophet, and if there is a separate arrangement for women in the mosque, they should attend the Friday prayer there; otherwise, they should perform Dhuhr at home. They should make du’a during the hour of acceptance between Asr and Maghrib. If a woman is menstruating, she should not perform the prayer but can engage in recitation, du’a, sending blessings upon the Prophet, and other forms of remembrance.
• A person can travel on any day, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) usually traveled on Thursdays. If someone needs to travel on Friday, they can do so before the time of Dhuhr or after the Friday prayer. However, after the time of Dhuhr starts, they should not travel and should perform the Friday prayer with the Muslims.
• A traveler is not obligated to perform the Friday prayer; they should perform Dhuhr. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform the Friday prayer during the Farewell Pilgrimage in Arafat. However, if a traveler performs the Friday prayer with the residents of the city, it will suffice. Although a traveler can combine two prayers, they should not combine Asr with the Friday prayer.
• If it starts raining on Friday and the roads become muddy, making it difficult to reach the mosque, one can perform Dhuhr at home. Similarly, if someone is ill and cannot go to the mosque due to their illness, they can perform Dhuhr at home.
• If Eid falls on a Friday, it is not obligatory for the residents to perform the Friday prayer. They can skip it and perform Dhuhr instead. However, if they wish to perform the Friday prayer, they can do so.
• It is specifically prohibited to fast on Friday alone, so one should not fast only on Friday but combine it with fasting on the day before or the day after. However, if the Day of Arafah falls on a Friday, there is no harm in fasting on that day.
• The Friday sermon can be delivered in the local language so that the listeners can benefit from the advice and admonition. The Hanafis do not advocate delivering the sermon in any language other than Arabic, so they deliver it in Arabic. However, the Hanafis make two mistakes here. First, they give a long speech in a non-Arabic language before the sermon, which is a new innovation and a bid’ah (innovation) in religion. There is no evidence in Shariah for giving a speech before the sermon. The second mistake is that they deliver the sermon in Arabic only as a formality, so their sermon lasts only two to four minutes. The Hanafis should also deliver the sermon in a non-Arabic language to eliminate the bid’ah performed before the sermon in their mosques.
• The sermon should be delivered while standing on the pulpit, and there should be a brief sitting between the two sermons. It is essential to have a knowledgeable and righteous Imam for the pulpit so that the purpose of the sermon is fulfilled. The sermon should be moderate in length, not too long. The Imam should prepare the sermon with full honesty and choose appropriate topics. Sometimes, due to the length of the sermon, lack of preparation by the Imam, or the absence of a suitable Imam, the worshippers delay attending the sermon.
• The congregation can say “Ameen” softly to the Imam’s supplications, but it is not correct for people to raise their hands in supplication during the sermon. Similarly, it is not correct to engage in dhikr (remembrance of Allah) during the sermon, nor should anyone greet others during the sermon. A person entering the mosque should perform the Tahiyyat al-Masjid prayer and then sit quietly.
• Ideally, the one who delivers the sermon should also lead the Friday prayer, but if someone else leads the prayer, there is no harm in it.
• During the Friday prayer, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes recite Surah Al-Jumu’ah and Surah Al-Munafiqun, and sometimes Surah Al-A’la and Surah Al-Ghashiyah. Therefore, this Sunnah should be followed in the Friday prayer, although there is no harm in reciting other Surahs.
• According to the Hanafis, it is not correct to establish the Friday prayer in villages. However, they still perform the Friday prayer in villages and, as a precaution, perform Dhuhr after the Friday prayer in case the Friday prayer was not valid. This is a form of playing with worship. The correct stance is that the Friday prayer should be performed in both villages and cities, as discussed above with evidence, and performing Dhuhr as a precaution is a new innovation in religion.