How to Catch Up with Jumu’ah Prayer: Complete Guide & Sunnah Checklist

Catching Up with Jumu’ah Prayer: Rules and Regulations

HOW TO CATCH UP WITH JUMU’AH PRAYER

One can only catch up with the Jumu’ah prayer if he catches a Rak’ah with the Imām, and catching a Rak’ah – according to the opinion of the majority of the scholars – means catching up with the Ruku’ with the Imām. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever catches up with one Rak’ah of the prayer has caught up with the prayer.” {Al-Bukhārī #580; Muslim #607}. 

Al-Nawawi (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: “What we have mentioned about catching up with the rak’ah by catching up with ruku’ (bowing) is the correct view, as stated by al-Shafi’i. It was also the view of the majority of our companions and the majority of scholars. It is the apparent meaning of the hadiths and all people unanimously agreed upon it. There is another view, which is very weak, which suggests that it does not count.”  {al-Majmu’, 4/112}

If he catches up with the Imam before he stands up from Ruku’ in the second Rak’ah, then he has caught up with the prayer, and he should then complete your prayer after the Imām says the Salām. He should stand up and complete the remaining Rak’ah of his prayer.

However, if he catches up with the Imam after the Imām has stood up from Ruku’, this means that he has missed the Jumu’ah prayer, and has not caught up with it. In this case, he has to pray it as Zuhr. He should stand up after the Imām has said the Salām and complete his prayer with four Rak’ahs because it is Zuhr and not Jumu’ah.

It says in Sahih fiqh us-Sunnah: “This is the view of the companions of the Messenger of ALLĀH (ﷺ).

It was narrated from Ibn Umar (may ALLĀH be pleased with them) that he said: “If a man catches up with one rak’ah of the Friday prayer, he should pray another one with it. And if he finds them sitting, he should pray four rak’ahs.” {Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi 3/204 and others}

And it was narrated from Ibn Mas’ud (may ALLĀH be pleased with him) that he said: “Whoever catches up with one rak’ah has caught up with the Friday prayer, and whoever does not catch up with the Friday prayer should pray four rak’ahs.” {Musannaf Abd ar-Razzaq #5477}

Sheikhul-Islām (Ibn Taymiyah, may ALLĀH have mercy on him) also narrated from Anas (may ALLĀH be pleased with him) that he said, “No difference of opinion is known among the Companions regarding this, and many others have narrated that this is the consensus of the Companions.”

And this is the view of the majority of scholars, Malik, Al-Shafi’i and Ahmad (may ALLĀH have mercy on them) and others.” {Sahih fiqh us-Sunnah 1/592)

And ALLĀH knows best.

JUMU’AH CHECKLIST

Have a Ghusl.

Wear the best clothes.

Use Perfume (for men only).

Go early for Salaat al-Jumu’ah.

Pray at least 2 Rak’ahs before sitting in the Masjid.

Don’t talk while the Imam is giving Khutbah.

Pray 4 raka’at (in masjid) or 2 raka’at (at home) after Salāh.

Recite Suratul-Kahf.

Make du’aa in abundance.

Recite salawāt upon the Messenger of ALLĀH (ﷺ) in abundance.