Validity of Friday prayer if one joins late
I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and spirits. May Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the next.
One is considered to have caught the Friday prayer–like any other prayer–if one joins the congregation before the imam’s first closing salam.
However, it is sinful to delay getting to the Friday sermon (khutba) without an overwhelming excuse, because listening to the sermon is necessary (wajib).
The prerequisites of the Jumu’ah prayer are of three kinds:
1. Conditions that are compulsory for the validity of the Jumu’ah prayer and which, if met, the Jumu’ah becomes obligatory.
2. Conditions which if present, the Jumu’ah prayer becomes obligatory.
3. Conditions that are compulsory for the validity of the Jumu’ah prayer.
The first kind of these conditions when they exist the Jumu’ah becomes obligatory and are also compulsory for the validity of the prayer are three in number. One of them is generally accepted while the other two are not.
The first condition is the beginning of the prescribed time of the prayer. All the Muslim scholars agree that if one is certain that the specific time of the prayer has started, he may perform the Jumu’ah prayer otherwise his prayer becomes null.
The time of the Jumu’ah prayer is the same as the time of Thuhr prayer – according to the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars. The Hanbali School of jurisprudence is of the opinion that the time of the Jumu’ah prayer begins with the rising of the sun. They also agree that performing it after noon is desirable.
The Muslim scholars hold various opinions concerning the two other conditions:
1. The place where the Jumu’ah prayer should be performed: The Hanafi scholars are of the opinion that the Jumu’ah prayer should be performed only in the city. They believe that this condition is compulsory for the validity of this prayer and this is also a condition, which makes the prayer obligatory.
By city, they mean the city which is under the control of a Muslim ruler or his deputy. The same ruling applies to those villages and outskirts, which are near to such cities.
Other Muslim scholars do not stipulate this condition in this form.
The Shaafi’i School of jurisprudence stipulate that the Jumu’ah should be performed in residential areas regardless of whether they are in cities or villages. The Maaliki School of jurisprudence is also of similar opinion. They say that the Jumu’ah should be performed in a place, which is appropriate, for settling, such as residential areas which are established for permanent living. But if they are not so, and they are made only for temporary residences then the Jumu’ah should not be performed in such places.
The Hanbali School of jurisprudence does not stipulate any conditions. They believe wherever a prayer can be performed, the Jumu’ah also should be performed.
The preponderant opinion is that performing the Jumu’ah prayer in any place where there is a group of Muslims is permissible. The linguistic meaning of Jumu’ah is gathering; thus, this meaning supports the last opinion. The requirement of a city for the validity of the Jumu’ah is not correct; so performing it in villages or towns is permissible. Imam al-Bukhari entitled a chapter in his Saheeh saying: To offer the Salatul-Jumu’ah in villages and towns.’
And Allah alone gives success.
By Imam Yasar Malik
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel. Validity of Friday prayer, About Us information too.
