Miscellaneous rulings of the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah)
Travelling on Friday, visiting graves, fasting alone on Friday, the two views on the hour of acceptance, and other rulings that don't fit elsewhere.
If Jumu'ah is obligatory on you, it is badly disliked to set off on a journey once Zuhr time has started, if you haven't prayed Jumu'ah yet. A hadith says that travelling before Jumu'ah brings the curse of the angels, and some say the day of Jumu'ah itself curses that person.
1It is disliked to leave home late for Jumu'ah, once the sermon has already begun.
1Fasting on Friday is not a bad thing in itself. It is only disliked if you pick Friday out on purpose, as if fasting on a Friday were specially rewarded. If you also fast the Thursday before or the Saturday after, there is nothing disliked about it at all.
1There is a special hour on Friday when Allah answers whatever a Muslim asks for. Scholars have many different opinions about exactly when it is, as many as 42, but two are the most well known.
The two main opinions on the hour of acceptance
- From when the imam sits on the pulpit until the Jumu'ah prayer ends. So it is good to be present and quietly making du'a in your heart before the sermon starts, since you must stay silent once it begins.
- Sometime between Asr and sunset on Friday. So it is good not to waste this time, and to spend it in dhikr and du'a instead.
Praying sunnah prayers is not allowed during the first sermon, and not allowed during the second one either. Some people think the short pause between the two sermons is a good time to slip in a sunnah prayer: it is not; doing that is not valid at all.
12It is severely disliked (makruh tahrimi) for someone obligated to attend Jumu'ah to travel after Zuhr time has begun without having prayed it. A hadith states that those who travel before Jumu'ah are cursed by the angels, and some narrations add that the day of Jumu'ah itself curses them, depriving them of divine blessing and help.
1Delaying one's departure for Jumu'ah until after the sermon has begun is disliked.
1According to the two disciples, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, praying nafl at the exact time of zawal (midday) on Friday is permitted without dislike, a characteristic specific to Jumu'ah, since praying nafl at that exact time is disliked on every other day. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, it remains disliked even on Friday.
Visiting graves on Friday is recommended, as it is said that souls gather on this day.
1Fasting on Friday is not in itself disliked. It is disliked only when Friday is singled out (ifrad) for fasting, for example when one imagines that there is particular merit in fasting on a Friday. Joining a fast on the Thursday before or the Saturday after removes the dislike altogether.
1There is a special hour on Friday in which a Muslim's supplication is accepted, established by several hadiths, though the scholars differ over its exact timing; as many as forty-two opinions are recorded. Two of these are the most reliable.
The two most reliable opinions on the hour of acceptance
- That it falls from when the imam sits on the pulpit until the Jumu'ah prayer ends. On this view, one should be present before the khutbah begins and supplicate silently, in the heart, since silence is required once it starts.
- That it falls at the end of Friday, between Asr and sunset. This is the preferred view; on it, one should avoid wasting this window and spend it in dhikr and du'a instead.
Praying sunnah prayers during the first khutbah is not permitted, nor during the second. The brief sitting between the two khutbahs is sometimes mistaken for an opportunity to pray a sunnah prayer; doing so is not valid at all.
12It is makruh tahrimi for one obligated in Jumu'ah to set out on a journey after the onset of Zuhr time on Friday without having prayed it. A hadith reports that those who travel before Jumu'ah are cursed by the angels, and some narrations add that the day itself curses them, so that they are deprived of divine blessing and assistance.
1Delaying one's departure toward Jumu'ah until after the khutbah has begun is makruh.
1According to the sahibayn, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, offering nafl prayer at the precise time of zawal on Friday carries no dislike, this being a characteristic peculiar to Jumu'ah; on every other day, nafl at this exact time is makruh. Imam Abu Hanifah holds it disliked on Friday as well.
Ziyarat al-qubur on Friday is mustahabb, souls being reported to gather on this day.
1Fasting on Friday is not makruh in itself. The dislike, where it is held, attaches only to singling the day out (ifrad al-jumuah bi-s-sawm), as when one supposes a particular merit to attach to fasting Friday as such. Joining a fast on the adjoining Thursday or Saturday removes any dislike.
1A specific hour exists within Friday in which a Muslim's du'a is answered, its existence established by numerous hadiths, though its precise timing is a matter of scholarly difference running to some forty-two opinions. Two of these are held to be the most reliable.
The two most reliable opinions on the hour of acceptance
- That it extends from the imam's taking his seat on the minbar until the conclusion of the Jumu'ah prayer, on this view, one should be present before the khutbah begins, supplicating silently in the heart, silence being obligatory once it starts.
- That it falls at the close of Friday, between 'Asr and sunset, the preferred view, on which this window should not be spent carelessly, but in dhikr and du'a.
Offering sunnah prayers during the first khutbah is not permitted, nor during the second; the brief julus between the two is likewise not a valid occasion for one, notwithstanding the practice of some who pray a sunnah prayer in that interval.
12This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 456 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
The Friday Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 10. Miscellaneous Rulings of Jumu'ah
(1) It is severely disliked (Makruh Tahrimi) [It is narrated in a Hadith that those who travel before Jumuah prayer are cursed by angels, and some narrations state that Jumuah day itself curses them, resulting in deprivation of divine blessings and assistance.]for someone upon whom Jumu'ah is obligatory to travel after the time of Zuhr has begun without having prayed Jumu'ah [According to the Shafi'i school of thought, it is not allowed to travel before Zawal (midday) on Jumuah day.].(2) It is disliked to delay going to the mosque for Jumu'ah [Meaning, after the sermon has begun.].(3) When going to Jumu'ah, one should walk with dignity and tranquility, not in haste.(4) If a mistake occurs during Jumu'ah prayer, performing sajdah sahw is not required to avoid confusion.(5) Mosques where Jumu'ah is not held should be closed during Zuhr time on Fridays.(6) On Fridays, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to recite Surah Al-Sajdah and Surah Al-Insan in Fajr prayer. Therefore, these surahs should be recited in Fajr prayer on Fridays [Occasionally, other Surahs can also be recited, so that no confusion arises about their status as Sunnah Mu'akkadah.].(7) According to the two disciples (Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad), praying nafl at the exact time of noon (zawal) on Friday is permissible without dislike [These are characteristics specific to Jumuah, because on other days it is disliked to offer Nafl (voluntary) prayers at this time.]. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, it is disliked.(8) Visiting graves on Friday is recommended (as souls gather on this day).(9) Fasting on Friday alone is disliked. It should be accompanied by fasting on Thursday or Saturday.(10) There is a special hour on Friday when prayers are accepted. This is established by several hadiths, but there is a difference of opinion regarding its exact time. There are 42 opinions, two of which are most reliable:
- The first is that this hour is from when the imam sits on the pulpit until the end of the Jumu'ah prayer. (According to this opinion, one should be present before the khutbah starts and silently supplicate in the heart, as silence during the khutbah is required.)
- The second is that it occurs at the end of Friday, from Asr until sunset [The preferred opinion is the one stated above.]. (According to this view, one should avoid wasting time during these hours.)(11) If a beggar enters the mosque, does not pass in front of those praying, does not step over their shoulders, and does not insist, giving charity to them is permissible. Otherwise, it is disliked.
The Friday Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Important Note)
Praying Sunnah during the first khutbah is prohibited, as it is during the second khutbah. Some people pray Sunnah between the first and second khutbah, which is not valid in any way.
Related
- The method of offering the Friday sermon and prayer The units (rak'ahs) of the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) in order, the intention to use, who may lead, and step by step how the imam moves from the sermon into the prayer.
- The etiquettes of Friday How to prepare for the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) from Thursday onward: the full bath (ghusl), clean clothes and perfume, going early, and what to do between Asr and Maghrib.
- The conditions for the Friday prayer to be valid The six conditions without which the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) does not count at all, how each is defined, why they differ from the conditions of obligation, and praying it in more than one mosque.
- Missing and postponing the Eid prayer What to do about a missed Eid prayer, when it may be delayed to another day, and how it interacts with voluntary (nafl) prayers, a funeral, or the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah).