Jumuah: A Guide to the Friday Prayer

Jumuah means "gathering". Muslims come together at the mosque on Friday to listen to a sermon and to pray as one community.

Allah speaks about this prayer in Quran 62:9-10. The verses call believers to hurry to the remembrance of Allah when the call to prayer is made on Friday, and to leave trade for that time. After the prayer, they may spread out in the land and seek the bounty of Allah, while remembering Him often.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that the best day on which the sun rises is Friday (Sahih Muslim 854). It is a day of worship, reflection and community.

Jumuah is required for Muslim men who are adult, sane, free, resident (not travelling) and able to attend. A report from the Prophet ﷺ says that Jumuah is a duty on every Muslim in a congregation, except a slave, a woman, a child and a sick person (Sunan Abi Dawud 1067). Scholars of the four schools agree on this in general. They differ on some conditions for holding the Jumuah, such as the number of people who must be present, which is about three in the Hanafi school and up to forty in the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools.

Women are not required to attend, but they are welcome. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not prevent the maidservants of Allah from the mosques of Allah" (Sahih al-Bukhari 900). A woman who prays Jumuah with the congregation has done a good act, and it is enough for her in place of Dhuhr. If she prays at home, she prays Dhuhr instead.

A traveller is excused from Jumuah by most scholars and prays Dhuhr. A person who is ill, or who has a real hardship that stops them from going, is also excused. If your case is not clear, ask a qualified local scholar.

The khutbah comes before the prayer. The imam stands to give two short talks with a short sitting between them (Sahih al-Bukhari 920; Sahih Muslim 862). He praises Allah, sends blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, reminds people to have taqwa (God-consciousness), recites some Quran and gives advice that is useful for daily life.

Listen quietly and do not talk. The Prophet ﷺ said that if you say to your companion "Be quiet" while the imam is giving the khutbah, you have spoken idle words (Sahih al-Bukhari 934; Sahih Muslim 851). Keep your phone silent and put it away.

After the khutbah, the congregation prays two rak'ahs behind the imam. The imam recites aloud, and the Prophet ﷺ used to recite Surah al-Jumuah and Surah al-Munafiqun in this prayer (Sahih Muslim 877).

These practices are taught in authentic reports and are recommended:

• Take a full bath (ghusl) before going to the prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari 877; Sahih Muslim 846). The reports stress this strongly. Most scholars consider it a confirmed sunnah, and some consider it obligatory.
• Wear clean, neat clothes and use perfume (for men) (Sahih al-Bukhari 883).
• Go early to the mosque. Those who come first earn more reward (Sahih al-Bukhari 881).
• Pray voluntary prayers while you wait, and recite Quran or make dhikr (remembrance of Allah) (Sahih al-Bukhari 883).
• Walk calmly (Sahih al-Bukhari 908). Do not push between people who are already seated (Sahih al-Bukhari 883).
• Send many blessings on the Prophet ﷺ on this day (Sunan Abi Dawud 1047).

Some scholars also recommend reading Surah al-Kahf on Friday. This is based on a report outside the two Sahih collections, and scholars differ in how they grade it.

If you miss the whole Jumuah prayer, you pray Dhuhr with four rak'ahs at its time. Scholars differ on the details when someone joins the imam late. Most scholars say that if you catch at least one full rak'ah with the imam, you complete the Jumuah prayer with a second rak'ah, because the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever catches one rak'ah of a prayer has caught the prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari 580). The Hanafi school says that catching the final sitting is enough to complete Jumuah. If you catch less, you complete it as Dhuhr.

Missing Jumuah without a valid excuse is a serious matter. The Prophet ﷺ warned that people must stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts (Sahih Muslim 865). Ask Allah for forgiveness, and make a firm plan to attend next Friday.