Chapter 12 - The Friday (Jum'ah) Prayer

470. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurairah : narrated that they heard the Messenger of Allah "Those who are not attending the Jum'ah (Friday) prayer should stop doing so, otherwise, Allah the Exalted, will seal their hearts and they will be reckoned among the heedless." Related by Muslim.


471. Salamah bin Al-Akwa' : narrated, 'We used to offer the Jum'ah prayer with the Prophet and by the time we returned from the prayer, the walls would have no shade (enough to shelter us from the heat).{1} Agreed upon. The wording is from Al-Bukhari. In the version of Muslim, 'We would pray the Friday prayer with the Prophet when the sun had passed the meridian, and when we returned (from the prayer) we would be following the shade (i.e. searching for any shade- that we could walk in - to protect ourselves from the heat of the sun).'

{1} What he means is that the shade of the walls is not enough to sit in for protection from the heat of the sun, not that the walls had no shade at all. This means that the Prophet used to finish the Jum'ah prayer at an early time, not long after the sun had passed the meridian.


472. Sahl bin Sa'd : narrated, 'We never had an afternoon nap or lunch till after offering the Jum'ah prayer.' Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim. In another narration, 'In the lifetime of the Prophet '


473. Jabir : narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah was standing (on his pulpit) delivering the Khutbah (sermon) on Friday, when a caravan arrived from Syria. The people slipped out (from the mosque) towards the caravan, until only twelve men were left (with the Prophet to pray Jum'ah).{2} Related by the Muslim.

{2} It was on this occasion that this verse with regard to Jum'ah was revealed. "And when they see merchandise or some amusement they disperse headlong to it, and leave you standing."


474. Ibn 'Umar : narrated, "The Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever catches only one rak'ah of the Jum'ah prayer, or any other prayer, he should then add to it another one{3}, and his prayer will be complete." Related by An-Naasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ad-Daraqutni and the wording is his, with a sound chain of narrators.

{3} Or more rak'at -if not in the Jum'ah - to complete the number of rak'at, which is left, whether one or more.


475. Jabir bin Salurah : narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah would deliver the Khutbah (sermon) on Friday while standing, and then would sit, and then would stand and speak again. So, whoever says that he gave the Khutbah (sermon) while sitting, he would be lying.' Related by Muslim.

476. Jabir bin 'Abdullah : narrated, 'When Allah's Messenger delivered the Khutbah (sermon), his eyes would become red, his voice would (gradually) rise, and he would become filled with fervor, like one who is giving to an army (against an expected enemy) saying{4}"The enemy has made a morning attack on you (or an evening attack). The messenger of Allah then says, "The best of speech (ever said) are those of the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is that given by Muhammad and the most evil of matters are those which are innovated{5} and each Bid'ah (an innovation in religion, whether in worship or fundamental) is considered as a form of misguidance." Related by Muslim. In another narration by Muslim, Jabir : said, 'The Friday Khutbah (sermon) of the Messenger of Allah would be that he praises Allah, the Exalted and then would say while his voice is rising.' In another narration, (he would say), "Whomever Allah guides no one can lead him astray, and whomever Allah leaves astray, will have no one to guide him."
In a narration by An-Nasa'i, "and every misguidance (i.e. Bid'ah) is in Hell."

{4} Who is meant here is the one giving the warning to the army, not that the Prophet is saying this.
{5} Innovated in religion and not innovated in worldly matters if they do not contradict the fundamentals of Islam.




477. 'Ammar bin Yasir : narrated, I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Prolonging the prayer and shortening one's Khutbah is a sign of one's comprehension of his religion." Related by Muslim.


478. Umm Hisham bunt Harithah bin an-Nu'man :radiyallahunah: narrated, 'I learnt surah "Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an (no.50:1), from the Prophet for he recited it upon the pulpit every Friday, when he addressed the people in the Friday Khutbah.' Related by Muslim.

479. Ibn 'Abbas : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever speaks in the Jum'ah while the Imam is delivering the Khutbah is like a donkey who is carrying books, and for he who tells him to be quiet, there will be no (reward) for his Jum'ah prayer." Related by Ahmad with an acceptable chain of narrators. This Hadith explains the following Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah.


480. Abu Hurairah : narrated, "If during he Jum'ah prayer while the Imam is delivering the Khutbah, you tell your companion to be quiet, then you have spoken needlessly (spoken evil talk or vain talk). Agreed upon.


481. Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah : narrated, 'A man entered the mosque while the Prophet was delivering a Khutbah on Friday. The Prophet said to him, "Have you prayed?" The man replied in the negative. The Prophet said, "Get up and pray two rak'at." Agreed upon.


482. Ibn 'Abbas :radiyallahunah: narrated, "The Mssenger of Allah used to recite in the Jum'ah prayer, Surah al-Jumah (no. 62) and Surah al-Munafiqun (no. 63).' Related by Muslim.


483. Nu'man bin Al-Bashir :radiyallahunah: narrated, "The Messenger of Allah used to recite in the two ids and the Jum'ah prayer, surah al-'A'la (no. 87), "Glorify the name of Your Lord", and surah al-Ghashiyah (no.88), "Has there come to you the narration of the overwhelming (the Day of Ressurection).' Related by Muslim.

484. Zaid bin Arqam : narrated,"The Prophet prayed the id prayer and then gave an exemption concerning the Jum'ah prayer, and said, "Whoever wishes to pray it may pray it (i.e. the Jum'ah)." Related by the five Imams except for at-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Khuzaimah graded it Sahih.


485. Abu Hurairah : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever prays the Jum'ah, should pray four rak'at after it." Related by Muslim.


486. As-Sa'ib bin Yazid : narrated that Mu'awiyah : said to him, 'Whenever you have prayed the Jum'ah, you should not follow it (immediately) with another prayer, unless you have talked or gone out (of the mosque), as the Messenger of Alllah has ordered us to do so, and that we do not follow it with another prayer unless we talk or go out.' Related by Muslim.


487. Abu Hurairah :radiyallahunah: narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever performs Ghusl (full ritual washing),then comes to the Jum'ah prayer, and prays as many (rak'at) as much as (Allah has) written for him, and then remains silent and listens until the Imam finishes his Khutbah, and then prays with him, his sins- between this present Friday and the next one- would be forgiven, and even (sins of) three days more." Related by Muslim.

488. Abu Hurairah : narrrated that the Messenger of Allah said mentioning the (virtues of) Friday, "On Friday, there is an 'hour' in which no Muslim, who matches (this hour) praying and assking Allah for something, except that Allah will grant him whatever he asked for." The Meseenger of Allah pointed with his hand indicating how short that hour is.' Agreed upon. In the version of Muslim, "It is a short period of time."


489. Abu Burdah {6} narrated on the authority of his father, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "It is (i.e. this hour), between the time when the Imam sits (i.e. upon the pulpit) and the time the prayer is completed." Related by Muslim, but Imam Ad-Daraqutuni says that it is the saying of Abu Burdah and not the narration of the Prophet {7}


490, 491. Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Salam, while Imams Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i narrated on the authority of Jabir bin 'Abdullah:"It is between the time of al-'Asr prayer and sunset." Scholars differed as to the exact time of this hour, up to almost forty different sayings. I mentioned all of them in 'Fath-ul-Bari' (the interpretation of 'Sahih al-Bukhari)".{8}



{6} He is 'Amir bin 'Abdullah bin Qais and his fathe is Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (the famous companion of the Prophet )
{7} Scholars have different opinions as to the time of this hour, but most say that it is probably after 'Asr, i.e. towards the end of the day and not during the Friday prayer.
{8} This final comment is by Imam ibn Hajar, the author of 'Bulugh al-Maram.'

492. Jabir bin 'Abdullah : narrated, 'It is from the Sunnah of the Prophet that the Jum'ah prayer can only be held, when forty people or more congregate for it.'{9} Related by Ad-Darqutuni with a weak chain of narrators.{10}

{9} Imam as-San'ani in 'Subul as-Salam', says that the Jum'ah could be held with at least three people, as they form a congregation (and this is the opinion of the Hanafi), and some scholars are of the opinion that two could also hold a Jama'ah. There is no evidence from the Hadith of the Prophet stating an exact number as a condition for the Jum'ah to be held, and that is why most scholars say that any number which is suitable for a Jama'ah prayer is valid for the Jum'ah.
{10} The chain of narrators has 'Abdul 'Aziz bin 'AbdurRahman who is considered a liar, and a fabricator of hadith.




493. Samurah bin Jundub : narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah used to seek Allah's forgiveness for the believers (males and females) every Friday (in the Khutbah of Jum'ah).' Related by Al-Bazzar with a weak chain of narrators.




494. Jabir bin Samurah : narrated that the Messenger of Allah would recite some verses from the Qur'an during the Friday Khutbah, and would remind people (about Allah).' Related by Abu Dawud.





495. Tariq bin Shibab : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "Al-Jum'ah is a compulsory duty upon every Muslim in a community (of Muslims), save four: a slave, a woman, a child, or a person who is ill." Related by Abu Dawud who commented that Tariq did not hear the hadith from the Prophet Al-Hakim related the hadith on the authority of Tariq who transmitted it on the authority of Abu Musa.

496. Ibn ‘Umar : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Al-Jum’ah prayer is not obligatory for the traveller.” Related by At-Tabarani with a weak chain of narrators.




497. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud : narrated, ‘When the Messenger of Allah mounted the pulpit, he would turn his face to us.’ Related by At-Tirmidhi with a weak chain of narrators.




498. The above hadith is supported by another narration on the authority of Al-Bara bin ‘Azib, related by Ibn Khuzaimah.




499. Al-Hakam bin Hazn : narrated, ‘We attended the Jum’ah with the prophet and he stood leaning on a stick or on a bow.’{11} Related by Abu Dawud.

{11} Imam Ibnul Qaiyim says that the Prophet used to lean on a stick or a bow before the pulpit was made for him, and none of the Companions mentioned that he leaned on anything after the pulpit was made.