Why Friday is special

Every week, Allah gives us a special day. Nabi ﷺ said: the best day the sun rises on is Friday. On it Adam was created, on it he entered Paradise, and on it he was sent out of it¹. He also said that the Trumpet will be blown on a Friday².

In Arabic, Friday is Jumuah, which means "gathering". It is the day Muslims gather for one big prayer. Allah says: believers, when the call is made for prayer on Friday, hurry to remember Allah, and leave your trading³. Then when the prayer is over, spread out in the land and look for Allah's blessings⁴.

So Jumuah is not a day off. It is a day where you stop work for a short while to pray together, and then go back to your day.

Gifts of Friday

• Your sins are forgiven. Whoever has a bath, comes to Jumuah, prays what they can, stays quiet while the imam speaks, and prays with him, is forgiven for the sins between that Friday and the next, plus three more days⁵.
• An hour when duas are answered. Nabi ﷺ said: on Friday there is an hour when a Muslim who is praying and asks Allah for something will be given it. He showed with his hand that it is short⁶.
• Your salawat reach Nabi ﷺ. He said: send lots of salawat (blessings) on me on Friday, because your salawat are shown to me⁷.

When is that special hour?

Scholars mention two main times, both from sound hadith:

• From when the imam sits on the minbar (pulpit) until the prayer ends⁸.
• The last hour of the day, after Asr⁹. Many scholars say this is the strongest view.

So make dua during Jumuah, and keep some time for dua before Maghrib on Friday.

Who must attend

Nabi ﷺ said: Jumuah in congregation is a duty on every Muslim, except four: a slave, a woman, a child, and someone who is sick¹⁰.

Scholars put the rules together like this. Jumuah is required for someone who is:

• a Muslim,
• male,
• adult (has reached puberty) with a sound mind,
• resident, not traveling,
• and healthy, without a real excuse.

Who does not have to attend

• Women. Jumuah is not required for them. They pray Dhuhr at home.
• Children. But bring them, so they grow up loving it.
• Travelers. A traveler does not have to pray Jumuah. He prays Dhuhr, shortened to two. See Travel prayer.
• The sick, and people with a real excuse: caring for a very sick person, real danger on the way, or heavy rain or snow that makes it truly hard.

Women are welcome

Women are not required to attend, but they may, and in Nabi's ﷺ time they did. One woman, Umm Hisham, said she learned Surah Qaf straight from Nabi ﷺ, because he recited it in the Friday khutbah every week¹¹. Nabi ﷺ also said: do not stop the women servants of Allah from coming to the masjids of Allah¹².

If a woman, a child or a traveler prays Jumuah with the congregation, it counts. They do not pray Dhuhr after it.

A serious warning

Nabi ﷺ said from the minbar: people must stop leaving Jumuah, or Allah will seal their hearts, and they will become heedless¹³.

And he said: whoever leaves three Jumuahs in a row, out of carelessness, Allah puts a seal on his heart¹⁴.

A "seal on the heart" means the heart becomes hard, and goodness finds it difficult to enter. This is a warning for someone who misses it without a reason. Someone who was sick, traveling or truly unable is not included.

How many people are needed

Jumuah must be prayed in a congregation. You cannot pray Jumuah alone. But how many people make a congregation? The schools differ:

Malikis point to a day when a trade caravan came during Jumuah, many people left, and twelve men stayed with Nabi ﷺ¹⁵. Hanafis also say Jumuah should be held in a town or city, not out in the open country.

In practice, most masjids have far more than forty people, so this rarely matters. It can matter for a small group at work, at university, or in a small town. Follow your local imam or a scholar you trust.

Getting ready: the Friday sunnahs

Nabi ﷺ taught us to treat Friday like a weekly Eid, and to get ready for it.

• Ghusl (a full bath). Nabi ﷺ said: whoever comes to Jumuah should have a bath¹⁹. He said it is wajib on every adult²⁰. Most scholars say this means a very strong sunnah, not a strict duty, because he also said that whoever makes good wudu and comes to Jumuah is forgiven²¹. So wudu alone is valid, but do not leave the ghusl if you can help it.
• Siwak (cleaning your teeth) and perfume, if you have it²². For men, perfume is good. Women going out should not wear perfume that others can smell.
• Your best clean clothes. Nabi ﷺ mentioned a bath, your best clothes and some perfume, then coming to the prayer without stepping over people²³.
• Come early. This has a huge reward (see below).
• Walk calmly, and sit close to the imam if you can.
• Do not push between two people who are sitting together²⁴.
• Lots of salawat on Nabi ﷺ through the day²⁵.
• Surah al-Kahf. Many scholars recommend reading Surah al-Kahf (chapter 18) on Friday, from Thursday's sunset to Friday's sunset. It is a good habit.
• Dua, especially in the special hour.

The reward for coming early

Nabi ﷺ said: whoever has a bath on Friday and goes in the first hour, it is as if he gave a camel in charity. In the second hour, a cow. In the third hour, a ram. In the fourth hour, a chicken. In the fifth hour, an egg. When the imam comes out, the angels come in to listen to the khutbah²⁶.

So arriving just as the khutbah starts is like giving nothing extra. Even 20 minutes earlier makes a big difference. Use the time for extra prayer, Quran and dua.

The khutbah

The khutbah is the talk the imam gives before the prayer. It is part of Jumuah. Without it, there is no Jumuah. It has two parts. The imam stands, speaks, sits down briefly, then stands and speaks again²⁷.

In Nabi's ﷺ time, the adhan was called once, when the imam sat on the minbar. Later, when Madinah grew, Uthman added an earlier call²⁸. That is why many masjids have two adhans on Friday.

Nabi ﷺ also said that a short khutbah and a long prayer are a sign that the imam understands the religion²⁹.

Listen in silence

This is very important. Nabi ﷺ said: if you tell the person next to you "be quiet" while the imam is giving the khutbah, you have spoken wrongly³⁰. If even saying "be quiet" is wrong, then chatting is worse.

• Do not talk, even a little.
• Do not play with things. Nabi ﷺ said whoever plays with the pebbles has spoiled it³¹. Today, that means your phone. Put it on silent and put it away.
• If you need to tell someone to be quiet, use a gentle sign with your hand.
• When the imam mentions Nabi ﷺ, say the salawat quietly in your heart, or very softly.

If you arrive while the khutbah has started

A man named Sulayk came in while Nabi ﷺ was giving the khutbah, and he sat down. Nabi ﷺ said: Sulayk, stand and pray two rakat, and keep them short. Then he said: whenever one of you comes on Friday while the imam is giving the khutbah, let him pray two short rakat³².

• Shafi'is and Hanbalis: follow this hadith. Pray two short rakat, then sit and listen.
• Hanafis and Malikis: once the imam has started, just sit down and listen.

Both are followed by large numbers of Muslims. Do what your school or local masjid does, and do not argue about it.

Do not step over people

A man once came in and stepped over people's shoulders to get to the front while Nabi ﷺ was speaking. Nabi ﷺ told him: sit down, you have hurt people³³. If you come late, sit where there is space. Only walk forward if there is a clear gap.

The prayer itself

• Jumuah is two rakat, prayed in congregation, straight after the khutbah.
• The imam recites out loud in both rakat.
• It is prayed in the time of Dhuhr, after midday³⁴.
• It takes the place of Dhuhr. Whoever prays Jumuah does not pray Dhuhr as well.

Nabi ﷺ often recited Surah al-Jumuah and Surah al-Munafiqun³⁵, or Surah al-A'la and Surah al-Ghashiyah³⁶.

If you arrive late for the prayer

• Caught the ruku (bowing) of the second rakat? You have caught Jumuah. When the imam says salam, stand and add one rakat³⁷.
• Arrived after that? Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis say you have missed Jumuah. Join the imam, and when he finishes, pray Dhuhr, four rakat. Hanafis say if you catch any part of it, even the last sitting, finish it as two rakat of Jumuah.

Sunnah prayers before and after

Before

When you arrive early, pray as much as you like until the imam comes out. Nabi ﷺ praised the one who comes and prays what Allah has written for him³⁸.

• Hanafis: there is a set sunnah of four rakat before Jumuah, like before Dhuhr.
• Shafi'is: there is a sunnah before it, like the sunnah before Dhuhr.
• Malikis and Hanbalis: there is no set number before it, but you may pray any extra prayers you like.

After

Nabi ﷺ said: when one of you prays Jumuah, let him pray four rakat after it³⁹. He himself would go home and pray two rakat there⁴⁰.

So after Jumuah you may pray four, or two. Many scholars say: four if you pray in the masjid, two if you pray at home. Hanafis say four. Both are good.

If you miss Jumuah

• If you miss Jumuah, for any reason, pray Dhuhr, four rakat. All scholars agree. You do not make up Jumuah as two rakat.
• If you missed it with an excuse, like sickness, there is no sin.
• If you missed it without an excuse, you still pray Dhuhr. Then make tawbah, and make a plan for next week.
• Women, travelers and others who do not attend pray Dhuhr at its normal time.

Jumuah at work, school and university

For many Muslims, Jumuah falls in the middle of a working day. Allah says: leave your trading when the call is made⁴¹. Here are some practical steps:

• Ask early. Talk to your manager or teacher. Many employers allow a long lunch on Friday, or let you make up the time later. In many countries, the law protects time off for religious practice.
• Find the closest Jumuah. Many cities have several Jumuahs at different times. Some workplaces and universities hold their own, if there are enough people.
• Offer something back: start earlier, finish later, or work through another break.

If there is truly no way, and missing work would cause you real harm, like losing a job you need to support your family, many scholars say this can count as an excuse for now. You pray Dhuhr instead. But keep trying to change the situation, and do not let it become easy for you. Each case is different, so ask a scholar you trust.

Exams: ask the school early if the exam can be moved. Most will help. If it cannot be moved, ask a scholar about your case.

When Eid falls on a Friday

Sometimes Eid falls on a Friday. Nabi ﷺ was asked about this. He prayed the Eid prayer, and then said: whoever wants to pray Jumuah, let him pray it⁴². He also said: two Eids have come together today. Whoever wishes, the Eid prayer is enough for him instead of Jumuah. But we will pray Jumuah⁴³.

• Hanbalis: whoever prayed Eid does not have to attend Jumuah, but must pray Dhuhr. The masjid should still hold Jumuah for those who want it.
• Hanafis and Malikis: Jumuah is still required.
• Shafi'is: Jumuah is still required for people of the town. People who came in from far villages may go home.

The best is to attend both, as Nabi ﷺ did. Follow your local masjid.

Common questions

I am a woman. If I go to Jumuah, do I also pray Dhuhr?

No. Jumuah counts in place of Dhuhr for you.

I am traveling on Friday. Should I look for a Jumuah?

You do not have to. But if you pass a masjid and can join, it is a great reward, and it counts in place of Dhuhr.

My son is 9. Should I bring him?

Yes, if he can sit quietly. Sit him next to you, and teach him to listen without talking or playing. Children who come with their parents grow up loving Jumuah.

Can I check my phone during the khutbah if I am bored?

No. Playing with things during the khutbah spoils its reward⁴⁴. Silence it and put it away before you sit down.

I can only make it in time for the prayer, not the khutbah.

Your Jumuah counts if you catch the ruku of the second rakat. But you lose the reward of the khutbah and of coming early. Try to change your plans to come earlier.

I am a new Muslim and I do not understand Arabic. Is the khutbah still for me?

Yes. Many masjids give the main talk in the local language. Even if you understand little, your quiet listening is rewarded. Look for a masjid near you that speaks your language.

I slept through Jumuah after a night shift.

Pray Dhuhr as soon as you wake. Next week, set an alarm, or ask your employer to change your shift on Thursday nights if you can.

Can we hold Jumuah in our office with five people?

Hanafis say yes, three men plus an imam is enough. Other schools need more people. Ask a scholar you trust before you start.