OBLIGATORY CONDITIONS OF THE FRIDAY PRAYER

1. DEFINITION OF THE FRIDAY PRAYER

Prayer means words and actions beginning with takbir, accompanied by the intention to perform prayer, and ending with salam while Friday prayer in Arabian is “Jumu’a”while “jama’ah” means congregation. It replaces the Thuhr prayer for Muslims every Friday. It consists of  two khutba and two rak’as only unlike Thuhr prayer.

2. RULING OF THE FRIDAY PRAYER

Friday prayer attendance is a personal obligation. Allah said in Al-quran :

  يأيها الذين آمنوا إذا نودي إلى للصلواة من يوم الجمعة فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله و ذروا البيع ذلكو خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون

“O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.”[1]

It means Friday Prayer is for Muslim only and better to do it even leaving trade because have benefit such as can strength the ummah effectively. Remember of Allah refers to the prayer and the khutba.

Moreover, in hadith from Abu al-Ja’d ad-Dhamiri r.a., Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“ Whoever does not perform Friday prayer intentionally and neglects it as many as three times, Allah will seal his heart”. (Narration by Abu Dawud)[2]

Hasfa, the Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) wife said:

“Attending the Friday prayer is obligatory on every male above the age of puberty. “[3]

In hadith, Its shows Allah dislikes and punishes at Muslim who did not perform Friday prayer intentionally. This person must repent and must sincerely to get blessing from Allah because Friday prayer attendance is a personal obligation.

3. OBLIGATORY CONDITIONS OF THE FRIDAY PRAYER

All conditions of Friday prayer must to follow it because Friday prayer is a personal obligation.

Firstly, to be a Muslim, above the age puberty and not insane[4] likes drunken or bad illness. However, it is recommended for a boy who has not reached the age of puberty.

Second, to be male. Women are not obligated to attend Friday prayer because women are busy with children’s and responsibilities at home. But if they do, it replaces Thuhr prayer as it does for men.

Third, to be a good healthy man and independent man. A person who did fall sick is not obliged to attend Friday prayer. Community can establish the Friday prayer without him even less then forty men. In hadith, Tariq ibn Shihab narrated that the Prophet said: “Attending Friday prayer in a congregation is obligatory upon every Muslim except four : A slave,[5] a woman, a child, or one who is sick.” (Narration by Abu Dawud)[6].

 However, the ill person must pray the Friday prayer if he is present at the place where Friday prayer takes place and when its time begins; the waiting for doing it does not increase his illness. Besides, he is present when the Friday prayer begins. A man should not leave Friday prayer except for a very serious reason.

Forth, not only a permanents resident is obligated to attend Friday prayer but also forty men who permanents resident must include in congregation Friday prayer. However, traveler is except to attend Friday prayer if he intend travel below three full days and he travel before dawn on Friday unless he can pray somewhere on his route, or staying behind the group he is travelling with will cause harm him.

Fifth, Friday prayer is obligatory for all who can hear the athan, from the direction where Friday prayer takes place, called by a man with a loud voice or speaker voice.

 Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet said: “Attending Friday prayer is obligatory for anyone who hears the call to prayer.” (Narration by Abu Dawud)  [7]     

4. PILLAR OF FRIDAY PRAYER

That entire prayer and khutba take the time of thuhr prayer. Anas narrated : "Also, Salaman ibn ak-Akwa' narrated: "we used to gather ( to perform Friday prayer ) with the messenger of Allah after the sun's zenith , then return seeking the paths of shade." It is not valid that the khutba takes place before the time of thuhr  begins , that is because the friday prayer is reduced to two rak'ah by the khutba, therefore if the prayer is not valid before its time then the khutba is not either.

If there is hardly enough time for the prayer, but the imam believe he can still establish it by giving two brief  khutbah and praying two rak'as then the Friday prayer is obligatory upon them, but if he believe he cannot , then they should pray thuhr . The condition for Friday prayer, have two

1. Two khutbah
2. Two rak'a

[1] AL-JUMMU’a 62:9

[2] Al-Tirmithi, Vol 2, The Books of Prayer, Chapter 359/500

[3] Al-Nasa’I, Vol 3, Page 89

[4] Losing one’s sanity because of a non-forbidden reason (such as an illness) excuses one from attending Friday prayer. If one loses sanity by a forbidden act such as getting drunk and the like, then one in not excused from attending Friday prayer.

[5] There are no slaves now. The institution of slavery no longer exists. The United Nations Organization has declared: “No one should be held in slavery….”

[6] Abu Dawood, Vol 1, The Book of Prayer, Chapter 215/1067.

[7] Abu Dawood, Vol 1, The Book of Prayer, Chapter 212/1056.