Friday Prayer [Shafi’i]

Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Is the Friday Prayer (Jumua) a communal obligation or a personal obligation?

Answer: Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

Jumua is obligatory for every male Muslim who has reached puberty and is not excused from the Friday Prayer, such as someone who is sick. (Minhaj al-Talibin, Nawawi)

This means that it is personal obligation, and not merely a communal obligation. If it was merely a communal obligation, it would not be obligatory for every male to go as long as some went.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘To pray the Friday Prayer in a group is an obligation and is incumbent upon every Muslim except for four: a bondsman who is owned, a woman, a child, and a sick person.’ (Abu Dawud)

ّI pray this helps.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Farid Dingle

Shaykh Farid Dingle grew up in a convert family in Herefordshire, UK. In 2007, he moved to Jordan to pursue traditional studies. Shaykh Farid continues to live in Amman, Jordan with his wife and kids. In addition to continuing his studies he teaches Arabic and several of the Islamic sciences.

Shaykh Farid began his journey in sacred knowledge with intensives in the UK and Jordan (2004) in Shafi’i fiqh and Arabic. After years of studying Arabic grammar, Shafi’i fiqh, hadith, legal methodology (usul al-fiqh) and tafsir, Sh. Farid began specializing in Arabic language and literature. Sh. Farid studied Pre-Islamic poetry, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and Andalusian literature. He holds a BA in Arabic Language and Literature and continues exploring the language of the Islamic tradition.

In addition to his interest in the Arabic language Shaykh Farid actively researches matters related to jurisprudence (fiqh) which he studied with Shaykh Hamza Karamali, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, and continues with Shaykh Amjad Rasheed.