Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. What is the ruling of a person who arrives late to masjid to perform Jum’ah prayer and almost missing the sermon? Hope for an explanation and advice.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
We start with the verse of al-Quran:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
“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.”
Surah al-Jumu’ah (9)
According to Syeikh al-Sa’di, this verse tells us that Allah SWT command His believing servants to hasten in going to masjid for Jum’ah prayer as the priority and crucial matter. (Refer: Tafsir al-Sa’di, 1/863)
The meaning of ‘فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ’ (proceed to (masjid) the remembrance of Allah), the scholars interpret it to proceed (hasten) to listen to the Friday sermon as well the Juma’ah prayer afterwards. (Refer Tafsir Ayat al-Ahkam by Syeikh Ali al-Sobuni, 2/362)
Imam Syaukani then stated: Allah SWT commanded in His holy books to proceed to the remembrance of Allah. Even if the sermon is not included in the meaning of remembrance of Allah, but the sermon is still obligatory. (Refer al-Sail al-Jarrar al-Mutadafiq 'ala Hadaiq al-Azhar pg 182)
Islam forbids any other activities when the muezzin calls out the second adhan due to the statement of Allah in the above stated verse. Syeikh Jalaluddin al-Mahalli stated: “It is prohibited (haram) for those obligated for Jum’ah from busying themselves with trade and others after the muezzin has called out the second adhan in front of the khatib. Allah say: ‘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 (by performing Jum’ah prayer) and leave trade (at that particular time).’
The imperative clause in the stated verse indicates the obligation, in this context is through leaving trades. Thus, it is haram (prohibited) to do so. It is analogically deduced (qiyas) towards all forms of activities as explained before, because they are the same as trade in term of neglecting Friday.” (Refer Kanz al-Raghibin Syarh Minhaj al-Thalibin, 1/ 334)
Syeikh ‘Umairah then states: This is an indication to us that a person who resides really close to the masjid jami’, if he comes in the middle of the sermon, (it is still) haram (prohibited) for him to stay in his house because he is busy with his family and others. In fact, it is wajib (obligatory) for him to quickly make his way to the masjid, practicing the saying of Allah SWT, ‘إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ’ (when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday],) (Refer Hasyiyah Umairah ‘ala al-Mahalli, 1/ 334)
Conclusion
The act of being late to the Friday congregation prayer resulting in him almost missing the sermon is prohibited because it contradicts the commandment of Allah SWT in the Quran. However, his Jum’ah prayer is valid, but his action of deliberately leaving the attendance of the sermon is considered sinful.
Let’s together ponder upon this and try to attend to the masjid especially during Fridays on the earliest possible time because its virtues are vast. Narrated from Abu Hurairah RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ غُسْلَ الْجَنَابَةِ ثُمَّ رَاحَ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَدَنَةً وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَقَرَةً وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ كَبْشًا أَقْرَنَ وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ دَجَاجَةً وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الْخَامِسَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَيْضَةً فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإِمَامُ حَضَرَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ
He who takes a bath on Friday, the bath which is obligatory after the sexual discharge and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a she-camel as a sacrifice, and he who comes at the second hour would be like one who offers a cow, and he who comes at the third hour is live one who offers a ram with horns, and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen, and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg. And when the Imam comes out, the angels are also present and listen to the mention of God (the sermon).
Sahih al-Bukhari (881) and Muslim (850)
May Allah SWT bless us with correct knowledge and understanding in practising His commandments.