❖ Ruling on Offering Two Rakʿahs Upon Arrival During the Friday Khutbah – In Light of Authentic Hadiths
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Page 447
❀ Question
Is there evidence from authentic Hadith that when someone enters the mosque during the Friday Khutbah, he should offer two rakʿahs before sitting down? The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ are said to have done this. Kindly provide proof.
(Questioner: Master Faḍl Deobandī, via Thanāʾullāh Makkī – Gujrānwāla)
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
Yes, the Sharʿi ruling is established from Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth that when a person enters the mosque while the Friday Khutbah is ongoing, he must perform two rakʿahs (Tahyat al-Masjid) before sitting.
✔ Authentic Hadith Evidence
Narrated by Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh رضي الله عنه:
On a Friday, the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the sermon when a man entered the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ said to him:
“هَلْ صَلَّيْتَ؟“
He replied: “No.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ، فَلْيُرَكِّعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ“
“When one of you comes on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two rakʿahs.”
Sources:
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (57/875 – worded version)
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Ḥadīth 1166)
✔ Practice of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah)
Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه:
He once entered the mosque on a Friday while Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam was delivering the Khutbah.
Despite the guards’ attempts to stop him, he performed the two rakʿahs.
Sources:
◈ Sunan al-Tirmidhī (Ḥadīth 511 – graded: Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ)
◈ Musnad al-Ḥumaydī (Ḥadīth 741)
❖ General Ruling
This proves that:
◈ The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ would always offer two rakʿahs upon entering the mosque during the Khutbah.
🛑 There is not a single authentic narration that shows a Companion entering during the Khutbah and sitting down without praying two rakʿahs.
✅ Conclusion
◈ Anyone arriving at the mosque during the Friday Khutbah must perform two short rakʿahs before sitting, even if the Khutbah is ongoing.
◈ This is based on the clear instruction of the Prophet ﷺ and uninterrupted practice of the Ṣaḥābah.
وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
