Bukhari

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From the aforementioned narrations, it is established that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform the Friday prayer early, and he did not deliver a lengthy sermon. This is because after the Friday prayer, the shadow of the walls would not have spread much, such that a person could walk comfortably in its shade. From this, it is understood that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would begin the Friday prayer before the sun had passed its zenith (zawal). And this is the position of Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) and Imam Ishaq (rahimahullah), and by considering various narrations, it is known that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) on some occasions began the Friday prayer before zawal. However, his (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) general blessed habit was that he would begin the Friday prayer after zawal, but he would not take much time. But according to Maulana Safiur Rahman (rahimahullah), in Madinah Munawwarah, at the time of zawal, the shadow is very short, that is, even less than half a span. Therefore, if the Friday prayer is started immediately after zawal, then after the Friday prayer, the shadow of the walls is not sufficient for a person to walk in it.

1085. Commentary: The meaning of these hadiths is that the Jumu‘ah (Friday) prayer of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to take place immediately after the sun had passed its zenith (zawal). Since the sermon (khutbah) was brief and the prayer itself was somewhat lengthy, the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum, upon returning, would not find enough shade from the walls to benefit from it, as is mentioned in the wording of the hadith in Sahih Muslim [860]. «وما تجد فيئا فستظل به» That is, there would be some shade, but it would be very little. «غداء» refers to the midday meal, and «قيلوله» refers to resting at midday. Some people have deduced from this that Jumu‘ah was held before the sun’s zenith (before zawal). However, this deduction is baseless. If the midday meal is eaten late, it is still called «غداء», and if the midday rest is delayed, it is still called «قيلوله». Therefore, eating and resting after Jumu‘ah does not necessarily mean that Jumu‘ah was held before the sun’s zenith.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The Friday prayer (Jumu‘ah) is also performed immediately after the sun passes its zenith (zawal), just like the Zuhr prayer.

➋ Due to the brevity of the Friday sermon (khutbah), the prayer would conclude quickly. As a result, the shade of the walls would not be sufficient. Some scholars have inferred from this that the Friday prayer can be performed before the sun passes its zenith (zawal), but this view is not correct. This is because, in the Hijaz region, during the summer season, there is absolutely no shade at the time of zawal. Whereas in the winter season, at the time of zawal, there is a fairly long shadow towards the north. For this reason, during the hot days, even a considerable time after zawal, the shadow remains short.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، المغازي، باب غزوة الحديبية، حديث:4168، ومسلم، الجمعة، باب صلاة الجمعة حين تزول الشمس، حديث:860.»©Explanation:
➊ This hadith proves that during the blessed era of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Friday prayer (Jumu‘ah) used to be performed very early.
➋ This hadith also shows that the Friday prayer was, in any case, not performed before the sun's zenith (zawal). Its time is also the time of the Zuhr prayer. The majority of the scholars of Islam have adopted this view; however, Imam Ahmad and Ishaq ibn Rahwayh are of the opinion that Jumu‘ah can be performed even before the zenith. Also, according to Imam Malik rahimahullah, delivering the Friday sermon (khutbah) before the zenith is permissible, but the prayer itself is not valid; it is only after the sun has passed its zenith. Nowadays, the Friday prayer is performed even later than the Zuhr prayer, which is completely contrary to the practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The preachers and imams of the mosques should reflect upon this.
© Hadith Narrator:
«حضرت سلمہ بن اکوع رضی اللہ عنہ » Abu Muslim is his kunyah. His name is Salamah ibn Amr ibn Akwa‘. And Akwa‘’s name is Sinan ibn Abdullah Aslami Madani. He was counted among the most courageous of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum. He was so swift that he would outrun even a horse. He was very generous, virtuous, and the embodiment of goodness. He passed away in Madinah Munawwarah in 74 AH.