Ruling on Jumu‘ah Prayer in Villages and the Issue of Offering Dhuhr Afterwards
Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam)
❖ Question
Some scholars say that Jumu‘ah prayer is only held in cities, but nowadays it is also performed in small villages. If Jumu‘ah is held in a village, is it correct to pray Dhuhr alone or in congregation afterwards?
❖ Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
1. Jumu‘ah is Not Limited to Cities
- The establishment of Jumu‘ah prayer is not restricted to cities; it may be performed in both villages and cities.
- There is no explicit or decisive prohibition in the Qur’an or Hadith restricting it to cities only.
2. Qur’an and Sunnah on Jumu‘ah
- The general commands of the Qur’an and the Sunnah regarding Jumu‘ah apply equally to both urban and rural areas.
- Jumu‘ah requires a congregation, and even two people can constitute a congregation:
“الاثنان فما فوقھما جماعة”
(Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim, Hadith: 8027)
“Two or more persons form a congregation.”
3. Obligation of Jumu‘ah in Villages
- In light of this hadith, Jumu‘ah is obligatory upon the residents of every village.
- No authentic hadith establishes a fixed minimum number (like 40 or 15 people) for Jumu‘ah.
4. Ruling on Offering Dhuhr After Jumu‘ah
- Performing Dhuhr prayer after Jumu‘ah as a precaution is:
- A bid‘ah (innovation)
- A deviation (dalalah)
- Without any evidence from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
