Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

On Friday, 09 Safar 1429 / 07 March 2008, the Jammat for Jumah Salat (Friday Prayer) started at 11:45 AM in the Main Jama Masjid.

The Zawal time was at 11:50 AM. So Jammat for Jumah Salat (Friday Prayer) started five minutes before Zawal Time and ended also by Zawal Time and thousands of Muslims prayed like this in this Jama Masjid.

Can anyone send me a Hadith, Ayat of Quran or a Fatwa that Jumah Salat can start and finish before Zawal time.

Or what is the Sharai status of those thousands who prayed Jumah Salat (Friday Prayer) before Zawal Time.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Jumua Friday started before zawal time

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was to start the Friday Jumuah mid-day sermon and prayer only after the sun had passed a little west of its meridian or after ‘zawaal’ time.

If perchance the ‘imam’ of the said masjid inadvertently, unintentionally, and in ignorance of the time started the Jumuah sermon five minutes before ‘zawaal’ time…..it is expected that the ‘imam’ will find his Lord Forgiving and Merciful for his unintentional error.

If the ‘imam’ unintentionally started the Jumuah ‘Khutba’ or sermon five minutes before ‘zawaal’ time, it is safe to assume that the ‘Khutba’ would at least be as long as five minutes…..thus the Jumuah mid-day prayer itself would have been offered in its prescribed time. The absolute majority of the scholars and the jurists in Islam are of the opinion that in such a situation, the prayer of the ‘Imam’ and the believers will be valid and acceptable and they do not have to repeat their prayers again.

If Allah forbid, the ‘imam’ started the Jumuah mid-day two-rakah prayer itself before its appointed time, then indeed upon being notified of his error, it would be the responsibility of the ‘Imam’ to turn back unto his Lord in ‘taubah’ for his manifest error, offer the prayer again and also inform the believers who prayed behind him of his unintentional error and ask them to offer their prayers again.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan