Minimum requirement for Jumua Friday.
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:
How
Many people requred (minimum) for jumaa/Friday prayer
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Answer:
Minimum requirement
for Jumua Friday
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.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1081 Narrated by AbuMusa al-Ash'ari
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Two or more
people constitute a Jama'ah (congregation for prayer).’
In light of the above quoted guidance of the Messenger of
Allah (saws), the absolute minimum number of believers required to constitute a
congregation are two…..but time and time again the Messenger of Allah (saws)
guided believers to offer their daily prayers in their local masjid, gather for
their Friday Jumuah prayer in a larger community masjid, and gather for their
Eid prayers in an even larger gathering than their weekly Jumuah gatherings.
To the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely nothing
in the authentic and established Sunnah which declares the minimum number of
believers to be gathered to constitute a ‘Jumuah’……Although all the scholars
and the jurists in Islam agree that the Jumuah gathering should be held at the
larger community masjids, most are of the opinion that if only two or more are
gathered for Jumuah, their Jumuah would be considered valid; while Imam Ahmad
ibn Hanbal is of the opinion that at least forty believers would be required
for a Jumuah gathering…..And Allah Alone Knows Best.
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
Wister