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 

(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:

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