What to Do If You Miss Jumu`ah Prayer

Praise be to Allah.

What to do if you miss Jumu`ah prayer?

If a man does not attend Jumu`ah due to a legitimate excuse such as sickness and so on, or for some other reason, he should pray Dhuhr. Similarly a woman should pray Dhuhr. Travellers and desert dwellers should also pray Dhuhr, as is indicated by the Sunnah. During the Farewell Pilgrimage, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood at `Arafah on a Friday he led the people in praying Dhuhr and he did not lead them in praying Jumu`ah, because he did not order the people of the desert (people who live outside cities and towns) to pray Jumu`ah.  

This is the view of the majority of scholars, and the view of those who held odd opinions should not be taken into account. The one who misses Jumu`ah deliberately also has to repent to Allah and offer it as Dhuhr prayer. (See Majmu` Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi’ah li Samahat Ash-Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) (12/332). 

The view of Shaykh Al-Albani on what happens if you miss Jumu’ah

As for the view of Shaykh Nasir Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him), it is in accordance with the view of the majority of scholars on this matter. In his essay Al-Ajwabah An-Nafi’ah (p. 47) he quotes the words of Siddiq Hasan Khan (may Allah have mercy on him): “Jumu`ah is an obligation that Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, has enjoined upon His slaves. If a person misses it for some reason, there should be evidence that Dhuhr prayer is required. The Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud, “If you miss the two Rak`ahs then you should pray four Rak`ahs” indicates that the one who misses Jumu`ah must pray Dhuhr.”

Then Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on these words by agreeing with them and classing the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) as authentic. Among the things that he (may Allah have mercy on him) said was: 

Perhaps the author quoted the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) as evidence even though it is Mawquf because he did not know of anyone among the Companions who disagreed with that. It is supported by the meaning that is understood from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Whoever catches up with one Rak`ah of Jumu`ah prayer has caught up with Jumu`ah.” It is also supported by the report narrated in Al-Musannaf (1/206/1) with an authentic Isnad (chain of narration) from `Abd Ar-Rahman ibn Abu Dhu’ayb who said: I went out with Az-Zubayr on a Friday and he prayed Jumu`ah with four Rak`ahs. This `Abd Ar-Rahman is the son of `Abdullah ibn Abu Dhu’ayb who was mentioned by Ibn Hibban in Ath-Thiqat (6/122/1) who said: He was an orphan who was under the care of Az-Zubayr ibn Al-`Awwam. 

The Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud indicates that Dhuhr is the basic obligation, and that it is what is required of the one who does not pray Jumu`ah. This is supported by several things: 

1. It is well known that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions used to pray Dhuhr on Fridays if they were travelling, but they would offer it in shortened form. 

If the basic obligation on Friday was Jumu`ah prayer, they would have offered the two Rak`ahs as Jumu`ah.  

2. `Abdullah ibn Ma`dan narrated that his grandmother said: `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud said to us (women): When you pray with the Imam on Friday, pray as he prays, but if you pray in your houses, then pray four Rak`ahs.” (Narrated by Ibn Abu Shaybah, 1/207/2). Its Isnad going back to the grandmother of Ibn Ma`dan is authentic, but I do not know who she is. It seems that she was a Tabi`i woman, not one of the Companions, but (this report) is supported by what Al-Hasan said, that a woman who attends the mosque on a Friday should pray with the Imam, and that will be sufficient for her. Its Isnad is authentic in the report via Ash`ath from Al-Hasan who said: The women of the Muhajireen used to pray Jumu`ah with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they regarded that as sufficient and did not think that they had to pray Dhuhr as well. 

I said: The one who claims that the basic obligation on Friday is Jumu`ah prayer, and that the one who misses it or is not obliged to pray it, such as travellers and women, should pray two Rak`ahs of Jumu`ah, has gone against these texts with no evidence. Then I saw that As-San`ani (2/74) stated something similar and that if a person misses Jumu`ah he must pray Dhuhr according to scholarly consensus, and (Dhuhr) is a replacement for (Jumu`ah).”

Is Jumu`ah obligatory on women?

Similarly, with regard to women, the scholars unanimously agreed that Jumu`ah prayer is not obligatory for women and that they may pray Dhuhr in their homes with four Rak`ahs on Fridays. 

Ibn Al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Ijma` (no. 52): “They unanimously agreed that Jumu`ah is not obligatory for women .”

The evidence for that is the Hadith of Tariq ibn Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Jumu`ah is a duty that is required of every Muslim in congregation except four: a slave, a woman , a child or a sick person.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 1067). 

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Majmu` (4/483): “Its Isnad is authentic according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).”

Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Fath Al-Bari (5/327): “Its Isnad is authentic.” Ibn Kathir said in Irshad Al-Faqih (1/190): “Its Isnad is good.” It was also classed as authentic by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami` (3111). 

And Allah knows best.