Performing the Jumuʿah Prayer When Eid Falls on a Friday

This year, the community may find that the Day of Eid falls on a Friday. This means that there are two prayers specific to the day. The scholars differed regarding one who performs the Eid Prayer on Friday and whether he must thereafter perform the Friday Prayer as well. Herein, we will discuss the Ḥanafī Madhhab’s position on this matter and how their jurists understood the primary source evidence that relates to it. Then, considering that this is a matter on which the scholars differed, we will present some details regarding the other schools’ opinions on this matter.

The Ḥanafīs opined that when Eid falls on a Friday, it is not permissible for one who is duty-bound to perform the Friday Prayer to not perform it later in the day.[1] The Friday Prayer is an obligation that is established by definitive textual evidence. In the Qurʾān, Allāh says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللهِ

“O believers! When you are called to pray on Friday, hasten to Allāh’s remembrance.”[2]

Then, there are reports related from the Prophet Muḥammad (upon him be peace) and his Companions that discuss Eid falling on a Friday. For instance, Imām Aḥmad related:

عَنْ إِيَاسِ بْنِ أَبِي رَمْلَةَ الشَّامِيِّ قَالَ: شَهِدْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ سَأَلَ زَيْدَ بْنَ أَرْقَمَ شَهِدْتَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِيدَيْنِ اجْتَمَعَا قَالَ نَعَمْ صَلَّى الْعِيدَ أَوَّلَ النَّهَارِ، ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ فَقَالَ مَنْ شَاءَ أَنْ يُجَمِّعَ فَلْيُجَمِّعْ

“Iyās b. Abī Ramlah al-Shāmī said that he witnessed Muʿāwiyah ask Zayd b. Arqam: ‘In the company of Allāh’s Messenger, did you ever witness two Eids on the same day?’ He replied: ‘Yes. He prayed Eid early in the day and then gave a dispensation for the Friday Prayer. He said: “Whoever wants to offer the Friday Prayer, let him do so.”’”[3]

As well, it is related on Abū Hurayrah’s authority, the Prophet (upon him be peace) said:

قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ فِي يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا عِيدَانِ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَجْزَأَهُ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَإِنَّا مُجَمِّعُونَ

“On this day of yours, two Eids have coincided. Whoever wishes, it suffices him for the Friday Prayer. Verily, we will be making the Friday Prayer.”[4]

As well, it was related that ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ هَذَا يَوْمٌ اجْتَمَعَ لَكُمْ عِيدَانِ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعَوَالِي فَقَدْ أَذِنَّا لَهُ فَلْيَرْجِعْ، وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَشْهَدِ الصَّلَاةَ

“O people! Verily, on this day two Eids have coincided. Whoever from you is a villager, we permit that you return home. And whoever would like, he may stay for the Friday Prayer.”[5]

Imām Ṭaḥāwī discussed the above evidence. It should be firstly noted that the Friday Prayer is established by a Qurʾānic command. The verse’s general nature includes all Fridays, even when Eid happens to be on that day. The evidence obligating the Friday Prayer is conclusive.

Then, in some narrations, a dispensation is given along with confirming that the Friday Prayer would be performed. The Prophet (upon him be peace) mentioned the dispensation and then said: “Verily, we will be making the Friday Prayer.”[6]

Ṭaḥāwī pointed out that the dispensation that is being given specifically applies to “ahl al-ʿawālī.” This detail can be seen in ʿUthmān’s narration above. “Ahl al-ʿawālī” are those who lived outside of the city. Due to where they lived, the Friday Prayer was not obligatory on them. When Eid would come, they would travel from far to celebrate it with the Prophet (upon him be peace). But based on their general circumstance, they were not duty-bound to perform it. Ṭaḥāwī cited a report from ʿAlī -while indicating to that it is marfūʿ ḥukmī– in which ʿAlī said:

لَا جُمُعَةَ وَلَا تَشْرِيقَ إِلَّا فِي مِصْرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْصَارِ

“There is no Friday or Eid Prayer except for in a city.”[7]

And this would be the situation of those who were given a dispensation in the texts mentioned above. They are not required to perform either prayer. And when they would come to the city to celebrate Eid, they would not be required to stay to offer the Friday Prayer later in the day.[8] Thus, the above texts do not indicate to the Friday Prayer not being required when Eid comes on a Friday; rather, the narrations are specific to a certain group of people who are not required to perform the Friday Prayer because the conditions that obligate it are not fulfilled and present in their case.

The Shāfiʿī Madhhab’s stance is somewhat similar regarding this issue. When Eid coincides with Friday it is permissible for those who live in areas outside of the city to travel into town for the Eid prayer, then to return home and not perform the Friday prayer later. This is a dispensation given to them to make their matter easy. It would be difficult for many to have to make two trips or to stay in the town for the entire day.[9]

Abū al-Walīd al-Bājī indicates to there being different opinions attributed to Imām Mālik on this issue. He says that the correct position is that Imām Mālik’s position in this case is like that of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Imām Shāfiʿī.[10]

According to the Ḥanbalīs, if Eid and Friday are on the same day, it is permissible to perform Eid and then the afternoon (ar. ẓuhr) prayer. The obligation to offer the Friday prayer is omitted in this situation. It should be noted that in their legal reasoning in this case, they do not consider that the Friday prayer has become non-obligatory. Rather, they consider that the individual who performed Eid is like one who has a valid excuse to miss the Friday prayer, like for example one who is sick or traveling. They summon the narration: “Whoever wants to offer the Friday Prayer, let him do so”[11] as evidence. Additionally, they consider it best for one who performed Eid to still perform the Friday prayer. In doing so, one avoids practicing upon a difference of opinion.[12]

[1] al-Bināyah Sharḥ al-Hidāyah, 3:97.

[2] Sūrat al-Jumuʿah, 9.

[3] Maʿrifat al-Sunan wa al-Āthār, 5:117; Musnad Aḥmad, 32:70.

[4] Sunan Abī Dāwūd, #1073.

[5] Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, 2:280; Muwaṭṭaʾ Mālik, 178; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 7:103; al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 3:445.

[6] Sunan Abī Dāwūd, #1073.

[7] Ṭaḥāwī related this. It also comes in Qāḍī Abū Yūsuf’s Kitāb al-Āthār, 60. Also see: al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 3:254.

[8] Sharḥ Mushkil al-Āthār, 3:186-90.

[9] al-Ḥāwī al-Kabīr, 2:503.

[10] al-Muntaqā Sharḥ al-Muwaṭṭaʾ, 2:354. For more details related to the Mālikīyah’s position on this matter see: Ḥāshiyat al-Dusūqī, 1:391.

[11] Maʿrifat al-Sunan wa al-Āthār, 5:117; Musnad Aḥmad, 32:70.

[12] Kashf al-Qināʿ, 2:40.