In Pakistani society, the Friday prayer holds special significance. Every Muslim strives to perform the Friday prayer in congregation on this sacred day. But are we aware of the true purpose of Friday, the conditions of its obligation, and other related issues? Most of us consider the Friday prayer to be just a regular prayer, whereas its Shari’ah significance is very high. The meaning of a blessed Hadith is:

"Whoever misses three Friday prayers without a valid excuse, it has been recorded that he is among the hypocrites."

(Mo'jam-ul-Kabeer, Musnad-ul-Zubair bin Al-Awwam, Chapter on What Has Been Narrated Regarding the Condition of Women... Kh, 1/170, Hadith: 422)

This Hadith clarifies the obligation and significance of the Friday prayer. If someone misses the Friday prayer without a valid reason, it indicates negligence and distance from religion. The Friday prayer is not just the name of a few units of prayer; it also includes the sermon and congregation, which gather Muslims in one place and instill unity and brotherhood in their hearts.

Importance and Significance of Friday

The Friday prayer is an obligatory duty, and its obligation is more emphasized than the Zuhr prayer. Denying it is disbelief. This is evidence of the great stature of the Friday prayer in Islam. Allah Almighty has stated in the Holy Quran:

"When the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade. This is better for you if you only knew."

(Surah Al-Jum'ah, Ayat 9)

In this verse, the meaning of "this is better for you" includes not just worldly betterment but also betterment in the Hereafter and spiritually. The Friday prayer is extremely important for our spiritual and moral development.

Conditions for the Validity of the Friday Prayer

There are 6 conditions for the validity of the Friday prayer. If even one of these conditions is not met, the Friday prayer will not take place. These conditions are as follows:

* City or City Neighborhood: The place where the Friday prayer is being performed should be in the city or in the vicinity of the city. It is not obligatory in villages and small towns.

* Sultan of Islam or His Deputy: The person leading the Friday prayer should be the Sultan of Islam or his deputy who has been given the authority to conduct the Friday prayer. In the current era, this means that the administration of the Friday prayer should be carried out with the permission or supervision of the government, or the person leading the prayer should have permission from Muslim rulers.

* Zuhr Time: The Friday prayer should be performed at the time of Zuhr. If during the prayer, even after the Tashahhud, the time for Asr begins, then the Friday prayer is invalid. Then the Zuhr prayer should be performed as Qaza.

* Sermon: It is necessary to deliver a sermon before the Friday prayer. The sermon is an important pillar of the Friday prayer, without which the Friday prayer is not complete.

* Congregation: There must be at least three men besides the Imam. Without this, the Friday prayer will not be valid.

* General Permission: The mosque's door should be kept open so that any Muslim can enter if they wish. No one should be stopped. The purpose is that the Friday prayer is for the general public and there should be no hindrance to participating in it.

Conditions for the Obligation of Friday Prayer

There are 11 conditions for the obligation of the Friday prayer. If even one of these conditions is not met, the Friday prayer will not be obligatory, but if performed, it will be valid. These conditions are:

* Residing in the City: Whoever resides in the city is obligated to perform the Friday prayer. The traveler is not obligated to perform it.

* Health: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on the sick. A sick person is one who cannot go to the main mosque or can go but whose illness would worsen or delay recovery.

* Freedom: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on a slave.

* Being Male: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on women.

* Being Sane: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on the insane.

* Being Pubescent: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on prepubescent children.

* Having Eyesight: This means not being blind. However, a blind person can still perform the Friday prayer if they can reach the mosque.

* Ability to Walk: Whoever is unable to walk, for example, the disabled or very elderly, is not obligated to perform the Friday prayer.

* Not Being in Captivity: The Friday prayer is not obligatory on a person who is imprisoned.

* Fear of Tyrants: There should be no fear of a tyrant such as a king or a thief. This means that there should not be a situation where going for Friday prayer poses a risk to life or property.

* Fear of Harm: There should not be so much rain, storm, hail, or cold that there is a genuine fear of harm from them. For example, if there is severe rain or cold that going outside would be harmful to health, then the Friday prayer will not be obligatory.

For More Information

For further information on the Shari’ah issues related to Friday, please refer to Bahare Shariat, Volume 1, Part 4, and study "The Explanation of Friday". This book contains detailed rulings and issues related to Friday.

The Friday prayer is a great blessing for Muslims. It is not just a form of worship but also a means of unity, brotherhood, and remembering the teachings of Islam. We should understand the importance of the Friday prayer and perform it with full adherence to the Islamic conditions. In this lies our worldly and eternal success.