What is the ruling on praying Jumu'ah as Zuhr in a village where Jumu'ah is not held, despite the presence of a mosque, and where congregational prayer is not held until the Shaykh of the tribe arrives?
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The questioner : I work as a teacher in one of the governorates of the Yemen Arab Republic, and I have been doing so for two years. However, since I started working in this area, I have not prayed Jumu'ah except during the summer vacation, because there is no Jumu'ah prayer in this area, even though there are many mosques there. Also, they do not pray congregational prayer except in the presence of the Shaykh of the tribe. I have urged them many times to pray Jumu'ah, but they did not respond. So I pray it as Zuhr, just as they do. What is my position regarding leaving the Jumu'ah prayer, given that the period during which I leave the prayer approaches eight months every year?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The answer to this question is that it is obligatory for Muslims to establish Jumu'ah and congregational prayers in their places of gathering. However, Jumu'ah is not obligatory unless they are settled in a village. As for if they are in farms outside the town that are scattered, then they must establish congregational prayer, and it is not permissible for them to be absent from the congregation. If the farms are close together, they should build a mosque among them and pray in it all together. If they are far apart, then mosques should be built in a way that does not cause hardship, and the people near a mosque gather in that mosque and pray congregational prayers.
As for you, you have performed what is obligatory upon you of giving advice. If what you want happens, that is what is required. If it does not happen, then there is no sin on you if you pray alone, because Allah the Exalted says:[At-Taghabun 64:16] and He said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-Baqarah 2:272]. What I see in this matter is that if you can contact the officials in the town and inform them of what has happened so that they look into this matter and decide what they see regarding the establishment of Jumu'ah and congregational prayers, then there is much good in that.
And my statement during the answer: that the gardens or orchards outside the town do not have Jumu'ah, I mean by that if they are far from the town. As for if they are close, then it is obligatory for them to attend the mosque where Jumu'ah is prayed and establish Jumu'ah in it.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The answer to this question is that it is obligatory for Muslims to establish Jumu'ah and congregational prayers in their places of gathering. However, Jumu'ah is not obligatory unless they are settled in a village. As for if they are in farms outside the town that are scattered, then they must establish congregational prayer, and it is not permissible for them to be absent from the congregation. If the farms are close together, they should build a mosque among them and pray in it all together. If they are far apart, then mosques should be built in a way that does not cause hardship, and the people near a mosque gather in that mosque and pray congregational prayers.
As for you, you have performed what is obligatory upon you of giving advice. If what you want happens, that is what is required. If it does not happen, then there is no sin on you if you pray alone, because Allah the Exalted says:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْNot upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills.
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُAnd my statement during the answer: that the gardens or orchards outside the town do not have Jumu'ah, I mean by that if they are far from the town. As for if they are close, then it is obligatory for them to attend the mosque where Jumu'ah is prayed and establish Jumu'ah in it.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.