Is it permissible for the khatib on Friday to go to the mosque early, and does his doing so prevent the angels from writing the first as the first?
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The questioner : Is it permissible for the khatib on Friday to enter the mosque early, before the time of the khutbah, with the intention of staying in the mosque and reciting the Qur'an? And does his going early prevent the angels from writing the first as the first?
The Shaykh : It is prescribed for the imam of the Friday prayer to delay until the time of entering the prayer, and he should not go ahead. Rather, going ahead is prescribed for the ma'mumin (those praying behind the imam). So, his staying in his house until the time of prayer comes, then coming and ascending the minbar, is better, and this is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, if he goes to the mosque early, that is not forbidden for him. As for the one who comes to the mosque after the imam has arrived, he is written reward according to what came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Muwatta Malik 5:1 This is if he comes to the Friday prayer having performed ghusl (full ritual bath) for it. For this reason, it is obligatory, according to the correct opinion, for a person to perform ghusl for Friday, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith narrated by Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Riyad as-Salihin 1152, and this word came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who knows what he says and the meaning of what he says, and who is sincere to his Ummah (community). It is a clear and explicit word regarding obligation Sunan an-Nasa'i 1371Sahih (Darussalam). For this reason, when Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) entered while the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar, was delivering the khutbah, and he said to him regarding his delay: "I did nothing more than perform wudu' (ablution) and then came", 'Umar said to him: "And wudu' as well?" And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 340Sahih (Al-Albani) So 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reproached him for limiting himself to wudu' and attending. However, this obligation does not mean that the Friday prayer is not valid without ghusl, because this ghusl is not for janabah (major ritual impurity). So, if he prayed Friday without performing ghusl, his prayer is valid, but he is sinful for contradicting what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, and for what he emphasized as obligatory by his saying: Riyad as-Salihin 1152 And the meaning of his saying: is upon every adult, and the meaning is not upon the one who actually had a wet dream, because for the one who actually had a wet dream, ghusl is obligatory for him because of his wet dream, not for Friday. And it is obligatory for him also on Friday and on other days if he has a wet dream and finds water.
The conclusion is that if the imam goes to the mosque before the time of prayer arrives, his action is contrary to what is best, but it is not forbidden. And the one who comes after the imam has arrived, this is in the hours in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the virtue, so he is written what came in the hadith, even if the imam has already attended, because the imam attended before the time of prayer arrived.
The Shaykh : It is prescribed for the imam of the Friday prayer to delay until the time of entering the prayer, and he should not go ahead. Rather, going ahead is prescribed for the ma'mumin (those praying behind the imam). So, his staying in his house until the time of prayer comes, then coming and ascending the minbar, is better, and this is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, if he goes to the mosque early, that is not forbidden for him. As for the one who comes to the mosque after the imam has arrived, he is written reward according to what came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman, from Abu Salih as-Sammani from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If someone does ghusl for major ritual impurity on the day of jumua and then goes in the first part of the time, it is as if he had offered up a camel. If he goes in the second part of the time, it is as if he had offered up a cow. If he goes in the third part of the time, it is as if he had offered up a horned ram. If he goes in the fourth part of the time, it is as if he had offered up a hen. If he goes in the fifth part of the time, it is as if he had offered up an egg. And when the imam comes out, the angels settle down listening to the dhikr (remembrance of Allah)."
أن من راح في الساعة الأولى فكأنما قرب بدنة، ومن راح في الساعة الثانية فكأنما قرب بقرة، ومن راح في الساعة الثالثة فكأنما قرب كبشاً أقرن، ومن راح في الساعة الرابعة فكأنما قرب دجاجة، ومن راح في الساعة الخامسة فكأنما قرب بيضةTaking a bath (before coming to Friday prayers) is obligatory on every adult.
غسل الجمعة واجب على كل محتلمis obligatory for everyone who has reached the age of puberty
واجب على كل محتلمWhen any one of you comes for Friday (prayer) he should take a bath.
إذا أتى أحدكم الجمعة فليغتسلTaking a bath (before coming to Friday prayers) is obligatory on every adult.
غسل الجمعة واجب على كل محتلمfor every adult
على كل محتلمThe conclusion is that if the imam goes to the mosque before the time of prayer arrives, his action is contrary to what is best, but it is not forbidden. And the one who comes after the imam has arrived, this is in the hours in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the virtue, so he is written what came in the hadith, even if the imam has already attended, because the imam attended before the time of prayer arrived.