Conditions for the validity of the Friday prayer for residents
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This questioner says: We are a group of Muslims outside the Kingdom, and we work in various locations in the desert. We set up places where we reside in which we uphold the laws of Islam, but in the Friday prayer, the number does not reach the required quorum. Is it a condition for the validity of the Friday prayer that there be forty people?
Answer:
This is not a condition. The correct and established view is that whatever number suffices for the validity of the Dhuhr prayer also suffices for the validity of the Friday prayer. Even if there are only two people and the imam delivers the sermon, meaning three people in total: the imam who delivers the sermon and two who listen, this is the minimum number for the Friday prayer. However, establishing the Friday prayer requires obtaining permission and a fatwa from the competent authority, along with settling in the location. There are conditions for the obligation of the Friday prayer and the validity of the Friday prayer, one of which is settling in the location. As for those in the desert who descend and then move on, these people’s Friday prayer is not valid unless they attend it with those who are settled in a town, a settlement, or a village. As for those who move around in the deserts, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them. The Bedouins in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were around Madinah, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to pray the Friday prayer. Therefore, settling in a location is a condition for it. Also, legal permission from the competent authority is required to establish it. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
This questioner says: We are a group of Muslims outside the Kingdom, and we work in various locations in the desert. We set up places where we reside in which we uphold the laws of Islam, but in the Friday prayer, the number does not reach the required quorum. Is it a condition for the validity of the Friday prayer that there be forty people?
Answer:
This is not a condition. The correct and established view is that whatever number suffices for the validity of the Dhuhr prayer also suffices for the validity of the Friday prayer. Even if there are only two people and the imam delivers the sermon, meaning three people in total: the imam who delivers the sermon and two who listen, this is the minimum number for the Friday prayer. However, establishing the Friday prayer requires obtaining permission and a fatwa from the competent authority, along with settling in the location. There are conditions for the obligation of the Friday prayer and the validity of the Friday prayer, one of which is settling in the location. As for those in the desert who descend and then move on, these people’s Friday prayer is not valid unless they attend it with those who are settled in a town, a settlement, or a village. As for those who move around in the deserts, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them. The Bedouins in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were around Madinah, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order them to pray the Friday prayer. Therefore, settling in a location is a condition for it. Also, legal permission from the competent authority is required to establish it. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 02/259 — archive.org (10:24)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.