What is the ruling on holding lessons before the Friday prayer?

The questioner : Regarding the lesson before the Friday prayer?

The Shaykh : The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade gathering in circles on Friday, because Friday is a time for individual worship. A Muslim enters the mosque, and if he wishes, he prays whatever comes to mind, as mentioned in the hadith. If he wishes, he sits and increases his prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If he wishes, he recites Surat al-Kahf or other parts of the Noble Qur'an, and so on. As for one who holds a lesson and disturbs the people, it is not permissible.

The questioner : This innovation, which they sleep through, is better than this talk in Ramadan. It is permissible... better than it, or not.

The Shaykh : Based on two directions, the answer is that it is permissible and not permissible. The permissible case is when there is a mosque in a certain district, for example, Abu Malik Mosque, where the people of the mosque are affected, or at least the word of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab that we were discussing has a continuation that we did not mention because it has no relation to our research. What did he say? "This innovation, which they sleep through, is better." This innovation was that they used to pray 'Isha' and then follow it with the standing prayer of tarawih. But 'Umar, indicating what is better, took it as an opportunity and followed his statement "This innovation is better" with "which they sleep through is better." He is indicating that the better option is to delay the night prayer. They were not delaying it; they were advancing it. They were praying the night prayer with the obligatory 'Isha' prayer. So, first, he praised this act because it revives the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and he indicated that the better option is to delay the night prayer to the last third of the night. His question now is that delaying the night prayer is better. If people gather and want to pray tarawih in congregation in the last part of the night, I began my answer by saying that this question can be directed in two ways: one answer is that it is permissible and allowed, and the second answer is that it is not. Now we have started the details: a mosque where its people or the majority of them gather to follow the Sunnah is better. So, if the imam and the people of the mosque agree to delay the night prayer to the end of the night, this is the prescribed way and this is better. But if the matter is as it is in reality in all the mosques, as I know, where they pray 'Isha' and then follow it with the night prayer, in that case, it is not prescribed to leave the congregation and go, one or two, lagging behind the congregation to pray in congregation in the last part of the night. This is contrary to the Sunnah. But if the people of the mosque agree to combine the two virtues: the virtue of congregation and the virtue of delaying the night prayer to the end of the night, without doubt, this is better. But if the virtue of congregation conflicts with the virtue of delaying the night prayer, the first virtue is stronger. And peace be upon you.