The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged coming early for the Friday prayer; does this include the Friday imam, given that the preachers do not arrive until the time for the sermon?
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The questioner : The listener also says in this question: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : May Allah send prayers and peace upon him.
The questioner : encouraged coming early for the Friday prayer; does this include the Friday imam, given that the preachers do not arrive until the time for the sermon? And does he miss the virtue of coming early to the mosque, given that he comes early for Friday before being appointed as the imam of the mosque?
The Shaykh : The encouragement to come early for Friday applies only to the followers. As for the imam, the Sunnah for him is not to arrive until he ascends to the pulpit. What some of the brothers among the imams of the mosques do, by advancing to the mosque and sitting until the time for the sermon, is their independent legal reasoning, but it is incorrect reasoning. Rather, the correct path is the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he did of truth. The Sunnah for the imam on Friday is to delay until the time of ascending the pulpit, the sermon, and then the prayer. This is better than his advancing, because what conforms to the Sunnah is always better.
As for the follower, he should come early, take a bath at home, apply perfume, and clean himself, then come to the mosque and pray whatever is written for him. If he sees that it is more beneficial for him to continue praying until the imam arrives, let him do so. And if he feels tired and sees that it is more beneficial for him to sit and read the Qur'an, let him do so, because reading is good and prayer is good.
The intended meaning of righteous deeds is the rectification of the heart. So whatever is most rectifying for the heart, most beneficial, and most in accordance with the Shari'ah is the best. Whoever goes to Friday in the first hour after bathing at home is as if he has offered a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour is as if he has offered a cow. Whoever goes in the third hour is as if he has offered a horned ram. Whoever goes in the fourth hour is as if he has offered a hen. And whoever goes in the fifth hour is as if he has offered an egg. These five hours are distributed from the rising of the sun until the arrival of the imam. Their length and shortness vary according to the time; they are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter.
On this occasion, I encourage my Muslim brothers to come on Friday day as they should, and not to deprive themselves of much good by wasting time wandering in the markets and wasting time in idle talk. For Friday is a great day; Allah has led the Jews and Christians astray from it and guided this Ummah to it. So this Ummah should not waste the opportunity for reward in it. I also warn my brothers who are eager to advance to beware of advancing with their sticks or handkerchiefs, as some people do. You find one placing his handkerchief or stick in the first row, then going to his home to enjoy his worldly life, or to his shop for buying and selling. When the imam's arrival is near, he comes to the mosque. This is forbidden and not permissible for them, because they reserve places for others who are more deserving than them. The place belongs to the one who advances with his body, not the one who advances with his stick or handkerchief. Then, they sometimes come when the rows are already full, so they step over people's necks and harm them. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw a man stepping over people's necks and said to him: Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah send prayers and peace upon him.
The questioner : encouraged coming early for the Friday prayer; does this include the Friday imam, given that the preachers do not arrive until the time for the sermon? And does he miss the virtue of coming early to the mosque, given that he comes early for Friday before being appointed as the imam of the mosque?
The Shaykh : The encouragement to come early for Friday applies only to the followers. As for the imam, the Sunnah for him is not to arrive until he ascends to the pulpit. What some of the brothers among the imams of the mosques do, by advancing to the mosque and sitting until the time for the sermon, is their independent legal reasoning, but it is incorrect reasoning. Rather, the correct path is the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he did of truth. The Sunnah for the imam on Friday is to delay until the time of ascending the pulpit, the sermon, and then the prayer. This is better than his advancing, because what conforms to the Sunnah is always better.
As for the follower, he should come early, take a bath at home, apply perfume, and clean himself, then come to the mosque and pray whatever is written for him. If he sees that it is more beneficial for him to continue praying until the imam arrives, let him do so. And if he feels tired and sees that it is more beneficial for him to sit and read the Qur'an, let him do so, because reading is good and prayer is good.
The intended meaning of righteous deeds is the rectification of the heart. So whatever is most rectifying for the heart, most beneficial, and most in accordance with the Shari'ah is the best. Whoever goes to Friday in the first hour after bathing at home is as if he has offered a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour is as if he has offered a cow. Whoever goes in the third hour is as if he has offered a horned ram. Whoever goes in the fourth hour is as if he has offered a hen. And whoever goes in the fifth hour is as if he has offered an egg. These five hours are distributed from the rising of the sun until the arrival of the imam. Their length and shortness vary according to the time; they are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter.
On this occasion, I encourage my Muslim brothers to come on Friday day as they should, and not to deprive themselves of much good by wasting time wandering in the markets and wasting time in idle talk. For Friday is a great day; Allah has led the Jews and Christians astray from it and guided this Ummah to it. So this Ummah should not waste the opportunity for reward in it. I also warn my brothers who are eager to advance to beware of advancing with their sticks or handkerchiefs, as some people do. You find one placing his handkerchief or stick in the first row, then going to his home to enjoy his worldly life, or to his shop for buying and selling. When the imam's arrival is near, he comes to the mosque. This is forbidden and not permissible for them, because they reserve places for others who are more deserving than them. The place belongs to the one who advances with his body, not the one who advances with his stick or handkerchief. Then, they sometimes come when the rows are already full, so they step over people's necks and harm them. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw a man stepping over people's necks and said to him:
Sit down, for you have caused harm
اجلس فقد ءاذيتThe questioner : May Allah bless you.