On whom is the Friday prayer obligatory, what is a farsakh, and what is the ruling for one who does not hear the call to prayer?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
It is reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the Friday prayer is obligatory upon whoever hears the call to prayer. Imam Ahmad said that the Friday prayer is obligatory upon whoever is a farsakh or less from the mosque. So, what is a farsakh, and is the Friday prayer not obligatory upon one who is more than a farsakh from the mosque or does not hear the call to prayer?
The Shaykh : Yes, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:[Al-Jumu'ah 62:9], and the Friday prayer is not established except in one place in the town. This was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), the practice of Abu Bakr, the practice of 'Umar, the practice of 'Uthman, and the practice of 'Ali. Multiple Friday prayers were not established in one town until the third century, meaning that two hundred years passed for the Muslim community while they were praying in one place. If a person is in the town where the Friday prayer is established, the Friday prayer is obligatory upon him, even if there are farsakhs between him and it, as long as he is in the town, whether he hears the call to prayer or not, because this mosque is for all the people of the town. However, if he is outside the town, meaning in the suburbs of the town, this is what Imam Ahmad said: that there is not more than a farsakh between him and the mosque. Do you understand?
And a farsakh is three miles. I told you this because two hundred years passed for this Muslim community and multiple Friday prayers were not established in the mosques, so that you would be aware of what people are doing today, where they are multiplying the Friday prayers, until in some countries it has become like a regular prayer, like the midday prayer established in every mosque. This is not in our country, praise be to Allah, but in other countries, and this is an error. For among the wisdom of the Shari'ah is that it makes a day in the week for those who adhere to the Shari'ah in which they gather, and they proceed from one imam and from one opinion. If the Friday prayers are multiplied, this wisdom is lost.
It is reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the Friday prayer is obligatory upon whoever hears the call to prayer. Imam Ahmad said that the Friday prayer is obligatory upon whoever is a farsakh or less from the mosque. So, what is a farsakh, and is the Friday prayer not obligatory upon one who is more than a farsakh from the mosque or does not hear the call to prayer?
The Shaykh : Yes, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِي لِلصَّلاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِAnd a farsakh is three miles. I told you this because two hundred years passed for this Muslim community and multiple Friday prayers were not established in the mosques, so that you would be aware of what people are doing today, where they are multiplying the Friday prayers, until in some countries it has become like a regular prayer, like the midday prayer established in every mosque. This is not in our country, praise be to Allah, but in other countries, and this is an error. For among the wisdom of the Shari'ah is that it makes a day in the week for those who adhere to the Shari'ah in which they gather, and they proceed from one imam and from one opinion. If the Friday prayers are multiplied, this wisdom is lost.