The required number for the festival prayer, and the ruling when the festival and Friday prayer coincide
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Q: Is a specific number required for the festival prayer, for example like the Friday prayer? And what is the ruling if the festival falls on a Friday? Regarding the Friday prayer, I have heard that it is not obligatory for the followers, unlike the imam. So how is it obligatory for the imam alone? And how does he establish it by himself?
A: The festival prayer and the Friday prayer are among the great rituals of the Muslims, and both are obligatory. The Friday prayer is an individual obligation, and the festival prayer is a collective obligation according to the majority, and an individual obligation according to some. The scholars differed regarding the number required for them, and the most correct opinion is that the minimum number with which the Friday and festival prayers are established is three or more. As for the condition of forty, there is no valid evidence to rely upon for it.
One of their conditions is being settled residents. As for the Bedouins and travelers, they have no Friday prayer or festival prayer. For this reason, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Farewell Pilgrimage, Friday coincided with the Day of 'Arafah, and he did not pray Friday, nor did he pray the festival on the Day of Sacrifice. This indicates that travelers have no festival or Friday prayer, and likewise the inhabitants of the desert.
If the festival coincides with Friday, it is permissible for one who attended the festival to pray Friday and to pray the midday prayer. This is based on what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he granted a dispensation regarding the Friday prayer for one who attended the festival and said: But he should not leave the midday prayer. The best is to pray Friday with the people. If he does not pray Friday, he prays the midday prayer. As for the imam, he prays Friday with those who are present if they are three or more, including the imam. If only one person is present with him, they pray the midday prayer.
A: The festival prayer and the Friday prayer are among the great rituals of the Muslims, and both are obligatory. The Friday prayer is an individual obligation, and the festival prayer is a collective obligation according to the majority, and an individual obligation according to some. The scholars differed regarding the number required for them, and the most correct opinion is that the minimum number with which the Friday and festival prayers are established is three or more. As for the condition of forty, there is no valid evidence to rely upon for it.
One of their conditions is being settled residents. As for the Bedouins and travelers, they have no Friday prayer or festival prayer. For this reason, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Farewell Pilgrimage, Friday coincided with the Day of 'Arafah, and he did not pray Friday, nor did he pray the festival on the Day of Sacrifice. This indicates that travelers have no festival or Friday prayer, and likewise the inhabitants of the desert.
If the festival coincides with Friday, it is permissible for one who attended the festival to pray Friday and to pray the midday prayer. This is based on what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he granted a dispensation regarding the Friday prayer for one who attended the festival and said:
Two festivals have come together on your day today, so whoever witnessed the festival has no Friday prayer upon him
اجتمع في يومكم هذا عيدان فمن شهد العيد فلا جمعة عليه
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.