The number required for the validity of the Friday prayer
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Question:
The questioner: Please tell us about the number of people required to establish the Friday prayer, as people differ on this matter. Some say that the number must be twelve or more.
Direct us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Shaykh: The correct view is that no more than three are required for it, because there is no evidence for twelve, nor for more than twelve. The Friday prayer is obligatory in congregation, and the minimum for a congregation is three: the imam and two with him. This is the most correct statement made on the matter.
As for the statement of those who say that twelve are necessary, or that forty are necessary, these are opinions with no evidence. In fact, what has been reported on this is either weak, or authentic but not indicative of what the claimant claimed. So if there are three, four, or ten settled residents in the town, they establish the Friday prayer and pray it, and it suffices them according to the correct view.
As for if they are fewer than three, they pray the midday prayer. If they are fewer than three, they pray the midday prayer. Likewise, if they are not settled residents, but have stayed there for a need, and then they will leave, such as if they stayed there to renovate a house for hire, or to dig a well, or for other reasons, and their intention is not to reside there, then the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them. Rather, if there is a town near them, they pray with them. And if there is no one near them, they pray the midday prayer, because they are not settled residents. Rather, their ruling is like that of the traveler in some respects, in that they do not establish the Friday prayer. And even if they pray four rak'ahs, because they are residents in a way that prevents shortening the prayer, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them, because they are not settled residents in the town, but have stayed there for a need, and then they will leave. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner: Please tell us about the number of people required to establish the Friday prayer, as people differ on this matter. Some say that the number must be twelve or more.
Direct us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Shaykh: The correct view is that no more than three are required for it, because there is no evidence for twelve, nor for more than twelve. The Friday prayer is obligatory in congregation, and the minimum for a congregation is three: the imam and two with him. This is the most correct statement made on the matter.
As for the statement of those who say that twelve are necessary, or that forty are necessary, these are opinions with no evidence. In fact, what has been reported on this is either weak, or authentic but not indicative of what the claimant claimed. So if there are three, four, or ten settled residents in the town, they establish the Friday prayer and pray it, and it suffices them according to the correct view.
As for if they are fewer than three, they pray the midday prayer. If they are fewer than three, they pray the midday prayer. Likewise, if they are not settled residents, but have stayed there for a need, and then they will leave, such as if they stayed there to renovate a house for hire, or to dig a well, or for other reasons, and their intention is not to reside there, then the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them. Rather, if there is a town near them, they pray with them. And if there is no one near them, they pray the midday prayer, because they are not settled residents. Rather, their ruling is like that of the traveler in some respects, in that they do not establish the Friday prayer. And even if they pray four rak'ahs, because they are residents in a way that prevents shortening the prayer, the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them, because they are not settled residents in the town, but have stayed there for a need, and then they will leave. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.