Excerpt translated from i’laa’ us Sunan by Allama Zafar Ahmed Uthmani
Volume 7 , Pg. 10-13
There are two main points of discussion:
- Whether the Sunnah before the Friday prayer is established by Sharia
- The Sunnah after the Friday prayer, with disagreement on whether it is two or four rak’ahs without a break, or six with a break after four
Here, we will discuss the first one.
Key Argument:
Some scholars, including Ibn al-Qayyim and certain Shafi’i scholars, deny the pre-Friday Sunnah, arguing that Friday is like Eid without a preceding Sunnah. The Sunnah indicates that the Prophet ﷺ would:
- Leave his house
- Ascend the pulpit
- Have Bilal call the Friday prayer adhan
Upon completion, the Prophet ﷺ would start the sermon without a break. This raises the question: when would they pray the Sunnah? Those who believe that after Bilal’s adhan everyone stood up to pray two rak’ahs are misinformed about the Sunnah. This view, that there is no pre-Friday Sunnah, is also held by Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad, as well as one view among Shafi’i scholars.
Proponents of the pre-Friday Sunnah argue it is similar to the shortened Dhuhr prayer, but this is a weak argument. The Friday prayer is an independent prayer, differing from Dhuhr in:
- Recitation
- Number
- Sermon
- Conditions
Thus, aligning the matter of dispute with points of agreement is less appropriate than aligning it with points of difference, as the latter are more.
Some establish the pre-Friday Sunnah by analogy with Dhuhr, which is also flawed. The Sunnah is what is established from the Prophet ﷺ by word, action, or the practice of his rightly guided caliphs. In this case, there is no such evidence, and it is not permissible to establish Sunnah by analogy, as the reason for its practice existed during the Prophet’s time. If he does not do it and does not legislate it, then leaving it is the Sunnah. (Zad al-Ma’ad li Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziya, maktaba al-manar, 1/418)
Response:
Discussion on the timing of Sunnah prayers related to Friday sermons.
I say: As for his statement: When did they pray the Sunnah? The answer is that they used to pray it after the sun had passed its zenith before the call to the sermon.
If it is said: How could that be when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to deliver the sermon after the sun had passed its zenith, as narrated by Salama bin Al-Akwa’ rd, who said:
“We used to pray with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on Friday and then depart, and there was no shadow to shade us.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari #4168, Saheeh al-Muslim #860b)
In another narration by Muslim:
“We used to gather with him when the sun had passed its zenith, then we would return and follow the shade.” (Saheeh al-Muslim #860a , Bulugh al-Maram 1:129 – #443).
We shall reply: The negation is directed towards specific shade, which is his statement “to seek shade from it,” not the shadow in totality. The negation of the specified shadow was because the walls were short at that time and did not provide shade except after sometime from midday. This does not indicate that he used to deliver the sermon right after the sun had passed its zenith, preventing a person from praying two or four rak’ahs before the sermon.
How could that be when it is established in the hadith of Abu Huraira rd who said:
“Whoever performs ghusl then comes to the Friday prayer and prays as much as he can, then listens attentively until the Imam finishes his sermon, then prays with him, will have his sins forgiven between that Friday and the next, plus three more days.” (Saheeh al-Muslim #857, Bulugh al-Maram 1:132 – #459)
Do you think or believe that the Companions would leave the prayer before Friday after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged them to do so? If not, then tell me when they used to pray?
Additionally, Al-Bukhari narrated from Anas rd who said:
“If it was very cold, the Prophet ﷺ would hasten the prayer, and if it was very hot, he would delay the prayer,”
meaning Friday prayer. This is the most explicit evidence for what we said, that he did not start the sermon right after the sun had passed its zenith, rather there was a time between it and his sermon that allowed for the Sunnah prayers.
As for his statement that establishing the Sunnah for it by analogy with Dhuhr is a flawed analogy, the answer is what Ibn al-Munir said:
- The original ruling is the equality of Dhuhr and Friday until evidence indicates otherwise.
- Friday is a substitute for Dhuhr, as mentioned by Al-Hafiz in “Fath al-Bari” (2:255).
- If Friday is missed with the Imam, Dhuhr is prayed as four rak’ahs.
Also, those who say there is Sunnah before Jumu’a, then they did not rely solely on analogy (Qiyas), rather, their main argument is based on the reports and narrations that have been mentioned about these sunnah.
Key Insights on Analogy (Qiyas) and Hadith
Based on the previously mentioned analogy, the essence of the answer is that although analogy (qiyas) is not an established proof in itself for this issue, it is sufficient as a supplemental support and reinforcement.
Consider that:
- One of the signs of authenticity of a hadeeth is its agreement with legal analogy (qiyas).
- Abdullah bin Mas’ud rd ‘s used to teach people to pray four rak’ahs before and after the Friday prayer. To consider such instruction to general Nafil is not correct, since a general nafil is neither commanded nor taught and encouraged. So the action of commanding these four rak’ahs and teaching them is an indication that they should be emphasized according to him.
- And since an emphasized actions cannot be established through Qiyas alone, as the opponent also attests, then in presence of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud rd’s teaching, even suspended narration (mawquf) will have to be considered elevated (marfu’) [hukman].
- So the reality of the matter is that the elevated hadiths (marfu’) in this matter, which have been weakened by al-Hafiz in “Fath al-Bari” and Ibn al-Qayyim in “Zad al-Ma’ad” are in fact supplementary to these suspended narrations (mawquf).
The fair assessment is that some of these narrations are good (hasan) and cannot be outrightly labeled as weak (da’eef). Even if conceded, the multiplicity of chains elevates the weak (da’eef) to good (hasan) and the good (hasan) to authentic (saheeh). If each of these reports is not individually good, their totality is at least good (hasan), supporting the narration of Ibn Mas’ud rd with a sound chain.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s Statement
Therefore, Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement that the Sunnah consists of what is established from the Prophet ﷺ through his sayings, actions, or the Sunnah of his rightly guided caliphs, and that there is nothing of that in our issue, is refuted.
Key arguments include:
- Command of Ibn Mas’ud rd is established with a sound chain for the four rak’ahs before Friday.
- Narrations from Ali rd and Ibn Abbas rd: They reported the Prophet ﷺ prayed four rak’ahs before Friday, with good chains.(Mu’jam al Awsat lil Tabarani 2 /172 – # 1617 ; Mu’jam al-Kabeer lil Tabarani 12/129 12647)
- Al-Tabarani’s Narration: From Ibn Mas’ud rd, but his chain is weak and disconnected. (Mu’jam al-Kabeer lil Tabarani 9/310 9551)
- Al-Bazzar’s Narration: From Abu Hurairah rd, stating the Prophet ﷺ prayed two rak’ahs before and four after Friday, with a weak chain. (al-Hafiz has mentioned in Fath al-Bari, Kitab al Jumu’a however could not be found in Musnad.)
- Ibn Najjar’s Narration: Mentioned in “Kanz al-Ummal,” supports the practice of praying four rak’ahs before and after Friday. (Kanzul Ummal li `Alauddin al-Muttaqi 7/749 – #21225)
- Safiyyah Binti Huyay rd: performed four rak’ahs salah before Imam came out for Jumu’ah, then performed two rak’ahs with the Imam. (Nasb al-Raayah lil zayla’ee 2/207; Tabaqat al Kubra – ilmhiya 8/356 under Saafiya #4701) (All narrators are trustworthy except Hafiyah, whose status is uncertain. However al-Hafidh narrated an athar from her and did not comment (Fath al-Bari 2:426 , Bab al Salah ba’d al Jumu’a wa Qabiha)
These several elevated and suspended narrations provide sufficient grounds for argumentation, and Allah knows best.
Some of the references have been updated. ~ ilmHub Team