The Ruling on Praying Two Rakʿahs Before the Friday Prayer

QUESTION ❓

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

What is the Islamic ruling on praying two rakʿahs before the Friday prayer?

May Allah have mercy on our parents and reward them with Jannatul Firdaus.

ANSWER ❗️

Wa Alaikumussalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

May Allah reward you for your question.

Regarding praying two rakʿahs before the Friday prayer, it is important to distinguish between general voluntary prayer, Tahiyyatul Masjid, and claiming that there is a specific, regularly established two-rakʿah Sunnah before Jumuʿah similar to the Sunnah prayer before Ẓuhr.

1. Is There a Specific Two-Rakʿah Sunnah Before Jumuʿah?

There is no authentic hadith establishing that the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed two specific rakʿahs immediately before the Friday prayer as a fixed Sunnah, in the same manner as the established Sunnah prayers connected to Ẓuhr.

Therefore, it is better not to describe two rakʿahs before Jumuʿah as a fixed Sunnah with a specific prescribed number unless there is evidence for that claim.

However, this does not mean that voluntary prayer before Jumuʿah is prohibited.

2. What Should a Person Pray When He Arrives Early?

If a person arrives at the mosque before the Friday sermon begins, he may pray voluntary prayers according to what Allah makes easy for him.

If he has just entered the mosque, he should pray two rakʿahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid before sitting.

The Prophet ﷺ said to Sulaik al-Ghaṭafānī رضي الله عنه when he came to the mosque while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the sermon:

«إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ فِيهِمَا»

Transliteration:
Idhā jā’a aḥadukum yawma al-jumuʿati wal-imāmu yakḥṭubu fal-yarkaʿ rakʿatayn wal-yatajawwaz fīhimā.

Translation:
“When any one of you comes on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon, let him pray two rakʿahs and make them brief.”

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.

This clearly establishes the two rakʿahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid even when the sermon has already begun.

3. Can a Person Pray More Than Two Rakʿahs Before Jumuʿah?

Yes. If someone arrives early, he may perform voluntary prayers before the imam begins the sermon.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

«بَيْنَ كُلِّ أَذَانَيْنِ صَلَاةٌ، بَيْنَ كُلِّ أَذَانَيْنِ صَلَاةٌ، بَيْنَ كُلِّ أَذَانَيْنِ صَلَاةٌ، لِمَنْ شَاءَ»

Transliteration:
Bayna kulli adhānayni ṣalāh, bayna kulli adhānayni ṣalāh, bayna kulli adhānayni ṣalāh, liman shā’a.

Translation:
“Between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer; between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer; between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer”—and he said, “for whoever wishes.”

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.

This indicates the permissibility of voluntary prayer between the adhān and iqāmah, while the words “for whoever wishes” show that it is not obligatory.

4. What If the Imam Has Already Started the Sermon?

If a person enters the mosque while the imam is delivering the Friday sermon, he should not sit down immediately. Rather, he should perform two brief rakʿahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid, then sit and listen attentively to the sermon.

This is based on the authentic hadith mentioned above.

Once the sermon has begun, a person should give his attention to the khutbah rather than occupying himself with additional voluntary prayers.

Conclusion

Praying two rakʿahs before Jumuʿah is not prohibited.

If a person enters the mosque, the two rakʿahs can be Tahiyyatul Masjid. If he arrives early, he may also pray voluntary prayers before the sermon.

However, it is important not to claim, without authentic evidence, that the Prophet ﷺ established a specific fixed two-rakʿah Sunnah before Jumuʿah in the same way as the regular Sunnah prayer before Ẓuhr.

The important thing is to distinguish between what is established by the Sunnah and what is simply permissible voluntary worship.

May Allah help us follow the Sunnah correctly, accept our acts of worship, forgive our shortcomings, and have mercy upon our parents.

Wallāhu Taʿālā Aʿlam — And Allah knows best.

Zauren Fatawoyi Bisa Al-Qur’ani da Sunnah

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