Friday, October 17, 2008

Permissibility For Multiple Jumu'ah

Munyatul Musolli 12th October 2008

Need for Multiple Jumu'ah
Due to various reasons (masjid overflowing etc), it could be inevitable that multiple Jumu'ah be performed in a single vicinity. The final position of Mazhab Syafi'i (Qaul Mu'tamad) is that it is permissible to do this in accordance with the need. However, significant to note that:

  • Jumu'ah performed in the first (main) masjid is accepted. It is not allowed (haram) to follow it with Zuhur.
  • Jumu'ah at other masjids due to the need are also accepted. It is sunnah to follow those Jumu'ah with Zuhur in respect of the other qaul that disallows multiple Jumu'ah.
40 People To Make It Valid
Jumu'ah is not accepted if you have doubt that there are 40 qualified congregants in the masjid. However if you sure there 40 present, you need not make sure every one of them perform their solah correctly.

Some people claim that within mazhab Syafi'i itself, there is a Qaul Qadim (older position) that permits Jumu'ah with only 3 congregants. We counter that fallacy as follows:
  1. Did Imam Syafi'i himself said that? Ulama disagree on this. Hence this is a weak argument.
  2. Even if Imam Syafi'i had said that, this allowance had been directed specifically at people of rural communities where it is difficult to group together 40 congregants. And this permissibility was merely harus (allowed), netiher sunnah (encouraged) nor wajib (compulsory).
As a general rule, steering away from committing haram is more preferred than threading the difficult line trying to commit a sunnah. Considering importance of solah, falling into this trap is very grave and catastrophic to the ummah as a whole. Performing solah incorrectly due to lack of learning is equivalent to no solah at all.

We should follow the stronger position that says 'haram' (disallowed) to perform Jumu'ah with less than 40 congregants.

The authorities is responsible to make sure all muslims learn and be well-informed. They have the rights to hand out harsh punishment to the jama'ah that ignore the 40-congregant rule. This is part of commanding to do good and preventing from doing bad. Authorities that fail to enforce this will place the sin of muslims onto themselves.

Said Ustaz Zakaria:
  1. Basic ruling of Mazhab Syafi'i is that only one Jumu'ah performed within a vicinity. Exception given if the masjid cannot accommodate all congregants.
  2. Don't worry if you have exactly 40 people, and there are unlearned people among them. Jumu'ah still valid.
  3. It is preferred we follow the position that says Jumu'ah is invalid if you have less than 40 people. Play it safe.
  4. We seek islamic knowledge to satisfy the obligation of seeking knowledge. We don't do it for the sake of paper certificates.
  5. It is no good if you don't know basics of Islam, even if you hold high-ranking job.
Wallahu a'lam

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