Friday is the special day of the week in Islam. The Quran says in Surah al-Jumu’ah (62:9): “O you who believe, when the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade.” Here is what matters about the Friday prayer.

When is the Friday prayer?

The Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) is prayed at the time of Dhuhr and replaces Dhuhr on that day. It consists of the khutbah (sermon), usually in two parts, and two rak’ahs prayed in congregation.

In the UK, Dhuhr begins at roughly 11:50 to 12:30 in winter and roughly 13:00 to 13:30 in summer, depending on the city and date. Many mosques announce fixed times for the khutbah, and larger mosques often hold more than one. The exact Dhuhr time is on each city page, for example London, Birmingham or Manchester; on Fridays it is labelled Jumu’ah there.

Who is it obligatory for?

According to the majority of scholars, the Friday prayer is obligatory for adult, healthy men who are resident in the place. It is not obligatory for women, travellers or the sick; they pray Dhuhr. If they attend the Friday prayer anyway, it is valid and replaces Dhuhr.

Sunnah on Friday

Several practices are narrated for Friday:

  • Ghusl: the full bath before the Friday prayer (narrated in al-Bukhari), together with clean clothes and, for men, a pleasant scent.
  • Come early: according to the narrations, those who go to the mosque early receive a greater reward.
  • Listen to the khutbah: during the sermon one stays silent. According to a narration in al-Bukhari, even saying “be quiet!” to your neighbour during the khutbah counts as idle talk.
  • Surah al-Kahf: many recite the 18th surah on Friday, based on narrations that a number of scholars consider authentic.
  • Salawat: sending many blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him) is especially narrated for Friday.
  • Dua: according to al-Bukhari and Muslim, there is an hour on Friday in which supplications are accepted. Many seek it in the last hour before Maghrib.

Work and school

If you work or study, the Friday prayer can often be combined with the lunch break. It is worth speaking to your employer or school early; many city mosques offer khutbahs at convenient times.

In the Nur app

On Fridays, Nur automatically labels Dhuhr as Jumu’ah, and the widget counts down to the next prayer. You can hang habits such as “Surah al-Kahf” on a prayer and tick them off every Friday. Get Nur for free.