Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamo alaikum

thank you so much for all the queries answered. jazakallah. May Allah reward you to share your useful knowledge with us.

pls. let me know what is right - my house is near the masjid alhumdullilah i can hear adhan, akamah ,khudba. on fridays (Zohar time) being a lady I do my zohar salah at home. my friend said on fridays my zuhar salah i should not say until in the mosque khudbah & jumma gets over. is it right? i do all my salah as the adhan finishes. she says especially fridays (jumma) i must wait and pray. pls. confirm me with your detailed answers pls.

and for other salah to peform at home also i should wait till the akamah or i can start after the adhan.

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Answer:

Pray at adhaan or iqama women

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Angel Jibrael (a.s.) came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said to him, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the noon (dhuhr) prayer when the sun had just passed its meridian. He then came to him (saws) for the afternoon (asr) prayer and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the afternoon (asr) prayer while the length of a shadow of something was similar to the length of the object. Then he came at sunset and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the sunset (magrib) prayer when the sun had just disappeared. Then he came at night and said, "Stand and pray" and they prayed the night (isha) prayer when the twilight had disappeared. He came again when dawn broke (and they prayed the morning (fajr) prayer). Then Jibrael (a.s.) came on the next day at noon and said (to the Messenger of Allah (saws)), "Stand and pray," and they prayed the noon (dhuhr) prayer when the length of the shadow of something was close to the length of the object. Then he came for the afternoon prayer and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the afternoon (asr) prayer when the shadow of something was twice as long as the length of the object. Then he came at the same time (as the previous day) for the sunset (magrib) prayer, without any change. Then he came for the night (isha) prayer after half (or a third) of the night had passed. Then he came when the sky was very yellow and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the morning (fajr) prayer. Then Jibrael (a.s.) said, "Between these times are the times for the prayers.

Related by Bukhari, Ahmad, an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

In light of the above guidance, if one prays the prescribed prayer between the two specified periods, their prayer will be considered on-time; and it was the preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to offer the prescribed obligatory prayers at its earliest times.

The declaration of the ‘adhaan’ from the masjids normally is the signal to the believers that the time of prayer is due.  The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that if a believing sister who offers her prayers at home prays immediately after the completion of the declared ‘adhaan’ from the masjids, including on the day of Jumuah, her prayers would be absolutely valid and acceptable to her Lord. 

Your Question: ……my friend said on fridays my zuhar salah i should not say until in the mosque khudbah & jumma gets over. is it right? ….. she says especially fridays (jumma) i must wait and pray. pls. confirm me with your detailed answers pls.

To the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely nothing in the authentic and established Sunnah which stipulates or requires a believing woman, who intends to offer her Friday mid-day prayer at home, to delay her prayers until the Friday sermon in the masjid is over. 

If the sister wishes to offer her Friday mid-day prayer in the ‘masjid’ with the believers, there is no harm; if the sister wishes to offer her Friday mid-day prayer at home after the declaration of the first adhaan, there is absolutely no harm; and if the sister wishes to offer her Friday mid-day prayer at home until after the sermon is completed in the masjid, there is absolutely no harm either.  Provided she offers her prayers between the time-band allowed for the ‘dhuhr’ prayers, her prayers will be deemed valid and on-time in the Sight of her Lord, Insha Allah.

Your friend who claims that it is unacceptable or required or even meritorious for a believing sister to delay the offering of her Friday mid-day prayers only after the Friday sermon is completed in the masjid, should be asked to provide evidence for her claim from the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws)!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan