How many rak’ahs should be prayed after Jumu’ah?
Question:
What is the correct numbers read a number of sunna and nawafil prayers After the Juma prayers?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There are a number of ahaadeeth which speak of the number of rak’ahs to be prayed after Jumu’ah.
-1-
That the number should be two rak’ahs.
It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer any prayers after Jumu’ah until he left, then he prayed two rak’ahs.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (937) and Muslim (882).
-2-
That the number should be four rak’ahs.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When one of you has prayed Jumu’ah, let him pray four (rak’ahs) afterwards.”
Narrated by Muslim (881).
The scholars differed concerning that and there are a number of opinions based on the differences of these ahaadeeth.
The first view is that one should pray two rak’ahs. This was narrated from the actions of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him).
The second view, which is the view of the majority of fuqaha’, is that it is mustahabb to pray four rak’ahs after Jumu’ah. This was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) and his companions, as it says in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/40-41). This is also the view favoured by the Hanafis, as it says in Radd al-Muhtaar (2/12-13), and it was the view favoured by Imam al-Shaafa’i in al-Umm (7/176) where he said: We say: he should pray four. End quote.
The third view is that one has the choice between two and four.
Imam Ahmad said: If he wishes he may pray two rak’ahs after Jumu’ah, or if he wishes he may pray four. End quote. Al-Mughni (2/109).
The fourth view is that it depends. If a person is offering the Sunnah prayer following Jumu’ah in the mosque, he should pray four rak’ahs and if he is offering it at home he should pray two rak’ahs only.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Our Shaykh Abu’l-‘Abbaas ibn Taymiyah said: If he prays in the mosque he should pray four and if he prays in his house he should pray two rak’ahs.
I (Ibn al-Qayyim) said: This is what is indicated by the ahaadeeth. Abu Dawood narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that when he prayed in the mosque he prayed four and when he prayed in his house he prayed two rak’ahs. End quote.
Zaad al-Ma’aad (1/417).
This view was favoured by the scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas.
See: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (6/131).
The fifth view is that it is mustahabb to pray six rak’ahs. This is what is narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) and from a number of the salaf. See: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/40-41). This is the view favoured by Abu Yoosuf and al-Tahhaawi among the Hanafis. See Sharh Ma’aani al-Aathaar (1/337). It was also narrated from Imam Ahmad as mentioned by Ibn Qudaamah in al-Mughni. Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab regarded it as strange in al-Qawaa’id (p. 15).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
How can we reconcile between the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “When one of you has prayed Jumu’ah, let him pray four (rak’ahs) afterwards”, and his actions when he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed two rak’ahs in his house?
He replied:
The scholars differed concerning this.
Some of them said that he prayed six rak’ahs, two rak’ahs based on his actions and four based on his words. This is one view.
Another view is that what counts is the words, which is that one should pray four rak’ahs, so the Sunnah prayer after Jumu’ah is four rak’ahs.
The third view is that it depends. If one prays in the mosque then it should be four rak’ahs and if he prays at home it should be two.
This is the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him).
Praise be to Allaah, the matter is broad in scope, i.e., if a person goes home and prays four rak’ahs with two tasleems, that is good and does no harm in sha Allaah. End quote.
Liqaa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh (no. 214, question no. 8).
It seems – and Allaah knows best – that the choice is between two rak’ahs or four, and differentiating between praying in the mosque or at home. The matter is broad in scope. And Allaah knows best.
Note:
It may be understood from the question that they offer this regular Sunnah in congregation. If that is the case then this is contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
In the case of naafil prayers, it is better to offer them individually, but if they are occasionally offered in congregation it does not matter. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 38606.
And Allaah knows best.