Since Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah Is Cancelled Due to COVID-19, Is It Allowed To Go To Work on Friday by Shaykh Dr. ʿAbdullah ibn Ṣulfīq aẓ-Ẓafīrī

Pivotal Quote

“So that is when the call is made for the prayer, when the adhān is called for Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah. If there is no Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah and there is no adhān, then there is no problem if the Muslim continues to work during this time and prays Ẓuhr four rakʿāt at work.”

Question:

Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah has been cancelled in my land, so if I am at work on Friday, is it permissible for me to pray Ẓuhr at work or do I have to stop working at the time of Jumuʿah like we normally have to do because we are not allowed to work when the Jumuʿah prayer is going on?

Answer:

The person prays at work if he is at work at the normal time for Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah; he prays Ẓuhr four rakʿāt at work. If he is at home, then he prays Ẓuhr four rakʿāt at home. And there is no problem, even if he is at work on Friday afternoon, that he prays Ẓuhr four rakʿāt and then continues working. Because the reason why we stop working on Fridays is to attend the Jumuʿah prayer, not simply because it is that day, but in order to free ourselves up for Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah. Allāh (عز وجل) says,

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ  ﴿ 

“O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Ṣalāt (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumuʿah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allāh [Jumuʿah religious talk (Khuṭbah) and Ṣalāt (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing)” [Sūrah al-Jumuʿah 62:9]

So that is when the call is made for the prayer, when the adhān is called for Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah. If there is no Ṣalāh al-Jumuʿah and there is no adhān, then there is no problem if the Muslim continues to work during this time and prays Ẓuhr four rakʿāt at work.

And so Friday for the Muslims is like the rest of the days. We continue to work and seek our livelihood on that day. We do not stop working; we do not have a Sabbath. We continue to work on Friday, so there is no problem with working and praying Ẓuhr in this situation.

 

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