* Friday Prayers - - - We are a group of men working far away from
our homes and families, in a place where there are no people living,
andno buildings or mosques. The time we spend at work is equal to the
time we spend in our homes, i.e., we workfor 28 days in return for 28
days off. This continues all year round,and we work for 12 hours each
day.
What about holding Jumu'ah prayers in this place – is it obligatory ornot?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not obligatory to pray Jumu'ah in this place, rather you should
pray Zuhr, because you are not permanent residents there and there are
no permanent residents with whom you can pray Jumu'ah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked about some people
who left the city to work in agriculture, and they stayed there for as
long as the work lasted, no less than two to four months each year. It
is difficult for them to go back to the city to pray Jumu'ah whilst
they are working. Is Jumu'ah prayer obligatory for them? Is
itpermissible for them to hold Jumu'ah prayers in their work place or
not, or do they have to go to the city even though that is difficult
for them?Or is it waived in their case as it is for travellers? What
is the length of time in the workplace at which Jumu'ah is waived for
them?
They replied:
If the farms on which they work are permanently inhabited, then they
have to pray Jumu'ah, with the permanent residents. They can pray with
themor with others with whom it is easy for themto pray Jumu'ah,
because of the general meaning of the evidencewhich indicates that
Jumu'ah is obligatory and it is obligatory to make the effort to
attend Jumu'ah prayers.
If those who work on these farms can hear theadhaan for Jumu'ah from
their village or from another village near their farms, then they must
go and pray with the congregation (jamaa'ah) of the Muslims, because
of the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the
Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumu'ah prayer), come to the remembrance of
Allaah [Jumu'ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)]"
[al-Jumu'ah 63:9]
If there are no permanent residents on these farms and they cannot
hear the adhaan for Jumu'ah from the village that is near their farm,
they do not have to pray Jumu'ah but theyshould pray Zuhr in
congregation.
There were tribes and farms in the al-'Awaali districts around
Madeenah at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), and he did not command the people there to come to Jumu'ah
prayers. If he had, that would have been narrated. This indicates that
it is not obligatory for such people because of the hardship involved.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta', 8/221, 222
And they also said:
If the company for which you are working is not in a place where
Jumu'ah prayers are held or near such a place, and there are no
permanent residents in the company for whom Jumu'ah is obligatory, you
do not have to offer Jumu'ah prayers, rather you have to pray Zuhr.
But if the company is in a place where Jumu'ah prayers are held or
near such a place and you canhear the adhaan, or there are permanent
residents for whom Jumu'ah is obligatory, then you have to pray
Jumu'ah with the permanent residents of that place or company.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 8/220.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about some
students living away from home and the ruling on holding Jumu'ah
prayers in foreign lands. He replied:
The scholars have stated that you and people like you do not have to
hold Friday prayers, and thereis some dispute as to whether Friday
prayers offered by you are valid. Rather what you have todo is to pray
Zuhr, because you are more akin to travellers and those who live in
the desert. Jumu'ah is only obligatory for permanent residents. The
evidence for that is the fact that the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) did not command travellers or those living in the
desert to pray Jumu'ah, and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not do that when he was travelling, and neither did his
companions (mayAllaah be pleased with them). It is proven in thesaheeh
ahaadeeth that during the Farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Zuhr in 'Arafah on a Friday;
he did not pray Jumu'ah or command the pilgrims todo so, because they
came under the ruling on travellers. I do not know of any differing
opinion among the scholars of Islam regarding this matter, praise be
to Allaah, apartfrom some odd views among some of the Taabi'een, with
which we need not concern ourselves.
But if there are some permanent Muslim residents who pray Jumu'ah
there, then it is prescribed in sharee'ah for you and others like you
who are staying in that place temporarily inorder to seek knowledge,
do business,etc, to pray with them sothat you may attain the virtue of
praying Jumu'ah. Some the scholars have stated thatit is obligatory
for the traveller to join the permanent residents if he stays in a
place whereJumu'ah prayers are held and his stay exceeds the period
during which shorteningthe prayers is allowed.
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