What Sunnah Prayers Are to Be Performed Before and After Jumuʿah?

Question: I do not know what to pray after the Adhan of Jumuʿah, and what to pray after the Jumuʿah prayer. Are there Sunnah prayers?

Summary:

• Before Jumuʿah: There is no specific regular Sunnah, but you may pray whatever voluntary rakʿahs you are able until the imam comes out. • After Jumuʿah: • If you pray in the masjid: the best is four rakʿahs. • If you pray in the house: the best is two rakʿahs.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

First: The Sunnah before the Jumuʿah prayer:

1. It has not been established from the Prophet ﷺ that he prayed a specific regular Sunnah before Jumuʿah, but he would encourage praying voluntary prayers without a fixed number before it for whoever came to the masjid.

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 883, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 857Narrated by Salmān al-Fārisī (may Allah be pleased with him):
      The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for the Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays as much as (Allah has) written for him and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven."

      His saying: “then prays as much as (Allah has) written for him” is evidence that the prayer before Jumuʿah is an unrestricted voluntary prayer after entering the masjid until the imam comes out, and it has no fixed number.

    Second: The Sunnah after the Jumuʿah prayer There is more than one way established in the Sunnah: 1. In the masjid: Four rakʿahs after Jumuʿah.

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 881aNarrated by Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
      The Prophet ﷺ said: "When any one of you observes the Jumu'a prayer (two obligatory rak'ahs in congregation), he should observe four (rak'ahs) afterwards."

    2. In the house: Two rakʿahs after Jumuʿah.

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 937, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 882Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
      Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to pray two rak`at before the Zuhr prayer and two rak`at after it. He also used to pray two rak`at after the Maghrib prayer in his house, and two rak`at after the `Isha' prayer. He never prayed after Jumua prayer till he departed (from the Mosque), and then he would pray two rak`at at home.

      Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said in Zad al-Maʿad: “The Prophet ﷺ, if he prayed in the masjid, he would pray four, and if he prayed in his house, he would pray two.”

    Third: From the actions and statements of the Salaf

    From the Salaf:

    • Ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both
      Ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to pray two rakʿahs in his house after Jumuʿah, following the Prophet ﷺ.
    • Ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him
      Ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him, used to pray four after Jumuʿah in the masjid.
    • Imam Ahmad said:
      “The matter in this is broad, if he wishes he prays two, and if he wishes he prays four, but if he prays in the masjid then the best is four, and if he prays in the house then the best is two.”

    And Allah knows best.

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