Home » Hanafi Fiqh » Qibla.com » Missing Friday prayers due to being too far from a masjid

Missing Friday prayers due to being too far from a masjid

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

I came to Islaam just over a year ago and alhumdulillah everything is wonderful. I am originally from a small town in the northeastern United States, although I know longer live there. When visiting my family, however (who are not yet Muslim–may Allah guide them) I am not able to go to Jumu’ah prayers on Friday because the nearest masjid is at least two hours away by car; and I am without transportation and much to my dismay I have no way of getting there. In place of this, I have been praying the standard 4 raka dhuhur as well as taking time out of my afternoon to listen to Qur’an and lectures to attempt to ‘substitute’ for Jumu’ah. Is this permissible?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.

It is obligatory for adult Muslim men to attend Friday prayers when they are resident in a town and able to without undue hardship. If the Friday congregation is very far away, this would lift the obligation of attending, and one can pray Zuhr instead. (Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah)

If you choose to take out some time–without deeming it obligatory–for some religious instruction, this would be a noble action.

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

This answer was indexed from Qibla.com, which used to have a repository of Islamic Q&A answered by various scholars. The website is no longer in existence. It has now been transformed into a learning portal with paid Islamic course offering under the brand of Kiflayn.

Read answers with similar topics: