Question:
How many sunnats do you pray after the Jumu’ah farz salaat? I have heard that in one Jumu’ah after Farz salaat 2 rakaats and other Jumma 4. Please tell me.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
There are many narrations regarding the number of sunnat rakaats one should pray after Jumu’ah Salah. In Sahih ul-Bukhari it is mentioned that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam would perform two rak’ats after Jumu’ah. In Sahih Muslim and Sunan al-Tirmidhi Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam advises us to pray four rak’ats after the Fardh of Jumu’ah. Allamah ‘Aini, whilst commentating on the hadith of Bukhari in ‘Umdatul Qaari, narrates a hadith from Sunan-e-Sa’eed ibn Mansoor that it was the practice of Hadhrat Ali Radhiyallahu Anhu to perform six rak’ats after the fardh salah:
Abu Abdur Rahman Sulami says: “Ibn Masood Radhiyallahu Anhu instructed us to perform four rak’ats after Jumu’ah. When Ali Radhiyallahu Anhu came he instructed us to perform six rak’ats.”
We can see from this hadith that Ali Radhiyallahu Anhu told them to pray six rak’ats after seeing them pray four. This shows that Ali Radhiyallahu Anhu practiced on both narrations, four and two rak’ats. Several Sahaabah narrate this. There are also various Imams who hold this opinion, such as ‘Ataa, Sufyan Thawri and Abu Yusuf Rahimahumullah:
However, Imam Abu Yusuf Rahimahullah also says that four rak’ats should be performed first, then two rak’ats. Allamah ‘Aini explains the reason for this: Hadhrat Umar Radhiyallahu Anhu disliked it if the same kind of salah was prayed after:
This is the maslak of the Hanafi school of thought as Allamah Ibn Nujaym has explained in al-Bahr ul-Ra’iq:
By following this stance a person will be acting upon both narrations. Therefore, you should always pray six rak’ats after Jumu’ah Salah. Insha’allah you will receive the reward for practicing on both hadith.