Fatwa ID: 09072
Answered by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Question:
If a person has a job that doesn’t allow him to go for Jumuah, is it fardh for him to leave that job?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Performing the Jumu’ah prayer is an obligation upon every free, adult, male resident who has no excuse.[1]
Allah ﷻ says in Surah Al-Jumu’ah, verse 9-10, the following:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوۡمِ ٱلۡجُمُعَةِ فَٱسۡعَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُواْ ٱلۡبَيۡعَۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
“O You who believe, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu’ah, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.”
In light of this, every effort should be made to attend Jumu‘ah consistently and not neglect it. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“مَنْ تَرَكَ ثَلاَثَ جُمَعٍ تَهَاوُنًا بِهَا طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ”
“Whoever missed three Jumu’ahs out of negligence, Allah will place a seal over his heart.” –Sunan Al-Nasa’i, Hadith #1369.
If an individual has a job that does not allow him to go for Jumu’ah, and all avenues have been exhausted to either (a) be excused from work during the time of Jumu’ah or (b) establish the Jumu’ah prayer at work with other fellow Muslims, then it will obligatory for him to leave that job and seek alternative employment where he is able to fulfill the obligation of Jumu’ah prayer.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
وأجمعوا على أن الجمعة واجبة على الأحرار البالغين المقيمين الذي لا عذر لهم
[الإجماع لابن المنذر، كتاب الصلاة، صفحة ٤٠، دار المسلم للنشر والتوزيع]