Going to Jumu'ah Salat early!

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu wa maghfiratuh! I have noticed that most masjids I have attended over the years that many Muslims arrive for Jumu'ah Salat after the Khutbah has started! Ignorance is costly! The person who arrives after the Khutbah has started will not receive any of the many blessings for attending. They are not even listed as having being there! When they perform the salat with those who came early they will receive only the blessing of performing Zuhr salat. Wow! I want to receive as many blessings I can - not just one!

Going To Masjid Early:

In the Jumu'ah salat, the Khutbah is before the prayer and the more early a person goes for prayer, the greater the chances of him listening more of the remembrance of Allah Almighty. In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said in a hadith:

“On the day of Jumu'ah, the angels stand at the entrance of the Masjid in which Jumu'ah Salat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the Masjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continuing doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the Khutbah commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the Khutbah.” (Muslim)

This hadith of Prophet (SAW) tells of a variety of things about Jumu'ah salat. The first thing is that those who come to the prayer earlier receive a higher or greater reward compared to those who arrive later. Secondly, if one enters the masjid once the Khutbah has started then one does not receive any special reward, rather at that time the reward left for a person is of a regular Zuhr salat. Therefore, if you wish to attain greater reward, then you must ensure that you arrive at the masjid as early as possible and listen to Khutbah prior to offering salat.

May Allah (SWT) bless every Muslims to attend Jumu'ah Salat early! Ameen! 

Salatul Eid and Salatul Jumu'ah on the same day!

BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi w barakatuhu wa maghfiratuh! According to the following ahadith a person having performed salatul Eid can choice to perform or not to perform salatul Jumu'ah. The imam should perform salatul Jumu'ah for those who missed salatul Eid and for those who did not miss it but wish to perform salatul Jumu'ah, Allah alim!

Fiqh us-Sunnah (vol. 2, page 145)

Salatul Jumu'ah and Salatul 'Id occurring on the same day: "If the day of 'Id occurs on Jumu'ah, then salatul Jumu'ah is no longer an obligation upon those who performed the salatul 'Id.

"Zaid ibn Arqam says: "The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam prayed the salatul 'id and then he gave an exemption concerning the Jumu'ah, saying: 'Whoever wishes to pray it may pray it.'" This is related by the five and al-Hakim. Ibn Khuzaimah calls it sahih.

Abu Hurairah reports that the prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "Two festivals have occurred together on this day of yours. For whosoever desires, this will suffice for his salatul Jumu'ah, but we are going to perform salatul Jumu'ah." This is related by Abu Dawud.

It is preferred for the imam to perform the Jumu'ah so anyone who wishes to perform it may do so as well as those who were not able to attend the 'id prayer. The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "We are going to perform the salatul Jumu'ah."

According to the Hanbali school, the zuhr is obligatory upon anyone who does not attend the salatul Jumu'ah because he has performed the 'id prayer. Nevertheless, it apparently is not obligatory as there is a hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud in which Ibn az-Zubair says: "'Id and Jumu'ah occurred on the same day so he joined them and prayed two rak'at at an early time, and did not add anything to it until 'asr."

Commentary:

Allah (SWT) is extremely Merciful and He does not put His man through unnecessary difficulty to practice the Deen! He (SWT) requires the Muslims to attend Jumu'ah, which has the khutbah; He (SWT), also, requires Muslims to attend Salatul Eid which has the khutbah! When they both are on the same day this could cause a hardship on many who try to attend both, so, alhamdulillah He (SWT) has given a choice if one has a problem attending both khutbahs,that is, to attend Salatul Eid only.

There is no abrogating any congregational salah! Salatul Jumu'ah must still be held! Note: if one choices not to attend Salatul Jumu'ah then they must pray Salatul Zuhr! Ma'a salaam!