Can I pray Jumu’ah prayers from my HOME following an Imaam that I can hear close by or on “live TV” or online?

by Asma bint Shameem

ANSWER

No it’s not allowed to offer ANY prayer following an Imaam or congregation on television or online, or even if the masjid is close by and you can hear the Imaam from your home.

Such a prayer is NOT VALID.

In order for our prayer to count, we must fulfill the following conditions

1. We should be PHYSICALLY present as PART of the congregation

2. The rows of the people praying should be UNINTERRUPTED and CONTINUOUS.

🍃Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said about this issue:

“It is not permissible for anyone to follow the Imaam via radio or TV, because prayer in “congregation” means being “together” in the same place, so it has to be in one place and the rows should be connected to one another (i.e. immediately behind one another).

It is NOT PERMISSIBLE to pray via radio or TV because they do not meet these criteria.

If we were to allow that, anyone could pray all five prayers in his house, and Jumu’ah too.

This goes against the wisdom behind the prescription of Jumu’ah prayer and prayer in congregation.

Based on this, it is not permissible for women or anyone else to pray following the radio or TV.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.”

[Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (15/213)]

🔺Besides, think about it this way:

“IF” praying in your home following the Imaam from far, without actually being physically present in the masjid was okay, why would the Sahaabah have joined the Jama’ah in the masjid?

They would have each just prayed in their homes.

After all, their houses were right there, next to the masjid.

And they could ‘hear’the Prophet ﷺ lead the prayer.

Yet they would actually, physically get out of their houses and GO to the masjid and join the Imaam for each prayer.

🔺Conclusion:

It’s not allowed to follow the Imaam in prayer from home, irrespective of whether the Imaam is on TV or close by and you can hear him.

You must actually, physically, be present at the masjid in order for your prayer to count.

And Allaah knows best.