What to do if Eid falls on a Friday

by Asma bint Shameem

If Eid falls on a Friday, then the strongest opinion among the ulama is that if a person attends the Eid prayer, then he does not ‘HAVE’ to attend the Jumu’ah prayer, though if he would attend BOTH, that would be great.

But if they chose to attend the Eid prayer only and did not attend the Friday prayer, then of course they would still have to pray Dhuhr.

📌Proof:

🍃 Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan asked Zayd ibn Arqam radhi Allaahu anhum:

“Did you ever witness with the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ  two Eids that happened on the same day?

He said: Yes.

He said: What did he do?

He said:

He offered the Eid prayer, then he granted a concession allowing people to miss Jumu‘ah prayer, and he said: “Whoever wishes to pray (Jumu‘ah), let him do so.”

(Ahmad, Abu Dawood, an-Nasaa’i, Ibn Maajah, ad-Daarimi, and al-Mustadrak; saheeh isnaad)

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Eid prayer and Friday prayer have fallen on the same day, today.

Whoever prays ‘Eid prayer, Friday prayer is not obligatory on him.

As for us, we are going to pray Friday prayer”. (Abu Dawood- authentic by al-Albaani)

🍃 Abu ‘Ubayd, the freed slave of Ibn Azhar, said:

“I was present on the occasion of two Eids (together) with ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan; that was on a Friday.

He offered the (Eid) prayer before the khutbah, then delivered the khutbah and said:

“O people, on this day two Eids have come to you together, so whoever wants to wait for Jumu‘ah with the people of al-‘Awaali, let him do so, and whoever wants to go back, then I gave him permission to do so.”

(al-Bukhaari 5571)

🍃Shaykh ibn al-Uthaymeen said:

“If the ‘Eid coincides with al-Jumu’ah, whether it be ‘Eid al Fitr or Eid al Adhaa, then it is obligatory that the ‘Eid prayer is prayed and that Jumu’ah is prayed.

Then it is said to whoever prayed ‘Eid prayer and was not the Imaam, if he wishes he may pray Jumu’ah or if he wishes he may pray Dhuhr in his home instead.

This is the summary of the issue.”

This was the opinion of many of the Sahaabah such as Omar, Uthman, Ibn Masoud, Ibn Abbas and others, radhi Allaahu anhum ajma’een.

Ibn Taymiyyah had the same opinion and said: “and there is no knowledge of any disagreement among them (the Sahaabah) on this.

🍃Ibn Taymiyyah said:

“Moreover, if someone attends Eid Salaah, he has already obtained the objective of the congregation (on Friday), so he prays Dhuhr if he did not attend Jumu’ah Salaah.

Dhuhr Salaah will remain on time and Eid Salaah achieves for him the purpose of Jumu’ah congregation.

Keeping the obligation of Jumu’ah (binding)on people will definitely cause hardship for them, and would ruin the purpose of Eid, and the reason it was prescribed for to show joy and happiness.

Hence, if people were held back from enjoying their time ( in order to attend Jumu’ah Salaah) Eid will cause an adverse result and negates its purpose.”

🍃Shaikh Saleh al-Fawzaan said:

“If ‘Eid prayer falls on the same day as Friday prayer, whoever prays ‘Eid prayer, it is not obligatory for him to pray Friday prayer.

Rather Friday prayer becomes recommended (sunnah) for him.

However, as it relates to the Imam [of the community], it is obligatory for him to pray both ‘Eid prayer and Friday prayer. He can not leave off Friday prayer because those who choose to pray Friday prayer need an Imam. (Fawzaan 2/257).”

What about Dhuhr?

Obviously the obligation of Dhuhr is till there.

So whoever does not pray Jumu’ah still has to pray Dhuhr.

🍃The scholars of the Standing Committee said regarding Eid falling on a Friday.

The Committee has issued the following rulings: 

1. Whoever attends the Eid prayer has a concession allowing him not to attend Jumu‘ah prayer, so he may pray it as Dhuhr at the time of Zuhr. But if he decides to pray Jumu‘ah with the people, that is preferable. 

2. Whoever has not attended the Eid prayer is not included in that concession, therefore the obligation to attend Jumu‘ah is not waived in his case.

Therefore he must go to the masjid in order to pray Jumu‘ah. If there are insufficient numbers to perform Jumu‘ah prayer, then he should pray it as dhuhr. 

3. The imam of the Jumu‘ah masjid must hold Jumu‘ah prayers on that day so that those who wish to attend, and those who did not attend the Eid prayer, may attend Jumu‘ah. If sufficient numbers of people attend for Jumu‘ah prayer, then Jumu‘ah prayer must be offered, otherwise it should be offered as Dhuhr. 

4. Whoever attends the Eid prayer and has a concession allowing him not to attend Jumu‘ah must pray it as Zuhr after the time for Dhuhr begins. 

5. At this time it is not prescribed to give the adhaan except in the mosques where Jumu‘ah prayers will be held. It is not prescribed to give the adhaan for dhuhr on that day. 

6. The view that whoever attends the Eid prayer has a concession waiving both Jumu‘ah and dhuhr prayer on that day is an incorrect view. Therefore it is rejected by the scholars and they have deemed it to be mistaken and odd, because it is contrary to the Sunnah and suggests that one of the obligatory duties enjoined by Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is to be waived with no evidence to that effect.

Perhaps the Sunnahs and reports about this issue – which grant a concession allowing the one who attended the Eid prayer not to attend Jumu‘ah, but state that he must still pray dhuhr – did not reach the one who said that.”

(Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah)

And Allaah knows best.