How Should One Complete the Friday Prayer When Joining It Late?

Answered by Shaykh Fayez Awad 

Question 

How should one complete the Friday prayer when joining it late?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Importance of Friday Prayer

A Muslim needs to be attentive to their prayers in general and, in particular, to the Friday prayer by the command of Allah Most High: “O believers! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, then proceed ˹diligently˺ to the remembrance of Allah and leave off ˹your˺ business. That is best for you, if only you knew.” [Quran, 62:9]

Missing a Unit of the Friday Prayer

If a person misses a unit (rak‘a) of the Friday prayer and catches up with the Imam during the second rak‘a, whether during the Imam’s bowing (ruku‘) or before it, the person is required to make up only the missed unit, totaling one rak‘a.

This ruling is based on the narration of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said: “Whoever catches one rak‘a of the Friday prayer has indeed caught the prayer.” [Ibn Khuzayma, 2.183; Malik, 350; Al-Hakim, 1081; Al-Nasa’i, 1426]

As for someone who joins the Imam after the bowing (ruku’) of the second rak‘a of the Friday prayer, they should form the intention of performing the Dhuhr (noon) prayer. In this case, they should pray four rak‘at as they have missed the Friday prayer. This is based on the narration of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him): “Whoever catches one rak‘a of the Friday prayer should add another rak‘a to it.” [Al-Daraqutni, 1595); Ibn Abi Shayba, 5377; Al-Tabarani, 5377]

Al-Mawardi mentions that if someone catches one rak‘a of the Friday prayer, they have indeed caught the prayer, and if they join during a portion less than a complete rak‘a, they should complete the rest of the prayer as Dhuhr (noon) prayer, prayed during the daytime. [Al-Mawardi, Al-Iqna’, 52]

Imam al-Nawawi states that if someone catches the Imam’s bowing (ruku’) in the second rak‘a of Friday prayer, they have indeed caught the Friday prayer. However, if they join after the Imam has completed the bowing, they have not caught the Friday prayer, and they should stand up after the Imam’s salutation (salam) and pray four rak‘at as the Dhuhr (noon) prayer. [Al-Shirbini, Rawdat al-Talibin; Al-Shirbini, Umdat al-Muftin]

May Allah Most High guide us to maintain and fulfill all His commands in the best manner, for He is All-Hearing and Responsive.