Message #18830

[Heba E. Husseyn]

How many rakats in Jum'aa salat?

This query was put to my husband and me by a hardworking brother returning to Islam (Alhumdulilah) after living many years with his secular family.  And as you know, Jum'aa is always offered in congregation, the word "Jum'aa" means congregation. 

In case other new Muslims would also like to get more details on this topic, the fard or obligatory rakats in Jum'aa are two.  First the sermon by the imam, then 2 fard rakats.  This is often followed by the standard pattern of Dohr salat, that is, 4 sunnah rakats (or call it nafl if you wish), followed by another 4 sunnah rakats and finally followed by another 2 sunnah rakats.  The only difference is that in regular Dohr prayer, it's 4 sunnah (or nafl), then 4 fard and then 2 sunnah (or nafl).  In regard to Jum'aa prayer, you can also offer the sunnah or nafl rakats after returning home, though many a times the imam offers the sunnah rakats also in the masjid.  I think the purpose of praying 10 sunnah or nafl rakats after the 2 fard Jum'aa rakats is not to miss out on that many extra rakats of prayers even if they are optional.   But for Jum'aa the 2 fard rakats must be in the masjid with congregation.  It should be noted that if you cannot go to the masjid to offer Jum'aa with congregation and instead offer your prayer at home, it will be taken as regular Dohr salat, not Jum'aa. 

There are conflicting views on the number of non-fard rakats (Sunnah / nafl) for Jum'aa which arise from conflicting ahadith and varying opinions of different Sunni and Shiia sub-sects (madhabs).   Please ignore the complicated differences.