How to Pray Jummah While Traveling?
In the religion of Islam, Almighty Allah has provided us with many conveniences in worshiping. As a matter of fact, travel is one of these situations because for a person who leaves his place of residence to travel, there may be difficulties in performing the prayer on time or in accordance with the conditions of worship. One of these situations is the loss of the Friday prayer obligation during the journey.
If you are traveling on Friday, you might wonder how to pray Jummah while travelling and if it is compulsory to pray Jummah while travelling. In Islam, the Jummah prayer time is not obliged to perform the those who are as travellers during Jummah time. Therefore if you are wondering how to pray Jummah while travelling, you should know that without a doubt this Jummah (and also Eid) prayers are not obligatory for the traveller.
Below, you can find detailed information about how the Prophet performed Friday prayers during a journey.
Is It Compulsory to Pray Jummah While Traveling?
It is stated as follows in Hadith:
Abu’l-‘Aliyat al-Bara’ reported: ‘’ I said to ‘Abdullah b. Samit: We say our Jummah prayer behind those rulers who defer the prayer. He (‘Abdullah b. Samit), struck. my thigh that I felt pain and said: I asked Abu Dharr about it, he struck my thigh and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) about it. Upon this he said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and treat prayer along with them (along with those Imams who deter prayer) as Nafl. ‘Abdullah said: It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) struck the thigh of Abd Dharr. ‘’ (Muslim, Book 4, Number 1359)
On the other hand it states in al-Sharh al-Kabeer (2/154):
“Whoever of these people – travellers, slaves and women – attends Jumu’ah, does not have to pray Zuhr, and we know of no dispute on this point.’’
Based on this, it is emphasized that it is not compulsory to perform Jummah prayers for travellers. It is clearly stated that people who are considered travellers do not have to perform Jummah prayers and attend Jummah Khutbah. Our religion has clearly brought convenience for travelers.
Despite this convenience, if a traveller finds an opportunity to pray Jummah, İslamic scholars agree that it will be a substitute for the Dhuhr prayer. Because a prayer to a person only becomes fard on time.
How Was Prophet (ﷺ) Performing Jummah While Travelling?
The actions of Our Prophet (ﷺ) are considered as Sunnah in our religion, and Sunnah is one of the four basic sources of Islam. For this reason, it is very important for us to know whether the Prophet performed the Friday prayer while traveling.
As we all know, the Messenger of Allah often had to travel for various reasons. For example, he organized more than twenty military campaigns. However, there is no reported record that he performed Jummah prayer or the Eid prayer during any of his travels. On the other hand, the Prophet (ﷺ) continued his journey by performing the Fard prayers and if these prayers can be shortened, he performed only 2 Rakats of them.
It should be also clearly stated that for those wondering if the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Jummah while travelling, there are no reports that say he preached a khutbah on a Friday when he was travelling or standing on his own two feet or from atop his camel, as he used to do on Eid, or from a minbar, as he used to do on Fridays.
As explained from above, Friday prayer and Khutba are not obligatory for travelers. A person traveling on Friday at noon is obligated only to perform the Dhuhr prayer. If you are wondering how to perform salah while traveling and how to shorten the prayer while traveling, you can find more information about these questions by clicking here.
Travelling on Friday Before The Prayer Is Due
Another subject of concern to our Muslim brothers and sisters on Friday is whether is it allowed to travel before the time of Friday prayers. Because in this case, the person starts the journey without waiting for the time of Jummah prayer. As regards travelling before the time of the Friday prayer begins, some Islamic scholars agree that it is permissible, others are of the view that it is disliked, yet others are of the view that it is forbidden.
According to the view of scholars of Shafi’i, it is considered haram for a person who is obliged to perform the Friday prayer to depart after Fajr on Friday. However, it is not haram for a person who thinks that he can perform the Friday prayer while on the road, or who goes on a fard journey such as a pilgrimage to which he is afraid that the time is getting shorter, or if he has to be afraid of being alone. But it is not makruh to set out before dawn.
According to the view of scholars of Hanafi, it is makruh to leave the city until the Jummah prayer is performed after the first adhan of Friday is recited. But it is not makruh to leave the city before zawal.
However it is always better for a Muslim to delay his travel until after praying the Friday prayer in order to avoid the difference of opinion. Unless there is a need to travel before the Jummah prayer, in which case it is permissible to travel on the condition that one travels before the starting time of the Friday prayer.
Finally, it should be remembered that Islamic Scholars disagree on this issue only in terms of people who do not have a dire need to travel at that time. Because if he has really an unavoidable situation to travel, then this is permissible to travel before or at time of Friday prayer.
Allah Knows The Best.