How to pray jumu'ah, step by step
1. Prepare at home. The Prophet ﷺ urged the full-body wash (ghusl) before the Friday prayer:
"Ghusl on Friday is a duty upon everyone who has reached maturity." - Sahih al-Bukhari 858, Sahih Muslim 846
Put on clean clothes, use perfume if you can, and go to the mosque in good time - arriving early carries its own reward:
"When Friday comes, angels stand at the door of the mosque recording the first to arrive, then the next. When the imam sits down, they close their scrolls and listen to the reminder." - Sahih al-Bukhari 929, Sahih Muslim 850
2. During the khutbah: listen in silence. The khutbah is part of the worship, not a waiting time. The Prophet ﷺ stressed silence so strongly that even hushing someone else counts as idle talk (Sahih al-Bukhari 934, Sahih Muslim 851). Read more in our piece on adab during the khutbah.
3. The prayer: two rak'ahs behind the imam. After the second half of the khutbah, the Friday prayer is performed - two rak'ahs in which the imam recites aloud. It replaces that day's midday prayer (dhuhr).
4. Afterwards. Allah describes how the day continues once the prayer is over:
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ
"And when the prayer has ended, disperse through the land and seek of Allah's bounty." - Quran 62:10 (al-Jumu'ah)
Friday also holds an hour in which supplications are answered (Sahih al-Bukhari 935, Sahih Muslim 852), and the Prophet ﷺ urged us to send abundant salawat upon him on Friday (Abu Dawud 1047, authentic).
Next Friday: read the khutbah live in your language
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