When Eid coincides with Jumu’ah
The Friday prayer is one of the most important obligations in Islam and is unanimously regarded as an individual duty
Sheikh Mohammed Sheikh
Among the majority of scholars, if Eid falls on a Friday, the obligation to establish Jumu‘ah still remains. This position is especially emphasized in the Shafi, Hanafi and Maliki madhhabs, which maintain that no one is exempt from attending Jumu‘ah.
They base their view on Allah’s statement in the Qur’an: “O you who have believed, when the adhan is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu‘ah (Friday), then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.” (62:9)
Furthermore, the Friday prayer is one of the most important obligations in Islam and is unanimously regarded as an individual duty (fardh ‘ayn) upon those who are required to attend, unless they have a valid excuse. In contrast, the Eid prayer, according to the majority of scholars, is considered Sunnah. Therefore, it does not absolve a person from performing the Jumu‘ah prayer.
According to the Shafi‘i jurists, however, a limited exception is granted to those who travel from distant suburbs or villages to attend the Eid prayer. In such cases, returning again for Jumu‘ah may pose difficulty.
They support this view with a narration from Abu ‘Ubayd, the freed slave of Ibn Azhar, who said:
“I was present on the occasion of two Eids occurring together with ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan; that was on a Friday. He performed the Eid prayer before the khutbah, then delivered the khutbah and said: ‘O people, two Eids have come together for you on this day. Whoever among the people of al-‘Awali wishes to wait for Jumu‘ah may do so, and whoever wishes to return, I have granted him permission.’” (Bukhari)
Based on this, they argue that the permission to skip Jumu‘ah is not general for everyone, but rather a specific concession for individuals who may face hardship in returning. It is not a directive to cancel or neglect the Jumu‘ah prayer altogether.
As for the Hanbali school, they allow a broader concession: if a person attends the Eid prayer, they are permitted to skip Jumu‘ah, but they must still perform Dhuhr instead.
They rely on the narration of Abu Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Two Eids have come together on this day of yours, so whoever wishes, it (the Eid prayer) will suffice for Jumu‘ah; but we will still pray Jumu‘ah.” (Narrated by al-Hakim, Abu Dawud, and others)
Similarly, it was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir:
“Two Eids coincided at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): Eid al-Fitr and Jumu‘ah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the Eid prayer, then turned to the people and said: ‘O people, you have attained goodness and reward. We will be performing Jumu‘ah, so whoever wishes to attend may do so, and whoever wishes to return may return.’”
Despite these differences, the Hanafi and Maliki jurists maintain that Jumu‘ah remains obligatory even for those who have already performed the Eid prayer.
The safest and most prudent approach is to make use of this concession only in cases of genuine hardship or inconvenience. Without doubt, attending both prayers is more complete and virtuous than missing one of them.
It is also important to note that anyone who did not attend the Eid prayer is not included in this concession and must attend the Jumu‘ah prayer.
Furthermore, the imam of the Jumu‘ah mosque is required to establish the Jumu‘ah prayer. This is agreed upon even by those scholars who allow individuals the concession to miss it.
For those who live far from the masjid and must travel a considerable distance to attend Eid, and for whom it is difficult to remain or return for Jumu‘ah, the concession may apply. However, they must still perform the Dhuhr prayer once its time begins.
Eid is a blessed occasion marked by joy, community, and gratitude. While many of us enjoy its festivities with family and friends, we should remain mindful of its spiritual significance and strive to maximize our acts of worship and good deeds.
It is also a time to thank Allah for the strength and guidance He has granted us, and to renew our commitment to righteousness and devotion.
And Allah knows best
Sheikh Mohammed Sheikh is the Director of Da’wah, Jamia Mosque Nairobi