The Book on the Day of Friday - Jami' at-Tirmidhi

Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 521

Hadith Text

"The Prophet would pray two Rak'ah after the Friday prayer."

Scholarly Commentary

This narration establishes the Sunnah of performing two rak'ahs after the obligatory Friday prayer. The scholars of jurisprudence have unanimously agreed that these two rak'ahs are a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu'akkadah) which the Prophet ﷺ consistently performed and never abandoned.

Imam al-Nawawi states in al-Majmu': "The Sunnah prayer after Jumu'ah is two rak'ahs, and this is by consensus of the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'When any one of you prays the Friday prayer, let him pray four rak'ahs after it.' In another narration: 'Whoever among you prays after Jumu'ah, then let him pray four.' However, the preferred position is that if one prays in the mosque, he prays two rak'ahs, and if he prays at home, he prays four."

Ibn al-Qayyim explains in Zad al-Ma'ad: "The Prophet ﷺ would not pray after Jumu'ah until he returned to his house, then he would pray two rak'ahs there. He said: 'O people, pray four rak'ahs after Jumu'ah.' But when he was in the mosque, he would pray only two rak'ahs after the congregational prayer." This demonstrates the flexibility in this Sunnah based on location and circumstance.

Legal Ruling & Practice

The majority of scholars hold that these two rak'ahs should be performed in one's home, though praying them in the mosque is also permissible. Some scholars differentiate between praying immediately in the mosque (two rak'ahs) and praying at home (four rak'ahs). The wisdom behind praying at home is to make houses places where worship is established and to distinguish voluntary prayers from obligatory ones.

This practice connects the communal obligation of Jumu'ah with personal devotion, completing the spiritual benefits of Friday, which is the best day of the week and contains the hour of accepted supplication.