How many rakat is Jumu'ah prayer?
Yes, just 2: the required Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer is 2 rakat, prayed in congregation after a sermon. It replaces the usual 4-rakat Dhuhr (midday) prayer on Fridays. Many people also pray extra sunnah rakat before and after it, and the number of those differs a little between schools.
The obligatory part: 2 rakat
A rakah is one unit of prayer: standing, bowing and two prostrations. On Friday, the imam gives a sermon (khutbah) at midday, then leads 2 rakat aloud. That's the whole required prayer, so you don't pray Dhuhr separately afterwards.
The sunnah rakat around it
- After Jumu'ah: the Prophet ﷺ said: "When any one of you observes the Jumu'a prayer, he should observe four (rak'ahs) afterwards" (Sahih Muslim 881). He himself would pray two rakat at home after it (Sahih al-Bukhari 937). So 2 or 4 are both sunnah.
- Before Jumu'ah: the Hanafi school counts 4 sunnah rakat before it. The other schools encourage voluntary prayer before the sermon without fixing a number.
- On arrival: many scholars recommend 2 short rakat when you enter the mosque, even if the sermon has started.
In practice, many Hanafi mosques pray 4 before, 2 fard, then 4 and sometimes 2 more after. Other mosques keep it simpler. All are valid; none of the extra rakat are required.
Who has to attend?
Jumu'ah is required for adult men who live locally and are able to go. Women, travelers and people who are ill aren't required, though they're welcome. If they attend, the 2 rakat count in place of Dhuhr. If they don't, they pray the normal 4-rakat Dhuhr at home.
Classes and work can clash with it. See Can I miss Friday prayer because of a lecture?
What if you arrive late?
- You catch at least one full rakah with the imam: most scholars say you just complete the second, and your Jumu'ah counts.
- You arrive after the last bowing: the majority say you pray 4 rakat of Dhuhr instead. The Hanafi school says you complete 2 for Jumu'ah.
Listen quietly during the sermon, as talking and scrolling take away from it. See Can I use my phone during the Friday sermon?
- Jumu'ah is 2 obligatory rakat after the sermon.
- It replaces Dhuhr on Friday.
- 2 or 4 sunnah rakat after it are recommended.
- Those who miss it pray 4 rakat of Dhuhr.
People also ask
Can I bring my kids to the mosque?
Yes, you can bring your kids to the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ welcomed kids and shortened prayer for a crying child. Tips on noise and kids' programs.
Read the full answer →What should I wear to the mosque?
Wear clean, loose, modest clothes to the mosque: men cover navel to knee, women all but face and hands. Bring clean socks and avoid strong smells.
Read the full answer →Do women have to go to Jumu'ah?
No, women don't have to go to Jumu'ah. They may attend and are rewarded, and praying it with the congregation counts in place of Dhuhr.
Read the full answer →Is Friday prayer compulsory?
Yes, Friday prayer is compulsory for adult, healthy, resident Muslim men. Women, travelers and the sick are excused and pray Dhuhr instead.
Read the full answer →Is saying "Jummah Mubarak" a bidah?
Is saying Jummah Mubarak a bidah? Not as a casual kind wish, many scholars say, but it isn't sunnah and shouldn't be treated as a ritual.
Read the full answer →