# Do I have to go to jumu'ah every Friday if I live in a non-Muslim country?

*Is jumu'ah mandatory in a country that is not a Muslim country?*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/r196cq7qkay/s/1/
- Date: 2021-01-07 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Is it mandatory for Muslims to go to Jummah | Mufti Abu Layth (0:02–2:18)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r196CQ7qkaY&t=2s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/r196cq7qkay/

**Topics:** Congregation, Friday and Eid prayer

**Question as asked:** Is it mandatory to go to jumu'ah every Friday?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** In his understanding jumu'ah is not mandatory on each individual in countries like the UK that are not Muslim countries, though holding it communally is good.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says he does not feel jumu'ah is mandatory on each individual in countries that are not Muslim countries, such as the UK.

**Evidence, his words at 1:20:** “therefore is Juma mandated in this country I would say that it's I don't feel it's mandated I don't feel it's mandatory” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r196CQ7qkaY&t=80s)

## Longer summary

A question is read asking whether it is mandatory to attend jumu'ah every Friday. Mufti Abu Layth says jumu'ah is a communal obligation with both a religious and a political aspect, and that scholars disagree over which aspect preponderates. He says he feels the political aspect is stronger, an organisational structure for a Muslim state, which is why rulers are named in it. He says countries such as the UK, America and Europe are not against Islam and allow its practice but are not Muslim countries, so he does not feel jumu'ah is mandatory there for each individual, though it is good to hold it as a communal set-up.

## Sources and names cited

- jumu'ah
- fard kifayah (communal obligation)

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:02–2:18)

[0:01] Muti is it mandatory to go to Juma every Friday I have answered this before that look Juma is a communal obligation which is uh there's a which has a religious and a political aspect to it so the question which has led Scholars to to disagree is which part preponderates is it more the political factor or more the wor worship ritual factor which preponderates

[0:40] so I would feel that there is a more of a political step to it and by political step what is meant is an Oran or it's a um almost setting into place an organizational structure so it's so it's known it's disciplinarian for a state a Muslim State and that's why they always mention who the names of the rulers and things like this in it therefore in lands which are not Muslim

[1:20] lands which are not really is the countries are not Islamic I mean they're not against Islam like the UK or America or Europe I mean I don't believe the UK is against Islam and you have your freedom to exercise Islam but it is not by any means an Islamic or it's not a Muslim country therefore is Juma mandated in this country I would say that it's I don't feel it's mandated I don't feel it's mandatory um but it's good to have it and it's a communal um setup then it's done for the

[1:59] community if each person upon each individual there is not in that case a mandatory obligation to attend uh that would be my understanding um yeah cool

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment r196CQ7qkaY/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/r196cq7qkay/s/1/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.