Saudi Arabia Issues Fatwa Friday Prayer Not Obligatory on Eid Day

VIVA – The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance of Saudi Arabia has issued new the religious edict (Fatwa) that announced Friday prayer not obligatory for those people who performed Eid prayer.

According to the fatwa, it is not obligatory to do Friday prayer for those who attended the Eid prayer, "Whoever attends the Eid prayer, he is granted permission not to attend the Friday prayer, and he can offer Dhuhr prayer at the time of Dhuhr. Those who are determined to offer Jumu’ah prayer with others on Friday, they can pray and this is also the better option, the ministry said in a circular issued recently quoting the Ifta ruling."

It was also decided that if a person does not pray Eid prayers, then he is not entitled to use this ruling. It is obligatory for him to perform Friday prayers and there will be leniency only if the number of worshippers is insufficient to perform the prayers. In this case he should pray Dhuhr prayer.

As the guidance, the imam of the mosque where the Friday prayers are performed must perform the Friday prayers on that day. If there is an insufficient number of worshippers, then Dhuhr prayers must be performed.

The ministry said that if a person attends the Eid prayer and does not attend the Friday prayer, then the Dhuhr prayer must be performed.

The ministry also does not prescribe the adhan except in mosques where Friday prayers are performed. The adhan is not prescribed for the Dhuhr prayer on that day. Ifta emphasized that the news that Friday prayers and Dhuhr prayers are not obligatory for those who perform Eid prayers is not true.

It categorically states that this is contrary to the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Those who perform Eid prayers are obliged to perform Dhuhr prayers if they are not Friday prayers. This is the explanation of the Ministry's circular letter.