Holding two Friday prayers in same area if Masjid is too narrow

30-10-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu Alikum Respected Sir, I am to request that a building was allotted by Govt to bar Association Srinagar ( Lawyers association).One of the Halls of building is used by members of association for offering Salah in congregation. but only for Zuhar and Asar,.However no Salah is performed on Sundays and other holidays. The Bar members want to start congregational prayers of Friday in the said Hall. Though the nearest mosque is about 100 meters away but the prayers are offered on 1st floor and the persons with knee problems(old persons )face difficulties in going up and down for offering prayers.Besides,in rain and extreme heat people have to face difficulties as mosque is not sufficient for accommodating all people and so many person offer salah on public road resulting in the closure of road. In this situation is it proper to start the Friday prayers in the hall as proposed by some members of Bar Association Wassalam

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

We have already stated in Fataawa 90374 and 143615 that the majority of the scholars forbid organizing more than one Jumu’ah (Friday prayer) in one town (area) except for a necessity like if the prayer area is narrow (and cannot accommodate all the praying people).

Therefore, it is permissible to organize the Friday prayer in the building of the Bar Association provided that there is no other mosque in the town where the Friday prayer is held which is near and can accommodate all the praying people.

Allaah Knows best.

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