Al-Hilli on Friday Prayer

Question:

What is Abu Mansur Al-Hilli’s view on Friday prayer?

Answer:

Abu Mansur Al-Hilli writes: “Abu As-Sallah said: “One does not gather for the Friday prayer except with the Imam of the religious community or with the one appointed by him or with the one to whom the qualities of the Imam of the congregation have been perfected in two matters and the call to prayer and the congregational call. Thus, there are two judgments in relation to that statement. The first is the performance of the Friday prayer while the Imam (a.) is hidden, within the possibilities of the legal scholars regarding its enforcement and preaching exactly as it should be and a group has opposed this judgment. The chief Al-Murtada said in Al-Masa’il-ul-Miyafariqiyyat: “The Friday prayer consists of two bowings (Rak’ah) without adding anything to it and there is no gathering for it except with a righteous Imam or with the one appointed by the righteous Imam. But if this has not happened, then one prays the noon prayer (Zuhr) with four bowings (Rak’ah).And he felt the impermissibility of it during the concealment of the Imam (a.). Sallar said: “It is up to the jurists of the group to do the prayer of the two festivals and of the irrigation with the people. As for the Friday prayer, however, this is not the case.” And that is the destination that Ibn Idris made. As for the scholar (At-Tusi), God have mercy on him, he said in An-Nihayah: “There is no problem in the believers gathering during the time of concealment, as long as they do not suffer any harm. Therefore, they pray as a community with two sermons. If they are not capable of preaching, then they are allowed to pray together as a community with four bowings (rak’ah).” And on the other hand he said: “The condition for the performance of the Friday prayer is the Imam, or the one whom the Imam appoints as judge or leader of the believers and who is similar to him, but if the Friday prayer is performed without his order, then it is invalid.”Then after that, he reported the opposite from the majority. Then he proved that there was no disagreement regarding the Friday prayer with the Imam or with the one the Imam appoints and that there was no proof of the performance without the two. Then he said: “So should we ask: Do you not hand down to yourselves, for the inhabitants of the villages, that it is permissible for the majority and the faithful, when the number gathers, that they perform the Friday prayer?” Then we answer: “This involves someone who has been given permission and who desires it and so it was that the Imam (a.) appointed someone to perform the prayer with them.” And Ibn Idris has forbidden this as well as Sallar, but the permission of him is more likely to be accepted.” [Mukhtalif-ush-Shi’ah, Volume 2 Page 237 – 238]

قال أبو منصور الحلي رحمه الله: قال أبو الصلاح لا تنعقد الجمعة إلا بإمام الملة، أو منصوب من قبله، أو بمن يتكامل له صفات إمام الجماعة عند تعذر الأمرين، وأذان، وإقامة ففي هذا الكلام حكمان: الأول: فعل الجمعة في غيبة الإمام مع تمكن الفقهاء من إقامتها والخطبة كما ينبغي، وهذا حكم قد خالف فيه جماعة. قال السيد المرتضى في المسائل الميافارقيات: صلاة الجمعة ركعتان من غير زيادة عليهما ولا جمعة إلا مع إمام عادل أو من ينصبه الإمام العادل، فإذا عدم صليت الظهر أربع ركعات وهو يشعر بعدم التسويغ حال الغيبة. وقال سلار: ولفقهاء الطائفة أن يصلوا بالناس في الأعياد والاستسقاء، فأما الجمع فلا وهو اختيار ابن إدريس أما الشيخ – رحمه الله – في النهاية فإنه قال: لا بأس أن يجمع المؤمنون في زمان الغيبة بحيث لا ضرر عليهم، فيصلوا جماعة بخطبتين. فإن لم يتمكنوا من الخطبة جاز لهم أن يصلوا جماعة أربع ركعات وقال في الخلاف: من شرط انعقاد الجمعة الإمام أو من يأمره الإمام بذلك من قاض أو أمير المؤمنين ونحو ذلك، ومتى أقيمت الجمعة بغير أمره لم تصح، ثم نقل الخلاف عن الجمهور، ثم استدل بأنه لا خلاف في انعقادها بالإمام أو من يأمره، ولا دليل على انعقادها بدونهما. ثم قال: فإن قيل: أليس قد رويتم فيما مضى في كتبكم أنه يجوز لأهل القرايا والسواد والمؤمنين إذا اجتمعوا العدد الذي ينعقد بهم أن يصلوا الجمعة؟ قلنا: ذلك مأذون فيه مرغب فيه، فجرى ذلك مجرى أن ينصب الإمام من يصلي بهم وابن إدريس منع من ذلك كما ذهب إليه سلار والأقرب الجواز