Khomeini And The Jumu’ah Prayer

Khomeini re-introduced the Friday prayer based on his view of being a proxy to the Imam. For a long time before that the Shia would not read the Friday prayer as the presence of the Imam is a requirement for it.

Khomeini in his book, Tahrir al Wasilah has opined that one is permitted to choose between performing Jumu’ah or leaving it and just reading Zuhr. He states:

تجب صلاة الجمعة في هذه الاعصار مخيرا بينها وبين صلاة الظهر والجمعة أفضل والظهر أحوط وأحوط من ذلك الجمع بينهما

The Jumu’ah prayer is obligatory in choice in this era. One is able to elect to either read Zuhr or Jumu’ah, the latter being more virtuous and the former safer. The safest would be to perform them both.[1]

Due to this belief, he does not deem it impermissible to conduct trade on Friday after the adhan. He says:

لا يحرم البيع ولا غيره من المعاملات يوم الجمعة بعد الآذان في أمصارنا ما لا تجب الجمعة فيه تعیینا

Trade and other such dealings are not impermissible on the day of Friday after the adhan in our lands as Jumu’ah is not an individual obligation.[2]

For it to be an individual obligation, the presence of the Imam is a requirement. Whilst enumerating the requirements for Jumu’ah he states:

الاول العدد وأقله خمسة نفر أحدهم الامام

The first is the number of people: A minimum of five people including the Imam.[3]

NEXT⇒ Sacred Places And Grave Sites According To Khomeini

[1] Tahrir al Wasilah, vol. 1 pg. 231.

[2] Ibid, vol. 1 pg. 231.

[3] Ibid, vol. 1 pg. 231.