Avoid Abandoning Friday prayer without sound reason
Question: What is the ruling on someone who deliberately abandons Friday prayer without any valid reason, and then prays Thuhr? Is his prayer valid or not?
Answer: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is His slave and Messenger.
It is not permissible to abandon the Friday prayer without any sound religious reason and whoever does so, has disobeyed Allah and subjects himself to the severe threat mentioned in the Prophetic Hadeeth. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “People should stop abandoning the Friday prayers otherwise Allah will put a seal on their hearts and thus they will be among the heedless.” [Muslim]
The threat is multiplied and increased if a person misses three or more consecutive Friday prayers. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever misses three Friday prayers out of negligence, Allah will seal his heart.” [Ahmad]
Furthermore, the scholars, may Allah have mercy upon them, considered missing the Friday prayer without any valid reason as one of the great major sins. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: ‘Among the great major sins is missing the Friday prayer, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “People should stop abandoning the Friday prayers otherwise Allah will put a seal on their hearts and thus they will be among the heedless.” [Muslim].’ So this is the ruling on abandoning the Friday prayer without any valid reason.
As regards what one should do when he misses the Friday prayer, then he has to pray Thuhr prayer with the intention of Thuhr whether he missed it with a sound reason or without a valid reason. However, he is sinful in missing it without a sound reason.
Nonetheless, his Thuhr prayer is valid if he prays Thuhr after the Imaam has prayed the Friday prayer. If he prays Thuhr before the Imaam prays the Friday prayer, then his prayer is not accepted and he has to pray Thuhr again as Ibn Qudaamah, may Allha have mercy upon him, said.
However, he has to repent to Allah from this disobedience and he should not be neglectful about Allah’s obligations on him, and he should remember the bounties of Allah which He bestowed on him. He created him as a Muslim and gave him the ability to attend the Friday prayers and endeavour in his general benefits and affairs. So, he should not be deficient in fulfilling Allah’s obligations on him. Allaah Knows best.