of this community after its Prophet are Abu Bakr, then Umar.” (1)

The third condition: that they be settled residents of a town.

His statement, “The third condition is that they be settled residents of a town,” means that, for the Jumu‘ah prayer to be valid, the required number must be settled residents of a town. This is the third condition for the validity of Jumu‘ah. If they are living in tents, like the Bedouins, then Jumu‘ah is neither obligatory upon them nor valid when performed by them.

The evidence for this is that the Prophet ﷺ did not instruct the Bedouins around Madinah to establish Jumu‘ah, because they were not settled residents. They might be in one place one year, then in another place the second or third year, since they follow the spring pasture and vegetation.

In the Arabic language, the term qaryah (town) includes both a city and a metropolis, because it is derived from the idea of gathering together.

Consider Makkah, the Mother of Cities: Allah called it a town. Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“And how many a town was stronger in power than your town which drove you out!” [Muhammad 47:13]

Yet Allah says:

“And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Quran, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it.” [al-Shura 42:7]

Thus, the linguistic meaning of qaryah differs from what is commonly understood by the term in our customary usage.

What is meant by a town, then, is a city, whether small or large.

His statement, “settled residents,” means that they must be settled residents—that is, people who have made it their home, whether it is their original homeland or their second homeland. The Emigrants among the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions made Madinah their second homeland.