—is that if their number falls below the required minimum after they have completed the first rak‘ah, they should complete it as Jumu‘ah. Thus, if the number falls below the required minimum during the second rak‘ah or thereafter, they should complete it as Jumu‘ah; but if it falls below the required minimum during the first rak‘ah, they should begin Zuhr anew, unless it is possible to repeat it as Jumu‘ah. This was the choice of al-Muwaffaq—may Allah have mercy on him—and it is the preponderant view.

Its evidence is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Whoever catches one rak‘ah of the prayer has caught the prayer” (1). Likewise, if someone catches one rak‘ah of Jumu‘ah, he completes it as Jumu‘ah, even though he prays the second rak‘ah alone.

As for the view that they should complete it as Jumu‘ah in all cases, on the grounds that they began the prayer validly and therefore require evidence to establish its invalidity, the response is that the number is a condition for the validity of this prayer. If that condition is lost during it, the prayer becomes invalid, just as it would if one broke his ritual purity during it, or his private parts became exposed, or the like.

“Whoever catches one rak‘ah of it with the imam should complete it as Jumu‘ah; but if he catches less than that, he should complete it as Zuhr ...”

His statement, “Whoever catches one rak‘ah of it with the imam should complete it as Jumu‘ah”: “with the imam” means the imam leading the Jumu‘ah prayer.

“Of it” means Jumu‘ah.

“One rak‘ah” means a complete rak‘ah, including its two prostrations; he should complete it as Jumu‘ah.

Its evidence is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Whoever catches one rak‘ah of the prayer has caught the prayer” (2).

His statement, “But if he catches less than that, he should complete it as Zuhr,” means that he comes