would pray behind a single imam. Indeed, Imam Ahmad was asked about holding multiple Friday prayers, and he replied, “I do not know of more than one Friday prayer having been performed among the Muslims.” Imam Ahmad died in 241 AH; up to that point, Friday prayer had not been held in more than one location in a town.

It was first held in two places in Baghdad when the city became divided by the river into an eastern and a western side. They therefore established two Friday prayers there, because it was difficult for people to cross the river every week.

Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, held the Eid prayer in the open countryside outside Kufah, and appointed someone to hold it in the central mosque within the town for the weak (1). On this basis, Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, held that multiple Friday prayers may be established where there is a need.

The evidence for its prohibition is that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Pray as you have seen me pray” (2). Throughout his life, the Prophet consistently held the Friday prayer in a single mosque, as did the caliphs after him and the Companions after them. They knew that the cities had expanded. During Uthman’s caliphate, Medina grew in size, so he added a third call to prayer (3): an initial call, then the call when the imam arrived, and then the iqamah. Yet he did not establish multiple Friday prayers.

The settlements of al-Awali were far from the place where Friday prayer was held during the Prophet’s lifetime, peace and blessings be upon him; nevertheless, their people would attend the Prophet’s Mosque. Yet unfortunately, many Muslim lands today do not distinguish between Friday prayer and the Zuhr prayer: Friday prayer is held in every mosque, the Ummah has become divided, and people hold the Friday prayer,