—as well as for an insane person or one who had fainted upon regaining consciousness, for an unbeliever upon embracing Islam, and for the various baths connected to the rites of ḥajj. The most strongly emphasised of these, in the new view, is the bath for the one who has washed a corpse, followed by the Friday bath; the old view reverses the order.

I say: In this instance the old view is clearest, and many scholars have preferred it on the strength of numerous sound hadiths, while no authentic report supports the new view. Allah knows best.

It is recommended to set out early for Friday, walking with dignity, keeping oneself occupied on the way and while waiting with Qurʼān recitation or other remembrance, avoiding stepping over people, and appearing in one’s finest clothes, perfumed, with nails trimmed and any offensive odour removed.

I add: One should recite Sūrat al-Kahf during its day and its night, make abundant supplication and invoke many blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Once the call to prayer for Friday has begun in front of the preacher, it becomes unlawful for those obliged to attend to busy themselves with trade or the like; any sale concluded is nonetheless valid. Engaging in trade after the sun has passed the meridian but before the adhān is merely disliked. Allah knows best.

Section

Whoever catches the bowing of the second rakʿah has caught the Friday prayer; after the imam gives salām he performs one rakʿah. If he reaches the imam after that bowing, the Friday prayer has escaped him, so when the imam gives salām he completes the prayer as four rakʿahs of Ẓuhr. The sound view is that, on joining the imam, he intends Friday.

If the imam must leave the Friday—or any—prayer because of ritual impurity or some other reason, appointing a replacement is permissible on the preponderant view. For Friday he may only appoint someone already following him before the event that invalidated his state; attendance at the sermon or the first rakʿah is not a condition, according to the stronger opinion on both points. If the substitute had caught the first rakʿah, the congregation’s Friday prayer stands; otherwise, they must complete Ẓuhr without him, on the sound view.

A late-comer must follow the ordering set by the substitute imam. Once the substitute has prayed one rakʿah he sits for the tashahhud and signals to the congregation either to leave him or to wait; they are not required to renew their intention of following, on the sound view.

Anyone crowded out of a place to prostrate may do so on another person’s back if possible; otherwise, the correct opinion is that he should wait.