The root of their disagreement in this chapter lies in the possibility that the fixed circumstances which accompanied this prayer when the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him – performed it might be requirements for its validity or obligation, or might not be requirements at all. He never prayed Jumuʿah except in a congregation, in a settled city, and in the main congregational mosque. Whoever judged that the mere association of these elements with his practice renders them necessary for the Friday Prayer stipulated all of them. Whoever regarded only some of them as necessary stipulated those alone; thus Mālik made the mosque a condition yet did not require residence in a city or the presence of the ruler.

From this methodological difference they disagreed over many subsidiary issues, such as whether two Friday services may be held in one city. The reason for their divergence over which accompanying states and actions should be stipulated is that some of those states are more closely related to the acts of the prayer than others. For that reason they all agreed that a congregation is required, because the Sharīʿah makes it clear that congregation is one of the intrinsic conditions of the prayer. Mālik, however, did not see city residence or the ruler’s presence as suitable conditions, whereas he deemed the mosque appropriate and therefore required it. Later Mālikīs even differed as to whether a roof is a prerequisite for a mosque, and whether the Friday Prayer must be performed there regularly. All of this, however, represents excessive refinements in a matter in which the religion of Allah is meant to be ease.

One might well object: “Had these really been conditions for the validity of the prayer, it would not have been permissible for the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him – to remain silent about them or to omit clarifying them,” given the Almighty’s words, “so that you may make clear to the people what has been sent down to them” (Qur’an 16:44) and “so that you may explain to them that over which they differ” (Qur’an 16:64). And Allah is the One who guides to what is correct.

Third Section: Concerning the Pillars of Jumuʿah

The Muslims are unanimously agreed that its pillars are one sermon followed by two rakʿahs, yet they differ over five issues that form the main questions of this chapter.

First Issue: The Sermon
Is the sermon a condition for the validity of the prayer and a pillar thereof, or not? The majority hold that it is both a condition and a pillar, while another group maintains that it is not obligatory. Most of Mālik’s companions deem it obligatory, with the exception of Ibn al-Mājishūn.

The reason for their divergence is whether the earlier principle—that everything accompanying this prayer may be one of its conditions—should be applied. Whoever viewed the sermon as a circumstance particular to this prayer, especially if he considered it a substitute for the two rakʿahs that were omitted, said that it is a pillar of the Friday Prayer and a prerequisite for its validity. Whoever regarded its purpose as merely the admonition sought in other sermons