It was also said that the Friday prayer belongs to the principal mosque attended by the Sultan, whether it was the first or the later one; those who prayed in the smaller mosque must repeat their prayer as the noon prayer.

The rationale of the first view is that the second prayer constitutes the initiation of a Friday prayer in a city after another has already been established there, without necessity. It is therefore analogous to the case in which the Sultan does not attend the second one. The rationale of the second view is that, if we held the people’s Friday prayer to take precedence, we would be acting against the Sultan’s authority and causing him to miss the Friday prayer. For then anyone wishing to oppose the Sultan could simply assemble forty people before he arrived, causing him to miss it. This is more consistent with what Aḥmad said, as one report from him states concerning fasting on the day of doubt: “One follows the imam in that matter.”

A person appointed to lead the Friday prayer does not thereby have authority to lead the five daily prayers. Likewise, a person appointed to lead the five daily prayers does not, according to the basic principle, have the right to lead the Friday prayer. The basis for this is that the Friday prayer is an independent obligation in its own right, not a shortened form of the noon prayer. This is also supported by what he said in the report of Muhanna, who asked him: “May the judge lead the Friday prayer if the governor does not come out?” He replied: “If he orders him to do so, then he may; but if he does not order him, he does not lead the Friday prayer.”

[Leading Prayers Other Than the Five Daily Prayers]

As for leading the recommended prayers customarily performed in congregation, there are five: the two Eid prayers, the two eclipse prayers, and the prayer for rain.