It is validly established with three men if one of them is a governor. Al-Hasan and Abu Thawr said: It is validly established with two, like the other prayers. Rabi'ah said: It is validly established with twelve men. The evidence that it may be established in villages is as follows:

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Nu'aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma'il related to us; Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna related to us; Abu Amir al-Aqadi informed us; Ibrahim ibn Tahman related to us, from Abu Hamzah al-Duba'i, from Ibn Abbas, who said: “The first Friday prayer to be held after the Friday prayer in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was held in the mosque of Abd al-Qays at Jawatha in Bahrain.” (1)

If a man resides in a village where the Friday prayer is not established, or resides in an open rural area, some held that if the call to prayer from the place where the Friday prayer is held reaches them, attendance at the Friday prayer is obligatory upon them; but if the call does not reach them, then the Friday prayer is not obligatory upon them. This was the view of al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq. The criterion is that they be reached by the call of a muezzin with a powerful voice, giving the call at a time when sounds are still and the winds calm. The inhabitants of every village situated within this distance from the place of the Friday prayer are obliged to attend it.

Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib said: It is obligatory upon everyone whom nightfall can reach. Al-Zuhri said: It is obligatory upon whoever is within six miles. Rabi'ah said: Within four miles. Malik and al-Layth said: Within three miles. Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The Friday prayer is not obligatory upon the people of the countryside, whether their village is near or far.

Whoever is obligated to perform the Friday prayer may not travel on Friday after the sun has passed its zenith until he has performed the Friday prayer. The scholars of juristic opinion, however, permitted travel after midday if one would leave the town before the prayer time had ended.

As for travelling before midday, after dawn has risen, it is permitted, though disliked, unless the journey is one of obedience, such as the pilgrimage or a military expedition. Some held that whoever begins Friday as a resident must not travel until he has performed the Friday prayer. The evidence for its permissibility is as follows:

Abu Uthman al-Dabbi informed us; Abu Muhammad al-Jarrahi informed us; Abu al-Abbas al-Mahbubi informed us; Abu Isa informed us; Ahmad ibn Mani' related to us; Abu Mu'awiyah related to us, from al-Hajjaj, from al-Hakam, from Miqsam, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, dispatched Abd Allah ibn Rawahah with a detachment, and it happened to be on a Friday. His companions set out early, but he said, “I shall remain behind and pray with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then catch up with them.” When he had prayed with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, the Prophet saw him and said, “What prevented you from setting out early with your companions?” He replied, “I wanted to pray with you and then catch up with them.” He said, “Even if you were to spend everything on earth,”