(The Fatwa of Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Salah transcribed:)
“This (question) is concerning holding two Jumu’ah (two Friday Prayers in the same Mosque). And why don’t we just all say that two jama’ah (two congregations)?
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) forbade holding two jama’ah in the same masjid. In order to block the means of creating a split and disputes in the community. Oh, no, no, no- The case is different (here). It’s simply one batch finished, and another batch walked in, and they offered another Jama’ah. Is it permissible? That is permissible.
Now we get to speak about the Jumu’ah, on Friday prayer. So under regular circumstances, there is only one Jumu’ah. When you come and you attend, or you come late, and you managed to join the Imam in the first rak’ah, with the Imam and you made ruku with the Imam, masha’Allah this is Jumu’ah. And it counts as Jumu’ah.
But when some people, in some communities, the Muslim community is outgrowing the building, and according to the city regulations (which state) that you cannot pray outside (the Masjid). And the fire department says that the capacity is 2000 maximum at a time. So these scholars made Ijtihad (deduction based on The Quran and The Sunnah). We have a big masjid that can take 3000 at a time, but the Muslim community is about 10,000. So they made two Jumu’ahs and three Jumu’ahs for this reason, and they sign up. I’m going to attend the first or the second or the third, in order to regulate this process, to maintain the capacity and the city regulations. Is this permissible? It is permissible.
And the person who led the first Jumu’ah may give the Khutbah of the second, but somebody else who did not pray the Jumah can lead another Jumu’ah, another Imam. Another Imam can come and hold another Khutbah and another Salat al-Jumu’ah, because of the need. Or otherwise, those people would not get to pray.
Masha’Allah, across Europe and North America, the Muslim community is expanding, and it is growing, and it is outgrowing all the masajid. All the masajid. I remember 20 years ago when we started discussing this matter and it was in Texas. The masjid used to take 3000, 4000, and 5000, but not anymore. The Muslim community is getting bigger and bigger. So masha’Allah, we’re building more masajid, but again, the people are growing. Alhamdulillah. So can we hold multiple Jumahs for this reason? The answer is yes. Barakallahu feek.
(Transcribed by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna, from the YouTube @HudaTvChannel, from Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Salah’s Question and Answers in English.)
Saheehus-Seerah 