Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) is valid as an obligation with two people in addition to the imam, according to the opinion of Abu Yusuf and a narration among the Hanbalis, which is also the choice of Ibn Taymiyyah. However, the Hanafi school of law stipulates that three people, in addition to the imam, are required, making the total number four. There are also other opinions that the prayer is valid with only two people, which is the view of the Dhahiriyah school of law.
As for the Maliki school of law, they require twelve resident men to perform Jumu’ah prayer (none of them being a traveler, as traveling invalidates the Jumu’ah prayer).
The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of law stipulate that the Jumu’ah prayer is valid when performed with the number of people that are considered a village in a particular area, which is at least forty men according to their opinion.
Therefore, if you perform the Jumu’ah prayer with two responsible adults, the prayer is valid and fulfills the obligation of Jumu’ah.
But what is better, to perform Jumu’ah prayer with them or to perform it at the main mosque?
It is better to perform Jumu’ah prayer at the main mosque, for the following reasons:
1- The reward of Jumu’ah prayer is achieved through congregation, hastening to the prayer, listening attentively to the khutbah (sermon), and being quiet during the prayer.
2- The default ruling for Jumu’ah prayer is that it should be performed in the main mosque with the resident imam, and this is what was practiced during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his companions, the followers, and the scholars of the various schools of law.
3- If we allow every three individuals to establish their own Jumu’ah prayer, this may lead to people becoming lazy and performing Jumu’ah prayer in their homes with their families or some neighbors, which may lead to division and disunity.
4- The Hanafi school of law stipulates a condition for the validity of Jumu’ah prayer when it is performed outside the main mosque, which is that the location must be authorized for everyone to pray in. It is not valid to perform Jumu’ah prayer in a place that is specific to a particular group, family, or sect and this may not be the case in schools and educational institutions.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr