Egypt’s Al-Ifta confirmed that attending Friday prayer is a personal obligation for every adult, sane Muslim and should only be missed for valid reasons such as illness, travel, or unavoidable circumstances. Neglecting it without excuse, they emphasized, is a major sin that may deprive one of divine blessings.
Dr. Mohamed Abdelsamee, Director of the Department of Jurisprudential Branches, stated that missing Friday prayer without a valid excuse is a grave sin, citing the Prophet Muhammad’s saying: “Whoever misses three consecutive Fridays out of negligence, Allah will seal his heart.”
He explained that the Quranic command in Surah Al-Jumu’ah — “O you who believe, when the call is proclaimed for the prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade” — is a clear directive to prioritize worship over worldly affairs.
Those who miss Friday prayer intentionally should perform Dhuhr prayer with four rak’ahs instead, and sincerely repent to Allah. Continuous neglect, Al-Ifta warned, may lead to spiritual blindness and loss of guidance.
The authority clarified that work or sleep are not valid excuses unless the person truly cannot leave their duties or is overtaken by sleep unintentionally. Otherwise, skipping Friday prayer knowingly results in sin.
Al-Ifta urged Muslims to value Friday prayer as a sacred weekly gathering that strengthens faith and unity, reminding that it is a chance for purification, reflection, and seeking forgiveness.
