Jummah (Arabic: جمعة — 'congregation' or 'Friday') is one of the most important weekly obligations in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described it as 'the chief of days' and 'the best day on which the Sun rises' (Sahih Muslim 854). For adult Muslim men, attending Jummah is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) — missing it three times in a row without a valid excuse is a grave sin.
What time is Jummah prayer?
Jummah replaces the Dhuhr (midday) prayer and therefore follows the same timing window — beginning after solar noon and ending before Asr. In the UK, most mosques schedule Jummah between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM (GMT) in winter and 1:00–2:30 PM (BST) in summer, though this varies by mosque and location. Some larger mosques in cities like London and Birmingham hold multiple Jummah khutbahs (1:00 PM and 2:00 PM) to accommodate large congregations.
See the /jummah page for Jummah times at mosques across all 56 UK cities, or check your city's page for local times.
What happens at Jummah?
A typical Jummah consists of:
- Two khutbahs (sermons) delivered by the Imam while the congregation sits silently
- Two rak'ahs (units) of congregational prayer after the second khutbah
- The adhan (call to prayer) before the first khutbah and the iqamah before the prayer
Total duration is typically 30–45 minutes. Many Muslims perform four rak'ahs of voluntary (Sunnah) prayer before the khutbah and four rak'ahs after.
Who must attend Jummah?
Jummah is obligatory for every free, adult Muslim man who is a resident (not a traveller) and is not prevented by a valid excuse. Valid excuses include severe illness, caring for someone who cannot be left alone, work that cannot be left (such as emergency medicine), and extreme weather. Women are permitted — and encouraged — to attend but it is not obligatory for them.
O you who have believed, when the adhan is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
Etiquette for Jummah
- Perform ghusl (full ritual bath) before Jummah — this is a strong Sunnah
- Wear clean, smart clothing; apply perfume
- Arrive early and read Surah al-Kahf (Chapter 18 of the Quran) — recommended every Friday
- Make abundant du'a on Friday, especially in the last hour before Maghrib — the Prophet ﷺ described a special hour on Friday when du'as are answered
- Send abundant salawat (blessings) on the Prophet ﷺ
- Turn your phone off or to silent before entering the mosque
- Listen to the khutbah in complete silence — even responding to a greeting (wa alaykum assalam) is makruh (disliked) during the khutbah
What is the virtuous hour on Friday?
The Prophet ﷺ mentioned a special time on Friday when any du'a made is accepted by Allah. Scholars differ on when this hour is, but the two strongest opinions are: (1) the time between the Imam sitting on the minbar and the end of the prayer, and (2) after Asr until Maghrib. Many Muslims make extra du'a during both times.
Finding Jummah near me
Use the /jummah page on this site to find Jummah times at mosques near you across the UK. Each city page also lists confirmed Jummah times for local mosques. You can also use the Mosques Near Me tool to find your closest mosque by GPS.