[Q 498] Obligation After First Jumu‘ah Adhan

QUESTION:

During the Friday prayer, what is considered the first Adhan where you leave all buying and selling upon hearing?

What is the ruling for those who live in a country such as the UK where the Adhan is not recited in public speakers for those around to hear? Is one also obligated when performing tasks such as: taxi driving or buying groceries for the home?

ANSWER:

The adhan-e-awwal (first Adhan) refers to the very first Adhan that is given for Jumu‘ah.
And the Adhan that is given in front of the khateeb (the preacher) before the khutbah is the adhan-e-thani (second Adhan).

When the first Adhan of the mosque in which one intends to perform Jumu‘ah is given, then sa‘y (preparation and proceeding) towards the mosque becomes Wajib (obligatory).
At that time, engaging in khareed-o-farokht (buying and selling), and all such activities that become an obstacle to sa‘y towards Jumu‘ah, becomes prohibited and sinful.

And in places where the Jumu‘ah Adhan is not given on loudspeakers and people do not hear it aloud, then when the time of Adhan arrives—which is generally known and publicly recognised as the time when the Adhan is normally given—at that time the people of the area should proceed towards Jumu‘ah and avoid all those activities that obstruct sa‘y.
For further details, consult your local ‘ulama.

In al-Durr al-Mukhtār it is stated:

“ووجب سعي إليها وترك البيع بالأذان الأول.”

[al-Durr al-Mukhtār wa Ḥāshiyat Ibn ‘Ābidīn (Radd al-Muḥtār), Vol. 02, p. 161]

In Bahar-e-Shariat it is stated:
proceeding (sa‘y) towards Jumu‘ah becomes Wajib, and leaving buying, selling, and all those actions that contradict sa‘y is also Wajib.
If someone, while walking on the way, engages in buying or selling, this too is impermissible; and doing so inside the mosque is a severe sin.
If a person is eating and hears the Adhan of Jumu‘ah, and there is a fear that if he continues eating he will miss the Jumu‘ah prayer, then he must stop eating and go for Jumu‘ah.
One should go to Jumu‘ah with calmness and dignity.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 01, Part 04, p. 775)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 3rd December 2025