How To Attend a Muslim Friday Prayer Service (Jum’ah)

Step 1: Find a Friday prayer service
Use Muslim acquaintances or a Website to find a Friday prayer service near you. Most are held around lunchtime.

Tip
Friday prayer services do not always happen in a mosque. University students often arrange Friday prayers in an empty hall or auditorium. Mosques in urban areas host prayers in satellite locations, such as downtown office buildings or even churches.

Step 2: Purify your intention
As with all acts in Islam, take a quiet moment to purify your intention, affirming that you plan to attend Friday prayers for God’s sake alone.

Tip
While Friday is usually a holiday in Muslim-majority countries, it’s a regular workday elsewhere, and some men are not able to attend as a result. Do your best to fit Friday prayers into your work schedule.

Step 3: Take a shower or bath
If you are able and you have time, take a shower or bath on Friday morning, as this practice was recommended by the Prophet Muhammad, who advised his followers to keep clean.

Step 4: Dress in clean, modest clothes
Dress in clean, modest clothes. For men, this means no shorts. For women, this means covering the arms and legs, avoiding tight or revealing clothing, and bringing along a headscarf.

Tip
Cologne is recommended for men, but perfume for women should be avoided.

Step 5: Remove your shoes
When entering the mosque or prayer area, remove your shoes. This is the moment of truth for your socks!

Step 6: Enter prayer area with right foot first
Enter the prayer area with your right foot first. If the mosque is segregated according to gender, women should enter the women’s area, and men should enter the men’s area.

Tip
If you have small children, you may prefer to leave them at home. If you need to, however, you can bring them. Children of all ages are a common sight at Friday prayers. If a child is very disruptive, or if a baby can’t stop crying, however, you may have to leave with them.

Step 7: Offer voluntary prayer
If you are Muslim, offer two cycles of voluntary prayer, known as tahyatul masjid salah, which means literally, 'the prayer to greet the mosque.'

Tip
If you are not Muslim, take a moment to sit quietly and offer your own prayers.

Step 8: Sit next to other congregants on the floor
Sit next to other congregants on the floor. Choose the available space closest to the front of the room. In other words, the front rows should be filled first, particularly because the back rows should be left open for latecomers.

Step 9: Listen to adhan
Listen as a fellow congregant gives the adhan, or call to prayer. This means the Friday prayer service has begun; refrain from talking at this point.

Step 10: Sit quietly & listen to imam
Sit quietly and listen while the imam, or prayer leader, offers a sermon, or khutbah. The first half the khutbah is the longest, followed by a brief period when the imam will sit down and offer silent prayers. Then he will stand again to deliver the shorter final section of the sermon.

Tip
A sermon will always open and close with words in Arabic. Hopefully, the language of the sermon itself will be one you understand. If not, be patient and ask someone near you for a translation when it is over.

Step 11: Listen to iqaamah
After the sermon, a man will stand to give the iqaamah, a shortened version of the call to prayer, which indicates the prayer itself is about to commence.

Step 12: Line up shoulder to shoulder
Stand up and move so you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people on your left and right, forming a straight line that faces the qibla, or direction pointing to Mecca. Your shoulders, arms or feet can be lightly touching other people’s.

Tip
If you are not Muslim, ask someone where you can sit to observe the prayers. Generally, non-Muslims should not join in the prayer.

Step 13: Perform salat
Perform two cycles of the ritual prayer, or salat, following along with the imam.

Step 14: Greet other people
When the prayer is over, be sure to greet the people praying on either side of you when they are finished, either by shaking their hands and saying, 'May Allah accept your prayers,' or by simply smiling.

Step 15: Make a charitable contribution
If you wish, make a charitable contribution as you leave. Boxes for contributions are generally available near the exit.

Did You Know?
The Prophet Muhammad was known for giving short sermons, but don’t expect everyone to follow that lead—some sermons can last more than an hour.

[enischial]

This is super helpful. I am a Christian and will be attending a prayer service with one of my Muslim friends in a few weeks. He came to my church last week. I've been teaching about Christianity and hes been teaching me about Islam so we can better understand each other and our respective faiths. We definitely have differences, but can still love and respect each other.

[clownshoe]

I love how diverse, clean and simple Islam really is. I cant see / find any fault in it. God bless all

[Lee]

In three days ill be attending prayer for the first time. Thanks for the informal video!

[Crutchcollectibles]

Islam is the truth. God bless those who live in the proper path

[barrieevans]

Assalamualaikum. My wife and I traveled to Pakistan in June 2018. We met a university student from Pakistan when she attended a US school. Her family invited us to visit them during the last few days of Ramazan (Urdu spelling, I believe) and to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with them. It was very moving for us. At the final iftar dinner, my wife and I were both very moved. When we asked how to pray with them, they showed us how they show humility before God by covering their faces. When we asked what to pray for, we were told we could pray as we liked. The mother of the family did not speak a great deal of English (and we spoke less Urdu!). She said, "You pray for us and we pray for you." Yeah. That was worth tearing up over. Pakistani people we met were very friendly, open and accepting of us wherever we traveled. Mashallah. We hope to return in the next two years, inshallah.

[moncebravo]

I'm a Christian and I believe in Jesus Christ but no matter what, I will still and forever respect the Muslim religion/community regardless of what anyone says because the word of God says to "love one another as you love yourself" and I truly believe that so spread love and God Bless who every reads this!❤️

أنا مسيحي وأعتقد في يسوع المسيح ولكن بغض النظر عن ما، وسوف لا يزال وإلى الأبد احترام الدين الإسلامي / المجتمع بغض النظر عن ما يقوله أحد لأن كلمة الله يقول "أحب بعضكم البعض كما تحب نفسك" وأنا نعتقد حقا أن ينتشر ذلك الحب والله يبارك الذي يقرأ كل هذا! ❤️

[bibz]

I haven’t been to prayer since I was 10 so this was helpful to remember. Thanks

[boda_b]

I'm a muslim and i am proud of it, i actually live in makkah where it all started, and this cast is one of the best casts ever. الله يهدينا للصراط المستقيم

[فيصلالجهني-فح]

I want to say to those who don't like Islam or muslims we respect you and your religion so you must respect our religion .. Thank you.

[bowrudder]

"They are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the Lord, and likewise at evening."
--1 Chronicles 23:30

[moizahmed]

There's nothing peaceful like a Friday prayer, I just Love to go to mosque with my Father and worship Allah ♥

[tasnimislam]

I am a muslim and i am proud so i can always be intouch with !!!!.

[innovbrain]

I never understand why you people if u hate a religion you'd watch videos about it then curse. It's a sign of non respectful - childish behavior. I mean I am muslim but have not even the slightest hatred to Christianity and another religions. And I WILL NEVER mix nasty politics with someones beliefs

[Tavion]

This is very interesting, speaking as a christian. I'd like to experience it first hand one day to see what is different and what is alike.

[chuanindo]

Actually, in the end of prayer, you say prayer to your right and left by saying assalamualaikum warrohmatullohi wabarokatuh, means that you wish them peace, Allah's compassion and mercy..not just a greeting.. :)

[fatimasawaneh]

my brothers and sisters!!! today Allah subhanna wataala blessed me milliontimes~!!! our Lord is forgiving and merciful1!!! The King of d Kings!!! Today it was my first time to the Morque!!! Allhamdulillah!!!! My Lord blessed me million times!!! I feel like i born again!!! Islam is d onlhy truth my brothers nd sisters!!! I really pray from inside my heart so that Allah will guide kaffiruns to Islam!!! They dont know what blessing they lose!!! Is unbelievable!!! Alhamdoulillah! La illahah ilallah!!! May Allah bless more and more people like he blessed me today!!! Abarakatahu warahmatoullahi!!!! May Allah bless all of you with noor and happiness in donya and drive u and your families in Jannatul firdaus!!! Mashallahh!1!! With real love from my heart to all my brothers and sisters in Islam!!! Mashallah!!! Allhamdoulillah! Subhanallah!!!

[Lanathearcher]

Half The Christians In The Comments Dont Even Follow The Bible, let Alone The Expectations Of God. The Prophets Would Not Be Happy In These Days... Ive Read The Holy Qur'an And The Bible. And When I Say Read I Mean READ. Taking The Text For What It Was And Nothing Else. Its Takes A Gift From God To Be Able To Correctly Interpret The Scripture. I Tell You This From Experience, But Islam Is My Religion. I Put All My Faith Into Allah. You Guys Dont Know The First Thing About Islam And It Hurts My Heart To See My Ex Community Being So Hateful. That Being Said, Ill Continue To Talk A Lot About You All In My Prayers... Peace And Blessings Be Upon You All.. Smh 💔

[anthonyharraden]

Thank you. I am very interested in attending a service and it’s the most hands on event I’ve ever tried since trying to learn about Islam

[mightywhite]

I went today for my first Friday prayers. Thank you

[rafayshakeel]

You should become a Muslim too Howcast because as you can see in Islam everyone remains clean and have everything that a person needs in their life. I am 16 mashallah and I pray 5 times a day Mashallah.