y Namaz. This is a farz duty. It has the
threefold authority of the Quran, the Sunnat, and the Ijma'. Thus: "O ye
who believe! When ye are summoned to prayer on the _day of the assembly_
(Friday), haste ye to the commemoration of God, and quit your traffic."
(Sura lxii. 9.) The Prophet also said: "Juma' is farz," and, "God will make
a mark on the heart of him who misses the Salat-ul-Juma'[204]." There are,
however, eight kind of persons on whom it is not incumbent, _viz_: a
traveller, a sick person, a slave, a woman, a young child, a mad {201}
person, a blind or a lame person. The conditions which make this Namaz
obligatory are:--

(1). That the place in which it is said be a town in which a Qazi (judge)
dwells.

(2). There must be in the town a ruler or his deputy.

(3). It must take the place of the Salat-uz-Zuhr, with which it agrees,
except that two farz rak'ats instead of four are recited. The nafl rak'ats
are omitted. The four sunnat rak'ats which precede, and the two which
follow the farz ones are said.

(4). One, or according to the followers of Imam Shafa'i two Khutbas, or
sermons are preached. These are delivered by the Imam after the four sunnat
rak'ats are recited, and before the two farz ones. The Khutba should
consist of the praise of God, prayer and injunctions to piety.

(5). There must be a congregation of three persons besides the Imam. The
Shafa'ites say there should be at least forty worshippers.

(6). The Azan, or call to prayers, must be made to all without distinction
of rank.

Any person who is qualified to act as Imam at the other prayers can conduct
this Namaz. The Imam and Khatib (preacher) is usually, but not necessarily,
one and the same person. The Khutbas should not be long, for Muhammad said
that long sermons and short prayers would be a sign of the degeneracy of
the latter days. When two Khutbas are said, the Imam sits down to rest
before the delivery of the second. The worshippers may then offer up a
Du'a, or private prayer. Some, however, say that this practice is bid'at,
(innovation) and consider it a very bad act. According to the
Traditionists, Bukhari, Abu Daud and Tirmizi, it is a mustahab act to wear
clean clothes on Friday.

The preacher standing on the second step of the Mimbar, or pulpit, with a
large club or staff in his hand, delivers his sermon.[205]

{202}

The following is a specimen of the Khutbas.

SERMON ON THE EXCELLENCE OF FRIDAY.

In the name