Sulayk al-Ghaṭafānī came on the day of Jumuʿah while the Messenger of Allah — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — was delivering the khuṭbah, so he sat down. The Prophet said to him: “O Sulayk, stand and pray two rakʿahs, and make them brief.” Then he said: “If one of you comes on the day of Jumuʿah while the imām is delivering the khuṭbah, let him pray two rakʿahs, and let him make them brief.”
Narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 930) and Muslim (no. 875, his wording), from the narration of Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh — may Allah be pleased with them both.
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
The Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — was exceedingly keen on teaching his Companions that which would bring rectitude to their religion and their worldly life. Among such instances is that when Sulaik al-Ghatafānī entered on the day of Jumuʿah while the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — was delivering the khuṭbah upon the minbar, and he sat down before offering the two rakʿahs of greeting the mosque. The Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — commanded him to rise and pray two rakʿahs, and to shorten them — that is, to make them light — so that he may still attain the virtue of listening attentively to the khuṭbah (sermon).
The Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — then followed his instruction to Sulaik with a general directive, saying: “When one of you comes on the day of Jumuʿah while the imām is delivering the sermon, let him perform two rakʿahs…” — thereby clarifying the universality of the ruling and dispelling any assumption that it was specific to Sulaik. This indicates the legitimacy of praying the two rakʿahs of greeting the mosque for anyone entering, even while the imām is delivering the khuṭbah, provided that he offers them briefly before sitting down.
The scholars differed concerning the ruling of these two rakʿahs. Some held that they are obligatory even during the khuṭbah, citing as proof the Prophet’s — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — command to Sulaik al-Ghaṭafānī to rise and pray two rakʿahs. However, the majority of the scholars maintained that they are a confirmed Sunnah, for Allah — Exalted is He — did not make obligatory upon His servants other than the five daily prayers. They thus interpreted the ḥadīth of Sulaik as denoting recommendation, in order to reconcile between the evidences.
As for the one who enters while the imām is in the latter part of the khuṭbah, and it is most likely that if he were to pray the two rakʿahs he would miss the opening takbīrah with the imām, then he should not perform the prayer of greeting the mosque. Rather, he should wait until the iqāmah is given and then join the congregation.
The ḥadīth indicates the recommendation of performing two light rakʿahs upon entering the mosque on Friday, even while the khuṭbah is in progress, and the dislike of sitting before offering them. It also shows that these two rakʿahs are not waived by sitting out of forgetfulness or ignorance.
It further demonstrates the permissibility of the khaṭīb addressing individuals among the worshippers when a need arises, as well as the permissibility of the worshipper replying to the khaṭīb when spoken to, and that such an exchange does not fall under the prohibited idle speech.