(1) Can women perform the Friday prayer at home? If she does not go to the mosque, should she pray Jumu'ah at home or Zuhr?

(2) How many sunnah prayers are there before Jumu'ah? Is there any specific confirmed sunnah? Can they also be prayed at home, or only in the mosque?

(3) How many sunnah prayers are there after Jumu'ah? Does the number differ between the mosque and the home?

And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings

1. Women: Jumu'ah is not obligatory upon women, and they cannot pray Jumu'ah at home — the obligation is upon adult, sane, resident, free men. A woman who does not go to the mosque will pray Zuhr (the four rak'ahs of the obligatory prayer) at home. Evidence: Tariq ibn Shihab, may Allah be pleased with him: “Jumu'ah is a binding duty upon every Muslim in congregation, except four: an owned slave, or a woman, or a boy, or a sick person” (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1067). However, if a woman goes to the mosque and performs Jumu'ah in congregation, her Jumu'ah will be valid and there will be no need for Zuhr (Jumu'ah is the substitute for Zuhr); but her original prayer is Zuhr itself, and praying at home is better for her.

2. Before Jumu'ah (qabliyyah): no specific confirmed sunnah is fixed (it is not like the four confirmed rak'ahs of Zuhr). On reaching the mosque, pray as many voluntary prayers as you wish, two rak'ahs at a time, before the sermon — the number is not fixed (2, 4, 6, 8, according to ease). Voluntary prayers may also be prayed at home, but it is not necessary; the Sunnah way is to pray them in the mosque before the sermon. Evidence: Salman al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with him — whoever bathes on Friday, comes to the mosque and prays “whatever prayer is decreed for him”, then listens silently to the sermon, the sins between the two Fridays are forgiven for him (Sahih al-Bukhari: 883, Sahih Muslim: 857).

3. After Jumu'ah (ba'diyyah): four rak'ahs in the mosque: Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him: “When one of you prays Jumu'ah, let him pray four after it” (Sahih Muslim: 881). Two rak'ahs at home: Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both — the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to go home after Jumu'ah and pray two rak'ahs (Sahih al-Bukhari: 937, Sahih Muslim: 882). Reconciliation (by the verifying scholars): if you pray in the mosque, pray four; if you go home and pray, pray two — both are Sunnah.

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.