Jumu‘a in a Settlement with a Muslim Population of Five Hundred

Question

The population of this settlement is approximately two thousand, of whom five hundred are Muslims. There are two mosques, one Hindi primary school, and three or four ordinary grocery shops in which, of the necessities, only salt, chillies, kerosene and the like are available. Once a week a goat market is held, in which cloth, vegetables and the like are available. In this situation, are the Jumu‘a and Eid prayers permissible here or not? If one prays [them], will the fard be discharged or not?

Answer

In such a small settlement the Jumu‘a and Eid prayers are not valid. By praying Jumu‘a the fard of the time will not be discharged.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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