Section A Answer EITHER Question 1 OR Question 2. EITHER

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] There are traditionally two sermons (khutbah)
2. [1] The prayer takes place after midday on Fridays, in place of the midday (zuhur) prayer
3. [1] The prayer is said in congregation (jamaat)
4. [1] The main prayer consists of two units (rakah)
5. [1] The call to prayer (adhan) is given beforehand
6. [1] An Imam leads the prayer
7. [1] The Imam sits briefly between the two sermons
8. [1] The Imam holds a staff in his hand
9. [1] After the rakahs, the Imam reads du'a prayers for the community and any particular needs
10. [1] A collection is taken for the mosque and good causes
11. [1] Announcements are made
12. Candidates should be credited for explaining the conditions necessary for Jumu'ah according to one school of thought which they have studied. Credit should also be given where they refer to more than one. Where there are differences between schools of thought, answers will still be credited if a candidate has taken one particular line.
13. The day of the week should be Friday and the sun should have passed the meridian, the middle of the sky, indicating that the time is past midday. The time should be before the starting of the next prayer (asr) which begins when the shadow of an object is twice its length (some schools of thought) or equal to its length (other schools of thought).
14. The number of people should be sufficient to form a congregation (jamaat). There are different opinions about how many people – these range from around 40 to as little as 2. If there are insufficient numbers, the daily midday prayer (zuhur) is read instead.
15. A clean place facing Mecca is required for Jumu'ah but this can be any place, such as a mosque or even outside, in a public space. Some jurists note that it should be a publicly accessible place as Jumu'ah is a public service and so exclude private houses or places where the general public cannot hear the prayer.
16. Some are of the opinion that only larger congregations should be held for Jumu'ah or that they are preferred, and Muslims rewarded for walking a little further to join a larger congregation.
17. The sermon (khutbah) was always practiced by the Prophet (pbuh) so is generally regarded as a condition for the validity of Jumu'ah, although it is permissible for someone to join the prayer late, missing the sermon. Some regard it as a condition to make the sermon in Arabic.
18. Credit answers which explain the general conditions for prayer, such as ablutions (wudu) beforehand, and the importance of correct recitation, since incorrect recitation might invalidate a prayer. Some explanation should be given of how they specifically relate to Jumu'ah.
19. Good answers will differentiate between what is essential and what might be recommended in the practice of Jumu'ah prayers.
20. Candidates might begin by outlining the information a Muslim might use: the Qur'an, the Sunnah the consensus of scholars (ijma) and analogy (qiyas), as well as other possible sources such as the habits of the people of Madinah and local cultural practice.
21. Jumu'ah prayers were instituted by Muhammad (pbuh) when he completed the Hijrah and escaped from Mecca. In Mecca, the Muslims could not pray openly but in Madinah they were free to practice the religion. The practice of Jumu'ah originates from this time.
22. Muhammad (pbuh) left the details needed to pray Jumu'ah: the format of two rakats and so on closely follow his example. Muhammad's sermons are often repeated word for word today, suggesting it is not necessary to use any other source for Jumu'ah prayers.
23. Candidates might explain Sunnah through hadiths, or might differentiate the two, to argue both need to be used.
24. The Qur'an Surah 62.9 states: O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (The Day of Assembly), Hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of God, and leave off Business (and traffic): That is best for you If ye but knew! This point suggests the Qur'an gives necessary information.
25. Other sources might also be helpful, particularly Imams and scholars in various traditions, such as the four Sunni Imams. Local cultural traditions might inform the style of the prayer. In some countries the sermon is given in the local language for example.
26. In some mosques, provision is made for women, and some are not included. This may vary according to different schools of thought and tradition, which may also have an influence upon Jumu'ah.
27. Candidates should come to a balanced conclusion evaluating the sources of jurisprudence as relevant to Jumu'ah and make a personal judgement, particularly focusing on the word 'needed' i.e., necessary in the statement.