Can jumuah salaah be performed in the following place?
The question, as received
I want to ask if jumuah can be performed in a place where :
1-It is not a city according to Hanafi Mazhab in my undestanding of the mas’alah.
(The place have : a primary school, a very small shop where people can buy bread, milk, cheese and any other dharurat, 2 docteurs and 1 chemist,and municipality naahib office : (French : Mairie annexe).
There is no post office, no police station, no hospital.
The population is more than 3000)
2-According to Urf it is not a city.
3-A river and road separate this place the main town where there is juma. The distance is more than qadr ul ralwah as it is mention in Ahsanul Fataawah. Here the distance is about 170/180 meter
Jazaakalah
The answer
You have enquired regarding performing Jumu’ah salāh in La Grande Fontaine. You state the place has a primary school, a very small shop where people can buy bread, milk, cheese and any other dharurat, 2 doctors, a chemist, and a municipality office. There is no post office, no police station, no hospital.
Explanation
The population is more than 3000. You further state the river and road separate La Grande Fontaine from the main town.
We have conducted a research on La Grande Fontaine and concluded with the following:
- La Grande Fontaine is a suburb of St.Paul.
- The distance between the central St.Paul and La Grande Fontaine is 170 metres.
According to our understanding, La Grande Fontaine is within the vicinity (finā’) of St.Paul.
There are approximately 8 definitions of finā’ and its length.i The preferred opinion as stated in al-Durr al-Mukhtār is that the length of a finā’ is one farsakh .ii One farsakh is approximately 5.5 km / 3.4 miles.iii Hence, La Grande Fontaine falls within the vicinity (finā’)of St.Paul. Jumu῾ah is permissible in the vicinity (finā’) of a city.iv
A river and a road between the city centre and La Grande Fontaine does not make any difference on the ruling. In Muhīt al-Burhānī it is clearly stated that a river will not result in separating a city.v The houses being inconsecutive also does not make a difference.
We advise you to also the local muftiyaan and ulama on this issue.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Faraz Adam
References
iوفي رد المحتار
اعْلَمْ أَنَّ بَعْضَ الْمُحَقِّقِينَ أَهْلِ التَّرْجِيحِ أَطْلَقَ الْفِنَاءَ عَنْ تَقْدِيرِهِ بِمَسَافَةٍ وَكَذَا مُحَرِّرُ الْمَذْهَبِ الْإِمَامُ مُحَمَّدٌ وَبَعْضُهُمْ قَدَّرَهُ بِهَا وَجُمْلَةُ أَقْوَالِهِمْ فِي تَقْدِيرِهِ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَقْوَالٍ أَوْ تِسْعَةُ غَلْوَةٍ مَيْلٌ مِيلَانِ ثَلَاثَةٌ فَرْسَخٌ فَرْسَخَانِ ثَلَاثَةٌ سَمَاعُ الصَّوْتِ سَمَاعُ الْأَذَانِ وَالتَّعْرِيفُ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ التَّحْدِيدِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُوجَدُ ذَلِكَ فِي كُلِّ مِصْرٍ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ بِحَسَبِ كِبَرِ الْمِصْرِ وَصِغَرِهِ. بَيَانُهُ أَنَّ التَّقْدِيرَ بِغَلْوَةٍ أَوْ مَيْلٍ (ج 2 ص 139 أيج أيم سعيد )
iiوفي الدر المختار
وَالْمُخْتَارُ لِلْفَتْوَى تَقْدِيرُهُ بِفَرْسَخٍ ذَكَرَهُ الْوَلْوَالِجِيُّ.(ج 2 ص 139 أيج أيم سعيد)
iiiوفي معجم لغة الفقهاء
الفرسخ بفتح فسكون لفط معرب ج فراسخ , مقياس من مقاييس المسافات مقداره ثلاثة أميال = إثنا عشر ألف ذراع = 5544 متراً (ص 343 إدارة القرآن)
ivوفي حاشية الطحطاوي
“ويشترط لصحتها” أي صلاة الجمعة “ستة أشياء” الأول “المصر أو فناؤه” (ص 423 دار الكتب العلمية)
vوفيالمحيط البرهاني لبرهان الدين محمود بن أحمد مَازَةَ البخاري الحنفي -المتوفى: 616هـ
وفي رواية «الأمالي» : أجاز في موضعين إذا كان مصراً له جانبان بينهما نهر عظيم حتى يصير في حكم مصرين كبغداد (ج 2 ص 440 إدارة القرآن)
Based on the Hanafi school and on the question as it was asked. Another mufti may reach a different conclusion. Read the disclaimer.