Question
Here in New York on last Friday of Ramadhan when we arrived at a Mosque the Jum`ah prayer had already been offered so the management said there will be second Jama`at for Zuhr. The person who led the second prayer made it two rakaat and offered it like regular Jum`ah prayer. Then there was a dispute about whether or not the prayer was offered correctly. All of the Muqtadis had intention of four rakaat zuhr prayer but the Imam (I believe) had intented for 2 rakaat Jum`ah prayer. Can you please tell if it was done properly? Can we offer another jama`at in the same mosque for jum`ah without a separate khutba for second jama`at.
Please reply.
I want to know just for my knowledge
Answer
Before reading my reply to your query, I recommend that you have a look at one of the other replies to a question related with Jum`ah prayer and congregation.
The Jum`ah congregations in most of the Muslim states (where such congregations are not sponsored by the state) as well as in the non-Muslim states is only a surrogate for the Jum`ah congregation that is prescribed in the Islamic Shari`ah. Nevertheless, to preserve its original structure and importance, I am of the opinion that there should not be more than one khutbah (address) in a particular mosque and neither should there be a second Jum`ah prayer.
In my opinion, therefore, in such a situation as you have mentioned the second jama`at should have been a jama`at for Zuhr and not for Jum`ah.
29th March 1998