After the sermon is over, the iqāmah is pronounced and a congregational service of two rak‘ahs is held, in which the Imām recites the Opening chapter and a portion of the Holy Qur’ān in a loud voice, as he does in the morning and evening prayers. This is the only obligatory service, but two rak‘ahs sunnah are said as soon as a man enters the mosque; even if he comes late and the Imām has already started the sermon, the latecomer must still perform these two rak‘ahs (Bu. 11:33). Two rak‘ahs sunnah are also said after the service has ended (Bu. 11:39). There is not the least authority for saying Ẓuhr prayers53 after the Friday service, which in fact takes the place of Ẓuhr prayers.
As already stated, there is in Islām no sabbath, or seventh day for Divine worship. Hence the Holy Qur’ān plainly speaks of daily business being done before the Friday service, leaving it only for the sake of the service, and again it speaks of business being done after the service has been held: “But when the prayer is ended, disperse abroad in the land and seek of Allāh’s grace” (62:10). But as a seventh day is necessary for rest from work, Friday may be chosen, if the choice lies with the Muslims. At any rate, Muslims have a religious right to attend the Friday service even when they are under non-Muslim rule.
There are, in Islām, two great festivals having a religious sanction, and in connection with both of them a congregational service of two rak‘ahs is held, followed by a sermon. Both these festivals go under the name of ‘Īd54 which means a recurring happiness. The first of these is called the ‘Īd al-fiṭr,55 and takes place immediately after the month of fasting. The other is called ‘Īd al-Adzḥā.56 Both these festivals are connected with the performance of some duty, in the first case the duty of fasting, and in the second the duty of sacrifice. A day of happiness following the performance of duty is intended to
53 The origin of this practice is in the wrong impression that Friday service can only be held in a city or under the Muslim rule. As a matter of fact, as already shown, it may be held in a city or in a village, or anywhere else. So also the condition that it can only be held under Muslim rule is simply absurd. The Holy Qur’ān and the Ḥadīth place no such limitation on the Friday service or any other service.
54 Derived from ‘aud, meaning to return.
55 The word fiṭr meaning to begin, from which is also derived fiṭrah meaning nature. Ifṭār means the breaking of the fast, as if the faster had returned to a natural course or fulfilled the demand of nature, and it is from this that the name ‘Īd al-Fiṭr seems to have been taken, because it follows the month of fasts and takes place on the first of Shawwāl.
56 Adzḥā being the plural of adzḥāṭ, meaning a sacrifice.