What is the ruling for one who catches less than one rak'ah of the Friday Prayer?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Friday Prayer
Primary text
One who catches less than one rak'ah does not attain the Friday Prayer and must pray four rak'ahs of Dhuhr. This is the position of all scholars mentioned in the previous ruling. The evidence is the Prophet's saying: 'Whoever catches one rak'ah of Jumu'ah has caught the prayer,' the implication of which is that if less than that is caught, the prayer is not attained. This is also the view of the aforementioned Companions and Successors, suggesting consensus. Another narration specifies: 'Whoever catches one rak'ah on Friday, let him add another to it, and whoever catches less than that, he prays four.' Furthermore, because one rak'ah was not completed, the Jumu'ah prayer is invalid for him, similar to the Imam whose congregation leaves before he performs prostration.
Supporting text
Al-Hakam, Hammad, and Abu Hanifah hold that one who catches any portion of the prayer with the Imam attains the Friday Prayer, reasoning that if one must complete the prayer behind the Imam after catching one rak'ah, the same must apply if less than one rak'ah is caught, similar to a traveler joining a resident worshipper. They also argue that having caught a part of the prayer means one has attained it, like in Dhuhr.