Tafsir of Al-Jumu'ah 62:11

It is narrated: That the people of Medina were struck by hunger and severe inflation. Dihyah ibn Khalifah arrived with a caravan of oil from Syria while the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Friday sermon. The people stood up and left toward him, fearing they would be beaten to the goods, until only a few remained with the Prophet (ﷺ). It is said there were eight, eleven, twelve, or forty people left. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, had they all departed, Allah would have set the valley ablaze with fire upon them."

When a caravan arrived, they would greet it with drums and clapping; this is what is meant by "diversion" (lahw). Qatadah narrated that they did this three times upon the arrival of every caravan.

If you ask: If the people disperse from the Imam during the Friday prayer, what should be done? I say: If he remains alone or with fewer than three people:

• According to Abu Hanifah: He must restart the prayer as Dhuhr if they dispersed before the bowing (ruku').
• According to his two companions (Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani): If he has already entered the prayer with them, he continues.
• According to Zufar: If they disperse before the final testimony (tashahhud), the prayer is void.

If you ask: How does the verse say "to it" (ilayha—singular feminine) when two things were mentioned (trade and diversion)? I say: The implied meaning is: "When they saw trade, they dispersed to it; or when they saw diversion, they dispersed to it." One was omitted because the mention of the other implies it. This is supported by the recitation "to it" (ilayhi—singular masculine), the recitation "When they saw diversion or trade, they dispersed to it" (ilayha), and the recitation "to them both" (ilayhima).

From the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Whoever recites Surah al-Jumu'ah is given a reward of ten good deeds for every person who attended the Friday prayer and for every person who did not attend it in the cities of the Muslims."