Is the Jumu'ah and Eid Salaahs Valid in Ruwaydra?

Q: Salaah-297: We have a village close to our own and both have their own Masjid. One village is called Ruwaydra and the other is called Kirmaali. While Ruwaydra has a population of 1500, Kirmaali has only 400. Ruwaydra has a pharmacy, ten to twelve shops. a mill and even a water works. It has all the necessary amenities and the people perform the Jumu'ah salaah as well as the two Eid salaahs there. There are however those who object to this, they say that these salaahs are not valid and they refrain from performing them. What is the ruling in terms of the Shari'ah?

Answer: (from Mufti Abdur Raheem RAH.): Our research tells us that each of the two villages arc regarded as separate villages and that the Jumu'ah salaah is not valid in either of the two because neither fulfils the necessary preconditions. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Answer (from Mufti Ateequr Rahmaan Uthmaani): The validity of the Jumu'ah salaah pivots on whether or not a place fulfils various preconditions. In the stated case, the two villages are regarded as independent villages and if the Jumu'ah salaah is valid in one village, there is no need to regard both as one village and to therefore apply the compulsion of performing the Jumu'ah salaah to the other. This is because it is obvious that the Fuqahaa did not base the validity of the Jumu'ah salaah on whether or not villages are one or separate. The criterion they have adopted is whether or not each village fulfils the preconditions or not. Jumu'ah salaah in each village will be valid only if that village fulfils the preconditions. It is wrong to regard the villages as one merely because people have the fervour to perform the Jumu'ah salaah. When the two have separate names, the Shari'ah will also perceive them as separate.

However, if the two are two suburbs that are together called by the same name, they may well be regarded as one place. In such a case, a street separating them will not be an obstacle for the validity of the Jumu'ah salaah. It appears that this is not the case in your question and it is therefore unnecessary for people to insist that the Jumu'ah salaah be performed.

Answer (from Mufti Azeezur Rahmaan): According to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, the Jumu'ah salaah is Fardh (obligatory) and valid only in such cities or large towns that have a marketplace where necessities can be procured. However, since each of the two villages are not large enough to fulfil the preconditions for the Jumu'ah salaah, it will even be wrong to regard the two as one. The aforementioned reply is therefore correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2