Is it permissible for the same Imam to lead two Jumu‘ah (Friday) prayers on the same day, performing the first as his obligatory Jumu‘ah and the second as a voluntary (nafl) prayer while the congregation intends it as their obligatory Jumu‘ah?

Jumu‘ah prayer is a weekly congregational obligation upon Muslim men. The established Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions was to perform a single Jumu‘ah prayer in the locality. However, in cases of genuine need, such as overcrowding, lack of space, or special circumstances, contemporary scholars have allowed multiple Jumu‘ah prayers within the same area.

The question arises whether an Imam who has already prayed Jumu‘ah once may lead another group in a second Jumu‘ah prayer, intending it to be nafl for himself while the followers perform it as their obligatory prayer.

According to the majority of classical scholars, especially from the Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi‘i schools, this practice is not valid. They argue that the Jumu‘ah prayer has a unique legal structure tied to the obligation of both the Imam and congregation, and that the Imam must intend it as obligatory to lead the Jumu‘ah prayer. Imam al-Nawawi (rahimahullah) stated in al-Majmū‘ that if the Imam does not intend Jumu‘ah as fard for himself, it is invalid for him to lead others. This is echoed by Ibn Qudāmah in al-Mughnī, where he emphasizes that leading Jumu‘ah with a nafl intention renders the prayer invalid.

However, there is a recognized scholarly opinion, supported by the practice of Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه), that allows differing intentions between the Imam and the congregation. Mu‘ādh used to pray ‘Ishā’ with the Prophet ﷺ, then return to his people and lead them in the same prayer, which was nafl for him and fard for them. This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (610) and Sahih Muslim (465).

Based on this precedent, many scholars including some from the Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools permit the Imam to lead a congregation with a different intention, especially when necessity or public benefit exists. Some modern fatwa bodies in non-Muslim-majority countries and high-traffic institutions (e.g., universities, prisons, or COVID-era restrictions) have permitted multiple Jumu‘ahs led by the same Imam, provided he intends the second as nafl.