Malik said: He should not descend, for it is a voluntary prayer, so he should not occupy himself with it during the sermon, just like praying two rak'ahs. Our evidence is the action of Umar and his omission of it, and the action of those we named among the Companions, may the mercy of Allah be upon them; and because it is a Sunnah for which the cause has been realized, and the interval caused by it is not long, so performing it is recommended, like praising Allah the Almighty when one sneezes and responding to the one who sneezes. It is not obligatory, based on what we previously stated that the prostration of recitation is not obligatory. It differs from praying two rak'ahs because its cause [in that case] is not present, and the interval caused by it is long.

Section: Continuity is a condition for the validity of the sermon. If he separates some of it from the rest with long speech, long silence, or anything else that breaks continuity, he must restart it. The reference for the length or shortness of the interval is custom. Likewise, continuity is required between the sermon and the prayer. If he needs to perform purification, he may do so and then resume his sermon, provided the interval is not long.

Section: It is recommended that he supplicate for the believing men and women, for himself, and for those present. If he supplicates for the Sultan of the Muslims for righteousness, it is good. Dabbah ibn Mihsan (32) narrated that Abu Musa, whenever he preached, would praise Allah, extol Him, and invoke blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then he would supplicate for Umar and Abu Bakr. Dabbah criticized him for starting with Umar before supplicating for Abu Bakr and reported this to Umar, who said to Dabbah: 'You are more correct (33) and more guided than him.' The Qadi said: It is not recommended, because Ata' said: 'It is a recent innovation.' We have already mentioned the action of the Companions regarding it, and it takes precedence over the statement of Ata'; and because when the Sultan of the Muslims is righteous, there is righteousness for them in it, so supplicating for him is a supplication for them, and that is recommended and not disliked.

284 - Issue: He said: (And he shall descend and lead them in the Jumu'ah prayer of two rak'ahs, in which he recites Al-Hamd [Al-Fatihah] (1) and a Surah).

The general principle of this is that the Jumu'ah prayer consists of two rak'ahs after the sermon, and in each rak'ah he recites Al-Hamd and a Surah, and he recites aloud in both of them. There is no disagreement on all of this. Ibn al-Mundhir said: The Muslims have reached a consensus that the Jumu'ah prayer is two rak'ahs. A Hadith has reached us from Umar, who said: 'The Jumu'ah prayer is two rak'ahs, complete and not shortened, upon the tongue of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).' Recorded by Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah (2). It is recommended that in the first [rak'ah] he recites Surah Al-Jumu'ah, and in the second Surah Al-Munafiqun. This is the school of Al-Shafi'i and Abu Thawr, due to what was narrated from Ubayd Allah ibn Abi Rafi', who said: Abu Hurayrah led us in the Jumu'ah prayer and recited Surah Al-Jumu'ah in the first rak'ah, and in the second rak'ah 'Idha ja'aka al-munafiqun'. When Abu Hurayrah finished the prayer, I caught up with him and said: O Abu Hurayrah, you recited two Surahs that Ali used to recite in Kufa. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recite them during Jumu'ah. Recorded by Muslim (3). If he recites Al-Ghashiyah in the second, it is good; for Al-Dahhak ibn Qays asked Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir: What did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recite on the day of Jumu'ah, following Surah Al-Jumu'ah? He said: He used to recite {Has ataka hadithu al-ghashiyah}. Recorded by Muslim (4). If he recites {Sabbih} in the first and Al-Ghashiyah in the second, it is good, for Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite during the two Eids and during Jumu'ah...