ibn Burqan, from Thabit ibn al-Hajjaj, from 'Abd Allah ibn Sidan, who said: I witnessed the sermon with Abu Bakr, and his prayer and sermon were before midday. I witnessed it with 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, and his prayer and sermon were until I would say that midday had arrived (12). Then I prayed it with 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, and his prayer and sermon were until I would say that the day had passed its meridian, and I did not see anyone criticize that or object to it. He said: It was likewise narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Jabir, Sa'id, and Mu'awiyah that they prayed before the meridian, and their hadiths indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed it after the meridian in most of his times, and there is no disagreement regarding its permissibility and that it is more excellent and preferable. Our hadiths indicate the permissibility of performing it before the meridian, and there is no contradiction between them. As for at the beginning of the day, the correct view is that it is not permissible, because of what the majority of scholars have mentioned, and because timing cannot be established except through evidence from a text or what serves as its equivalent. There is no confirmation from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) nor from his successors that they prayed it at the beginning of the day. Furthermore, the requirement of the evidence is that its time is the time of Dhuhr, and it was only permissible to advance it based on the evidence we mentioned, which is specific to the sixth hour; therefore, advancing it before that is not permissible, and Allah knows best. Furthermore, if it were prayed at the beginning of the day, it would be missed by most of the worshippers, because (13) the custom is for them to gather for it at the time of the meridian, and only isolated individuals and a small number of people come for it in the mid-morning, as it was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that he came for Friday prayer and found four who had preceded him, so he said: "The fourth of four, and the fourth of four is not far." Once this is established, the most preferable [course] is that it not be prayed except after the meridian to avoid the disagreement and to perform it at the time in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed it in most of his times. He should hasten to perform it at the beginning of its time in winter and summer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to hasten it, based on the reports we have narrated, and because people gather for it at the beginning of its time and arrive early before its time. If one were to wait for the cooling [of the weather] for it, it would be difficult for those present.

Indeed, the cooling [delaying] of the Dhuhr prayer during extreme heat was only established to ward off the hardship that would be even greater if the cooling [delay] were applied to the Friday prayer.

Section: If an Eid coincides with a Friday, attendance of the Friday prayer is dropped for the one who performed the Eid prayer, except for the Imam, for it is not dropped for him unless he does not (14) have those who can pray the Friday prayer with him. It is said that there are two narrations regarding its obligation upon the Imam. Among those who said it is dropped are al-Sha'bi, al-Nakha'i, and al-Awza'i. It is also said that this is the view of 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Sa'id, Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, and Ibn al-Zubayr. Most jurists said the Friday prayer is obligatory due to the generality of the verse and the reports indicating its obligation, and because they are two obligatory prayers, so one does not replace the other, like Dhuhr with Eid. Our evidence is what Iyas ibn Abi Ramlah al-Shami narrated, saying: I witnessed Mu'awiyah asking Zayd ibn Arqam: Did you witness two Eids gather on one day with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes. He asked: How did he act? He said: He performed the Eid prayer, then granted a concession regarding the Friday prayer, saying: "Whoever wishes to pray [it], let him pray." Recorded by Abu Dawud, and recorded (15) by Imam Ahmad, and his wording is: "Whoever wishes to perform the Friday prayer, let him perform it" (16). From Abu Hurayrah, from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Two Eids have gathered for you on this day of yours; whoever wishes, it suffices him [instead] of the Friday prayer, and we are performing the Friday prayer." Recorded (17) by Ibn Majah (18). Similar [narrations] from Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And because the Friday prayer only exceeds the Dhuhr prayer