Question
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, I had a question regarding the validity of Jumu‘ah prayer for sisters at my university. The way it is arranged is that the brothers are in one room, while the sisters are in a separate room beside them. We listen to the khutbah and join the prayer through a Zoom video call that streams what is happening in the brothers’ room. My concern is whether the Jumu‘ah prayer is valid in this case, as someone told me it’s not accepted for sisters because they must be in the same room behind the brothers and able to see the imam. Unfortunately, these are the only 2 rooms that our University allows us to use since brothers and sisters cannot fit into one. Could you please clarify the ruling on this situation? JazakAllahu khayran.
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
1. The Requirements for Following the Imam in Salah
The fuqaha agree that for a congregation to be valid:
- The imam and followers must be in the same general location, with no excessive barrier or gap that breaks the sense of a single congregation.
- The follower must be able to hear the imam’s recitation or know his movements, either directly or by those next to them.
- Direct visual contact with the imam is not required in most madhhabs. It is sufficient that there is continuity of rows or that one can follow reliably.
2. Application to the Case in Question
- If the sisters’ room is adjacent to the brothers’ room (same building, no excessive distance), and they are praying at the same time with the same imam, this meets the condition of being in one jama‘ah.
- The reliance on a Zoom stream is problematic if it is only an internet connection, because digital transmission may cause delay and is not considered direct connection. But if the Zoom is merely for amplification, and in reality the sisters are in the next room and can hear the imam (through speakers) and pray simultaneously, the prayer is valid.
- The issue arises only if the prayer is followed purely online (as in people praying from home) — that would not count as jama‘ah by consensus. But here, since both groups are in the university and connected physically to the same place, the setup is valid.
3. Usul Principles Applied
- “Al-‘ibrah bi-l-haqiqa la bi-l-ism” — rulings are based on reality, not labels. The reality here is that the congregation is in one building, led by one imam, and simultaneous.
Final Ruling
The Jumu‘ah prayer of the sisters in the adjacent room is valid, as they are part of the same congregation in one location. The use of Zoom for audio-visual transmission does not harm the validity, provided the prayer is simultaneous and not dependent on internet broadcast from a different location.
And Allah knows best.