QUESTION: In my life I have not pray jumaat. When I go to umrah. I don’t know how to read for jumaat prayers. Izit sin I didn’t recite but just follow them do the prayers?
– Anonymous, Singapore

ANSWER: First of all, it is compulsory upon us to repent to Allah for not performing the jumaat prayers. Secondly, we have to seek Islamic knowledge especially pertaining to the rulings of purification and prayers so that they will be valid. This type of knowledge is compulsory for every muslim to seek. Failing to seek compulsory knowledge is a sin by itself. Imitating others in acts of worship without prior knowledge makes it void and unaccepted.

If there is no repentance and no effort to learn the laws, then worship of such nature is unaccepted by Allah.

It is mentioned by Sheikh Ibn Arsalan, the author of the famous book in fiqh – Safwatu Zubad when he mentioned about the importance of seeking knowledge:

و كل من بغير علم يعمل فأعماله مردودة لا تقبل

All those who performed acts of worship without knowledge, his deeds will be void and not be accepted.

This is because Allah only accepts acts of worship which are based on knowledge. Imitating others in worship will not make it valid as it does not fulfill the other conditions for its validity.

If we have repented and in the process of seeking knowledge, then only our shortcomings in acts of worship like prayers and others are forgiven by Allah. And what we have to do is as mentioned above that is to repent and start seeking knowledge. We pray may Allah make it easy upon you. Amen.

Wallahu a’lam
Contributor: Ustaz Anwar Hussain
www.AskUstaz.com