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English translation
1082. It was narrated that 'Abdur-Rahmân bin Ka'b bin Mâlik said: "I used to guide my father after he lost his sight, and when I took him out for the Friday (prayer), when he heard the Adhân he would pray for forgiveness for Abu Umâmah As'ad bin Zurârah, and supplicate for him. I heard that from him for a while, then I said to myself: 'By Allâh! What is this weakness? Every time he hears the Adhân for Friday (prayer) I hear him praying for forgiveness for Abu Umâmah and supplicate for him, and I do not ask him about why he does that.' Then I took him out for Friday (prayer), as I used to take him out, and when he heard the Adhân he prayed for forgiveness as he used to do. I said to him: 'O my father! I see you supplicating for As'ad bin Zurârah every time you hear the call for Friday; why is that?' He said: 'O my son, he was the first one who led us for the Friday prayer before the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ came from Makkah, in Naqî' Al-Khadamât (a place near Al-Madinah), in the plain of Harrah Banu Bayâdah.' I asked: 'How many of you were there at that time?' He said: 'Forty men.'" (Hasan)
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Commentary
The fact of forty men being present at the time should not lead one into believing that a minimum number of forty is essential for the institution of the Friday prayer. In fact, even fewer than this makes the Friday prayer compulsory. It is rather the duty of Muslims, even numbering as few as three or four, living anywhere in the world with a non-Muslim majority, and whether or not they have a duly constructed mosque, that they organize their daily prayer as well as Friday prayers in congregation, in order to maintain their collectivity.
