Short answer
Pray four rakats of Dhuhr in its place; Jumuah itself cannot be made up. If you missed it without a valid excuse, it is a serious sin, so repent and make sure it does not happen again. The Prophet ﷺ warned that whoever leaves three Jumuahs out of carelessness has a seal put on his heart.
Whoever misses Jumuah prays Dhuhr (four rakats). Missing it without excuse is a major sin requiring repentance. A man who catches the imam at any point before the final salam, even in the last tashahhud, completes two rakats of Jumuah according to Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- You must catch at least one full rakah (the ruku of the second rakah) with the imam to have Jumuah; otherwise you complete four rakats of Dhuhr.
- Maliki
- At least one full rakah with the imam is needed; otherwise pray Dhuhr.
- Hanbali
- At least one full rakah with the imam is needed; otherwise pray Dhuhr.
Explanation
Jumuah is only prayed in congregation with a khutbah, so it has no make-up. If the time passes, or the congregations near you have ended, you pray four rakats of Dhuhr as usual. Women, travellers and the sick, for whom Jumuah is not fard, simply pray Dhuhr.
- With a valid excuse (illness, travel, real danger, caring for a sick relative): there is no sin. Pray Dhuhr.
- Without an excuse: it is a major sin. The Prophet ﷺ said that people must stop neglecting Jumuah or Allah will seal their hearts. Repent sincerely, pray Dhuhr, and plan for next week.
- Because of work: look for a later Jumuah; many masjids hold two or three. Ask your employer for an extended lunch break, and if that fails, consider whether the job is worth this cost.
Arriving late: in the Hanafi school, if you join the imam before his final salam, even in the last tashahhud, you stand after his salam and complete two rakats; you have Jumuah. The other schools require you to catch at least one full rakah, otherwise you complete four for Dhuhr.
In the Hanafi school, men who are excused and live in the town should not pray Dhuhr in congregation on Friday in the masjid; they pray it individually. See who has to pray Jummah and how to pray Jummah.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Jumu'a 62:9
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩﴾
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
Jumuah is a command, and leaving it without excuse is a sin.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1052
Graded hasan sahih... من ترك ثلاث جمع تهاونا بها طبع الله على قلبه ...
"Whoever leaves three Jumuahs out of carelessness, Allah puts a seal on his heart."
A severe warning for missing Jumuah without excuse.
Sahih Muslim 865
Sahih... لينتهين أقوام عن ودعهم الجمعات أو ليختمن الله على قلوبهم ...
"People must stop neglecting the Jumuahs, or Allah will seal their hearts."
Leaving Jumuah is a major sin.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on Jumuah. Whoever catches the imam in the tashahhud or the sajdah of sahw completes Jumuah, according to Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Chapter on Jumuah. It is disliked for the excused to pray Dhuhr in congregation in the town on Friday.
- Minhaj al-Talibin, Chapter on Jumuah. The Shafi'i rule that one rakah with the imam is needed to catch Jumuah.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.