Ruling on performing Jumu`ah Prayer at the headquarters of some companies to attract their foreign workers perform it

Fatwa no. 20548 All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has read the letter submitted to His Eminence, the Grand Mufty, by the Director of the Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance serving minorities in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, no. 693, on Rajab 4, 1419 A.H. The letter was referred to the Permanent Committee by the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars, no. 4403, on Rajab 15/1419 A.H. It includes a request to continue offering the Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer at the Masjid (mosque) within the headquarters of the Dallah Company, Bin Laden Company and Al Hanouf Group. The letter of His Eminence reads as follows: (Part No. 7; Page No. 56) Your Eminence, Grand Mufty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, Shaykh `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz, may Allah protect you! As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!) To proceed:I would like to inform Your Eminence that some companies and institutions in Makkah Al-Mukarramah employ a large number of workers who do not speak Arabic and thus, overlook attending the Jum`ah Prayer, or go late to it on the pretext that they do not understand Arabic. They need to be guided, so the Office was asked to send some Du`ah (callers to Islam) to lead these workers in the Jum`ah Prayer at the Masjid of the company. One was sent and led a large number of them in Salah (Prayer) at the Masjid. He delivered the Khutbah (sermon) first in Arabic, and then translated it into their language. They benefited a lot, though many of them do not listen to the Khutbah and attend the Salah only. Accordingly, we hope Your Eminence will guide us as to whether we should continue sending Du`ah or not; bearing in mind that the companies that ask that Jum`ah Prayers be held within its Masjids are three: Dallah Company, Bin Laden Company and Al Hanouf Group. Only the workers of these companies offer Salah in these Masjids. The knowledgeable Du`ah who lead Salah and are sent by the Office are graduates of the Islamic University. (Part No. 7; Page No. 57) Kindly, guide us, may Allah guide your steps!

Having reviewed your question, the Committee issued a Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) that it is not permissible for these companies to hold Jum`ah Prayers for their workers in the Masjids located within their headquarters, as it is not officially established to hold Jum`ah Prayers in such Masjids, and there are no residents among the workers upon whom the Jumu`ah Prayer is obligatory. The workers in these companies should offer the Jum`ah Prayer at nearby Masjids from where they hear the Adhan (call to Prayer). There is nothing wrong with translating the Khutbah afterwards so they may benefit from it. If the headquarters of the companies are far away from the Masjids where Jum`ah Prayers are held, so that they do not hear the Adhan and there are no residents among the workers upon whom the Jumu`ah Prayer is obligatory; then the Jum`ah Prayer is not obligatory upon the workers and they should offer Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer instead - consisting of four Rak`ahs (units of Prayer).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.