Was the Friday prayer at Jelutong Jamek Mosque on 20 January 2017 valid, given that there was speech or an announcement between the sermon and the prayer?

Short answer

The Penang State Fatwa Committee ruled that the Friday prayer was valid.

Penang15 February 2017Fatwa committee decision

A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.

Authority: Penang State Mufti Department
Date: 15 February 2017
Status: Fatwa committee decision
Series: Keputusan Fatwa Negeri Pulau Pinang (e-Fatwa)
Topic: Prayer (Salah)

No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.

Summary

The Penang State Fatwa Committee ruled that the Friday prayer was valid. The fatwa adopts the view that continuity (muwalat) between the sermon and the prayer is required, as the strongest opinion. Brief speech or an announcement between the sermon and the prayer does not invalidate the sermon. It cites the hadith of Anas bin Malik, where the Prophet attended to a person's need after descending from the pulpit before leading the prayer.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.

Mesyuarat telah memutuskan bahawa solat Jumaat pada 20 Januari 2017 di Masjid Jamek Jelutong adalah sah berdasarkan hujahan seperti berikut:-

Excerpt from the original fatwa · Penang

Read the full fatwa on the Penang website (new tab)

How to cite

Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.

Penang State Mufti Department. “ISU KHUTBAH JUMAAT DI MASJID JELUTONG”, 15 February 2017. http://efatwa.penang.gov.my/fatwa_details.php?fatwaid=961. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/validity-friday-prayer-jelutong-mosque-sermon-announcement/