Is it obligatory to attend the Friday sermon in a mosque where the Imam speaks a language other than Arabic for a long time, or is it obligatory to travel to another mosque?
Scholars have differed regarding the validity of the Friday sermon in a language other than Arabic. Most of them hold that it is valid when one is unable [to deliver it in Arabic], and this is what the Islamic Fiqh Academy has decided, while preferring that the introductory parts and verses be recited in Arabic. As for attending the sermon, it is apparent that it is obligatory, whether one understands the language or not, in order to attain the reward for attendance and listening, and to benefit from the verses and hadiths recited. It is not obligatory to travel to attend Friday prayer, because it is not obligatory for a traveler.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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