How can we offer the Jumu`ah (Friday)

Q: There is a question which reads: Someone entered a Masjid (mosque) in Bahrain to offer the Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer, but the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) delivering the Friday Khutbah (sermon) was late due to some reason, so one of the attendants delivered the Khutbah. Another person led the people in a four-Rak`ah Salah (Prayer consisting of four units) in which he recited subvocally. There were around four hundred men praying there. `Abdul-Jawwad Jasim asked him, "Why did you offer four Rak`ahs subvocally, the Jumu`ah Prayer is two Rak`ahs?" He said, "The Khutbah is in place of two Rak`ahs, but since the person who delivered the Friday Khutbah was not the Imam of the Masjid, this necessitates offering four Rak`ahs." The questioner would like to know the ruling on this matter.

A: If the case is as you mentioned, the Salah (Prayer) of those who offered four Rak`ahs is Batil (null and void). The Imam should have led them in the two-Rak`ah Jumu`ah Prayer (Part No. 8; Page No. 276) and recited the Qur'an out loud. The fact that someone else other than the Imam of the Masjid delivered the Friday Khutbah does not justify offering four Rak`ahs for the Jumu`ah Prayer instead of two. Based on that, the people must make up for it by offering four Rak`ahs of Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer, since the time of offering the Jumu`ah Prayer has passed.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.