Jumma Prayer Time in Pakistan: When Does Friday Prayer Start?

Jumma prayer starts at the beginning of Dhuhr time, just after the sun passes its highest point. On Friday, October 9, 2026, Dhuhr begins at 12:20 PM in Karachi and 11:50 AM in Lahore. Most mosques in Pakistan hold the khutbah and Jumma prayer between about 1:00 and 2:00 PM, but the exact time is set by each mosque, so check yours.

Jumma takes the place of Dhuhr

On Friday, the two-rakat Jumma prayer with its khutbah (sermon) replaces the four rakat of Dhuhr for those who attend. Its time window is the same as Dhuhr: from just after solar noon until Asr begins. It is obligatory for adult Muslim men who are resident and able, and many women attend too, especially in larger mosques.

Because Jumma has to be prayed in congregation after a khutbah, you cannot simply pray it on your own at the start time. If you miss the congregation, you pray four rakat of Dhuhr instead.

Next Friday’s Dhuhr time in Pakistan

Calculated for Friday, October 9, 2026 with the Karachi method:

Notice that Karachi and Quetta, further west, have a later Dhuhr than Lahore, even though all of Pakistan shares one clock time. The sun reaches its highest point about four minutes later for every degree you move west.

Typical Jumma timings at mosques

Mosques in Pakistan usually fix a Jumma schedule well after Dhuhr begins, to give people time to leave work and make wudu. A common pattern looks like this:

• Urdu bayan: many mosques start a talk in Urdu 20 to 40 minutes before the Arabic khutbah.
• Khutbah: the Arabic sermon, often between 1:00 and 1:45 PM.
• Jamaat: the two-rakat prayer right after the khutbah.

Large city mosques may hold the prayer a little earlier in winter and later in summer. Some mosques keep a fixed time all year. Notice boards, the mosque’s social media pages or the imam are the best source for your local time.

Friday and the working day

Many offices, banks and government departments in Pakistan give a longer break on Friday afternoons so staff can attend Jumma. Schedules vary by employer and change from time to time, so check your own office or bank branch. If you need to plan around the break, our Pakistan local time page shows the current time, and what day is it helps with dates.

Sunnah acts of Friday

Friday is a special day of the week in Islam. Widely practised sunnah acts include:

• Taking a bath (ghusl), wearing clean clothes and using perfume.
• Going to the mosque early and listening to the khutbah in silence.
• Reciting Surah Al-Kahf during the day.
• Sending many blessings on the Prophet, peace be upon him.
• Making dua in the last hour before Maghrib, a time many scholars point to as especially accepted.

You can read or listen to Surah Al-Kahf with Urdu translation in our Quran reader.

Arriving on time

The reward for Jumma is linked to arriving early, and the khutbah is part of the prayer, so it is best to be seated before the imam stands. Leave enough time for traffic and parking, especially in city centres where mosques fill quickly. If you arrive during the khutbah, sit quietly and listen rather than talking or using your phone. Many people find it easier to pray Jumma at a mosque near their office and keep the same one each week.

Women, travellers and the sick

Jumma is not obligatory on women, travellers, the sick or those with a valid excuse. They pray Dhuhr at home as normal. If they do attend Jumma in congregation, it counts in place of Dhuhr.

For exact daily times, open Islamabad prayer times, Lahore prayer times or our list of all cities. If an app shows Asr much earlier than your mosque, read our guide to Hanafi and Shafi’i Asr.

Frequently asked questions