If the feast prayer and the Friday prayer come on the same day, is the Friday prayer still obligatory?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If the ‘Eed happens to be on a Friday, there are three opinions regarding praying the Friday prayer for somebody who has prayed the ‘Eed prayer.

The first opinion is that the person who is Islamically required to pray the Friday prayer is not exempted from praying it even though he has prayed the ‘Eed prayer and this is the view of the majority of the scholars.

The second opinion is that the Friday prayer is not obligatory on the people who live in the suburbs and whose presence to the mosque constitutes some sort of hardship. This is narrated from ‘Uthmaan that he prayed the ‘Eed prayer and permitted the people from the villages not to attend the Friday prayer that day. It is also the opinion of Imam Ash-Shaafi'i .

The third opinion is that whoever prays the ‘Eed prayer is allowed not to pray the Friday prayer. However, the Imam of the mosque should establish the Friday prayer so that those who like to attend it can do so. It is confirmed in the Sunnah that during the era of the Prophet ‘Eed day happened to be on a Friday, then he prayed the ‘Eed prayer and gave the permission for people who did not want to attend the Friday prayer not to pray it. In another narration the Prophet prayed the ‘Eed prayer and then he addressed the people saying: “O people! You have indeed achieved some good thing. Now, whoever wants to be present among us during the Friday prayer can do so as we will gather to pray the Friday prayer.”

This last opinion is the most preponderant one that is confirmed from the Prophet his Caliphs and his Companions. It is also the opinion of the Imams whom this Hadeeth has reached, like Imam Ahmad and others . It might be that those who differed in opinion from this last opinion is because this narration has not reached them or that it reached them but it is not confirmed to them that it is authentic.

Allah knows best.