What is the Zuhr-i Akhir prayer? Is it necessary to perform this prayer?

Zuhr-i Akhir means "the last noon prayer." Some Islamic scholars, due to the possibility that Friday prayers performed in more than one mosque in a settlement may not all be valid except for the first one, have recommended that, as a precaution, the noon prayer of that day should also be performed. This prayer, performed under the name Zuhr-i Akhir, is not included in the Friday prayer. There is no report from the Prophet or the early generations of a prayer performed by this name.

Zuhr-i Akhir became an issue as the Islamic world expanded and city populations grew, making it impossible to perform the Friday prayer in only one mosque in a city as was the case during the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) time, and thus necessitating the performance of Friday prayers in multiple mosques. The reasoning is based on the assumption that only the first Friday prayer performed in a city is valid, and the others may be invalid. To avoid this doubtful situation, some scholars deemed it appropriate to perform a four-unit prayer during the Friday prayer time, with the intention of Zuhr-i Akhir, meaning "the last noon prayer that could not be performed in its time," as a precaution. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 2/145-147; Qarafi, al-Zakhira, 2/354-355; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 2/248; Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj, 1/544-545)

Although performing the Friday prayer in a single mosque aligns with the essence of Friday, it is not possible to do so in crowded cities. In fact, according to the view adopted as the basis for fatwa in the Hanafi school, Friday prayers can be performed in more than one mosque in a city without any restriction. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 2/145-146) When Imam Shafi'i went to Baghdad, he saw that Friday prayers were performed in more than one place and did not object to this. (Nawawi, al-Majmu’, 4/585; Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj, 1/544) Therefore, each Friday prayer performed in different mosques is considered valid, and there is no difference between them in this regard. Thus, those who perform the Friday prayer do not need to also perform Zuhr-i Akhir (the last noon prayer).

Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu