FRIDAY PRAYER

Lets us do more than just praying the Jumuah Salah.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam ,

 

Let us Thank and Praise Allah for giving us yet another opportunity to attend this Jummah today and to listen to his message of Truth.

Indeed we must be Grateful to Allah who has granted us another chance to benefit from the numerous blessings of  Yaum-ul-Jummah.

 

 

 Allah says in  S62:V9

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِي لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ

"O you who believe! when the call is made for prayer on Friday,

 

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ

"Hasten to the Remembrance of Allah ( i.e Th Khutbah and the Friday Salah) and leave off business ( and every other thing) 62:9

 

ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

 

"that is better for you, if you  did know"

 

What does Allah mean when He says:

"that is better for you , if you did know"

 

Most of us are unaware of what the etiquette of a Muslim should be on Friday and do not realise its significance .

Some of us come to the prayer when the Prayer is about to start or has already started out of negligence or out of ignorance.

Do we understand the importance of the Friday prayer and its Sermon?

Do we really know what is required of a Muslim before and after the Friday prayers?

Do we know what are Virtues and Merits of Blessed Day of Yaum- ul- Jummah?

 

First of all

·       Friday is the best Day of the week. It is the Mothers of all days and the most virtuous in the sight of Allah.

 

·       In the sight of Allah it has more greatness than Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid –ul-Adha (Reported in Ibn Majah)

 

 

 Imam Muslim and At-Tirmidhi narrated that the  Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said that;

خَيْرُ يَوْمٍ طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَمْسُ يُوْمُ الْجُمْعَةِ

فِيْهِ خُلِقَ آدَمَ‘ وَفِيْهِ أُدْخِلَ الْجَنَةَ، وَفِيْهِ أُخْرِجَ

 

·       "Friday is the best day the sun has risen on.  In it Allah has created Adam AS, entered him in Paradise and driven him out of it"

 

 

·        It is also said that Allah finished the creation on  a Friday

 

 

·       The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said that of all days, Friday is the most virtuous. Send abundant Durood on me on Fridays because they are presented to me on that day.

 

·        The Day of Qiyamah will be on a Friday. It is on this day that the Trumpet will be blown.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said that

"On that day will occur the Resurrection. There is neither any angels nearest to Allah nor any heaven nor the earth nor the wind and a sea but all of them fear the Day of Jummah”

 

 Abdullah bin Amr RA reported that The  Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said:

 

مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوْتُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ إِﻻ وَقَاهُ اﷲُ فِتْنَةَ الْقَبْرِ

 

·       If any Muslim dies on the night or during the day of Friday, Allah saves him from the punishment of the Grave. (Tirmidhi)

 

The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said :

 

سَاعَةٌ مَنْ دَعَا اﷲَ فِيْحاَ اسْتُجِيْبَ لَهُ

 

·       "There is an hour during which Allah accepts the invocation 0f those who invoke Him" (Sahih- Al-Bukhari)

The Ulama has differed in specifying that hour. However ther are two  preferred  opinions :

1.     That time from the commencement of the Khutbah till the end of the salaat

2.     That time is towards the end of the Day

 

 

·       Once Ibn Abbas RA was reciting the following verse "This Day I have completed your religion for you".  A Jew was sitting near him. On hearing this verse being recited he remarked: " If this verse was revealed to us , we would have celebrated that day as an Eid. Ibn Abbas RA replied " This verse was revealed on two Eid , that is the Day of Jummuah and the Day of Arafah"

 

·       Every afternoon the heat of Jahannam is increased . However through the Blessings of Yaum-ul- Jummah, this does not happen on a Friday

 

 

·       Abu Huraira RA  reported that the Messenger of Allah said "Allah led those who came before us away from Friday. The Jews had Saturday and the Christians had Sunday. Then Allah brought us and guided us to Friday. So there is Friday, Saturday and Sunday thus they will follow us on the Day of Resurrection. We are the last of the people of this world but we will be the first one on the Day of Resurrection, and we will be dealt with before all others.

 

 

·       The five  daily prayers and from one Jummah  to the other is an expiation for whatever sins come in between them, so long as one does not commit a major sin.

 

·        Ibn Umar RA reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said

 

"Praying Fajar prayer in congregation on Fridays is the best prayer that a Muslim can pray during the week"

 

 

 

·       We should make preparations for Jummah from Thursday. The person who will receive the most benefit on Friday will be that person who waits for it and makes preparations for it from Thursday.

 

 

·       The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said:

 

"Taking a bath on Friday is mandatory upon every adult Muslim, so is using the Miswak  (tooth  sick). As for perfume, he puts it on if available."

Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said,

حَقٌّ لله عَلى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ، يَغْسِلُ رَأْسَهُ وَجَسَدَهُ

"It is Allah's right on every Muslim to bathe during every seven days, by washing his head and body".

 

 

·       It is also  recommended  that one should clip his nails for Jummah..

·       The Messenger of Allah insisted on wearing his best clothes on Friday therefore we should do likewise.

 

 And when it is time for the Jummah prayer

 

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ

  " Hasten to the Remembrance of Allah and leave off business."

 

Buying and selling absolutely prohibited for the Muslims from the time of the first call to prayers on Friday.  The true believer will never delay his prayers and will try his best to go as early as possible to the Friday prayer..

The Good businessmen are those who truly fear Allah in their heart and will never miss their prayers. They know a good deal when they see one.

 

The Holy Quran has praised those who leave and close their businesses after the Adhaan and Hasten to the Friday prayer.

Because they are concerned about the Day of Judgment

 

رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ

  "Men whom neither merchandise nor sale  diverts from the remembrance of Allah ( with their hearts and their tongues) nor for offering the prayers perfectly prayer nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a day in which the hearts and eyes will be overturned ( from the horror of the Torment of the Day of Judgement) [ 24:37]

 

لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

 

That Allah may reward  them according to the best of their Deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allah provides for those whom He will, without measure. [ 24:38]

 

.  The Friday Congregational prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim except women, children, slaves, travellers and sick people If we ignore and neglect it Allah will cause our hearts to be sealed .

 

 

To the effect the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) warned us:

 

مَنْ تَرَكَ ثَلَاُثَ جُمَعٍ مُتَحَاوِنًا طَبَعَ اﷲُ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ

 

"Allah will seal the heart of the man, who does not pray three Friday prayers out of negligence."

 

·       By walking to the Mosque for Jummah salah one gets the reward of Fasting for one year for every step that he takes (Tirmidhi)

 

·       We should try to arrive early at the Mosque. The earlier a person arrives the more reward he will receive.

 

 

·       The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said :

 

" On the Day of Jummah, the Angels stand  at the entrance of the Masjid in which is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the masjid first and thereafter the name of that person who follows and they continue to do this. The person who enters first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah, the one who followed him get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the Khutbah commences , the angels close the register and begin listening to the Khutbah."

  (Bukhari & Muslim)

 

 

 

·       The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said that "The person who recites Surah Kahf on Fridays, a light will appear for him from below the skies . This light will help him in the darkness of the Day of Resurrection. And all his minor sins which he may have committed from the last Friday till this Friday will be forgiven."

 

 

During the Khubah do not allow anything to divert your attention. Do not miss the opportunity to learn something that will benefit you.

Do not say I already know this. Part of the benefit is that we are maintaining the practice of reminding and correcting one another so as to achieve the happiness of this world and the Hereafter.

So listen carefully with your ears and your hearts.

 

 

 

Beware of talking while the Imaam is delivering his speech.  The Khutbah is an  integral part of the Jummah Salah. You would not talk  during the salah therefore do not do so while the Imaam is delivering his Khutbah

 

 For the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa'sallam) said:

 

مَنْ تَكَلَمَ وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَﻬُوَ كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارٍ ، وَالَﺫِي يَقُوْلُ لَهُ : أَنْصَتْ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ جُمُعَةٌ

"Whoever speaks while the Imaam is delivering his speech is like a donkey carrying books, and whoever tells him to listen shall have no Friday prayers."

 

·       It is Haraam to make another person get up and sit in his place.

·       We must sit wherever we find room in the mosque. It is also Haraam to jump over the shoulders of others to get a seat in the front row. If one want to sit in the front row one should come early

 

”

 

Allah has prohibited us to leave the Mosque while the Imaam is delivering the Friday Sermon

Allah criticizes what happened during one Friday sermon, when a caravan arrived at Al-Madinah and the people rushed out to the merchandise.  Jabir reported that , "Once, a caravan arrived at Al-Madinah while Allah's Messenger was giving a Khutbah.  There was drums beating So, the people rushed out to see leaving Allah's Messenger standing on the Minbar, and only twelve men remained with the Messenger .

Then Allah revealed this Ayah,

وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ تِجَـرَةً أَوْ لَهْواً انفَضُّواْ إِلَيْهَا

"And when they see some merchandise or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it,"

وَتَرَكُوكَ قَآئِما  ً And leave you standing

This verse also proves that the Imam should deliver the speech on Friday while standing and it is prohibited to leave the Mosque while the Imaam is delivering the Khutbah

 

The Prophet would recite the Qur'an and remind the people (of Allah).'' Allah's statement,

قُلْ مَا عِندَ اللَّهِ

Say: "That which Allah has..."

meaning the reward that is with Allah in the Hereafter,

خَيْرٌ مِّنَ اللَّهْوِ وَمِنَ التِّجَـرَةِ

"…is better than any amusement or merchandise"

 وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الرَزِقِينَ

"! And Allah is the best of providers"

 

meaning, for those who trust in Him and seek His provisions when they are allowed to do so.

 

 

 

Allah does not tell us to spend 24 hr in His Worship . He is fully aware that we have to earn a Halal living. We have to work  ,we have businesses to run , and we have the responsibility to feed  and clothe our families.

This is why in the following verses He says

 

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ

 

62:10 But when the prayer is ended, then disperse through  the land and seek the Bounty of Allah (by working),

 

 وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيراً لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.

 

Brothers and Sisters there are many rewards to be earned on Yaum-ul-Jummah.

It is much more than just attending the Jummah prayer.

Allah is very generous towards all of us . He wants us to make the most of Yaum-ul-Jummah and earn as much reward as possible.

 

 

Lets us do more than just praying the Jumuah Salah.

 

 Remember Allah says

 

ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

 

"that is better for you, if you  did know"

 

And Alhamdullilah we now can say that we do know

What Allah means by

 

"that is better for you"

 

May Allah give us the motivation, devotion and commitment to act on what has been said today.

 

(Ameen- Ya Rabbul Aalameen)

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***
Alahumma infa`ni bima `allamtani
wa `allamni ma yanfa`uni!

OH ALLAH! Make useful for me what You taught meand teach me knowledge that will be useful to me!