99. Importance of Friday

I - Friday Prayer

Surah Juma No. 62, Ayat Nos 9 & 10

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿62:9﴾

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿62:10﴾

62:9 – ‘O’ Believers, when the call for Prayer is made on Friday, move quickly to the remembrance of Allah and give up all trading. That is better for you, if you only knew.

62:10 - When the Prayer is ended, disperse in the land and seek Allah’s Bounty, and remember Allah much, so that you may prosper.

Comments :

This Command of Allah confirms the obligatory nature of the Friday Prayer. It clearly means that every adult Muslim must attend this congregational prayer. It is weekly prayer and is a blessing that Allah bestowed on the people of Mohammad (saws). It has also been made clear that the congregation should be bigger and this will only be possible if the people of all the different areas get together and offer their prayer collectively.

The establishment of the Friday congregational Prayer was one of the earliest things that the Holy Prophet (saws) did after his emigration to Madinah. After leaving Makkah he reached Quba' on Monday and stayed there for four days. On the fifth day, which was a Friday, he performed the first Friday congregational Prayer at bani hashim place. (Ibn Hisham). The time appointed by the Holy Prophet (saws) for this Prayer was after the declining of the sun, the same time which is for the Zuhr Prayer.

Jumu'ah is an Islamic term. In the pre-Islamic days of ignorance the Arabs called it the 'Arabah Day. In Islam, when it was declared as a congregational day of the Muslims, it was re-named Jumu’ah.

Prophet Mohammad (saws) had said, Friday is the best day of the week, "We (Muslims) came last and yet we will be first on the day of judgment. Allah had told us, Friday is the day to glorify. Thus the Jews and Christians will follow us. The Jews glorify Saturday, and the Christians glorify Sunday." ( Bukhari & Muslim)

Friday has been accorded the most amount of merits. It is reported by Imam Muslim, Abu-Dawood, Al-Nesai, and Al-Tirmizi, that Prophet Mohammad (saws) had said,

"The best day during which the sun have risen is Friday. It is the Day Adam was created. It is the day when Adam entered paradise and also when he was taken out from it. It is also the day on which the day of judgment takes place."

It is narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah and Abu Hurairah which is is as follows: A trade caravan from Syria arrived in Al-Madinah right at the time of the Friday Prayer and its people started playing their drums to announce their arrival. The Prophet (peace be upon him) at that time was delivering the sermon, Hearing the drum the people in the congregation became impatient and rushed out towards Baqi where the caravan had halted, except for 12 men. When the people rushed out like that and only 12 companions were left behind, the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed them, saying: By Him in Whose hand is my life, if all of you had left, and none had remained behind, this valley would have overflowed with fire.

Imam Muslim and Ahmad had reported that Prophet Mohammad (saws) said about those people who do not attend Friday Prayer, "I wanted to ask a man to lead people in the prayer so that I may go and burn houses of men who did not attend the Friday Prayer with us"

" In another authentic hadis reported by Abu Dawood, Tirmizi, Al-Nesai, and Ibn-Majah, that the prophet (saws) said, "Who ever does not attend three Friday prayers in row, (without a valid excuse) Allah will set a seal on his heart"

The person who misses it without any valid excuse is a faasiq.

Friday prayer is not necessary for a musafir, for a sick person, who cannot walk to the mosque, for a person who is very weak and in old-age and for a person who is blind.

Friday prayer is not necessary for a female.

Friday prayer is not valid in a village or jungle. However, Friday will be valid in a village if its population is equal to that of a town. For example, if there is a population of three to four thousand, Friday prayer will be valid.

.Women are not legally obligated to perform Friday prayer.. If they do it, then it counts for the obligatory prayer of the time. Otherwise, they should pray Zuhr. Praying Jumah in the masjid is an obligation on Muslim men and not on Muslim women because the Prophet (saws) said: “Going to the Friday prayer is obligatory for every male who has reached puberty.” [An-Nasai]. However, women did attend Jumah in the time of the Prophet, but the said prayer has not been enjoined upon them as it is enjoined for men. In case, if it is difficult for women to attend, they do not feel compelled. Women are the VIPs in Islam. They are treated with extra care, supported and protected. Thus, to save them from hardship, attending the Friday prayer is not obligatory on them.

Every Muslim should make preparations for Friday from the night between Friday and Thursday. He should clean his clothes and keep them ready. If he does not have any perfume in his house, then if it is possible he should try and obtain some and keep it ready so that he will not get distracted with these things on Friday. The most unfortunate person will be he, who does not even know as to when Friday will fall, so much so that, he will ask the people in the morning as to which day this is. He should take care to offer zikr and some nafl salat in the night of Thursday..

The Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for the Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays,and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven" (Only minor sins) (Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated Abu Huraira (ra) that the Prophet said, "When it is a Friday, the angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for Jumua prayer) they (i.e. angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba." (Sahih Bukhari 13:51)

Narrated Abu Huraira (ra) that Allah's Apostle (saws) said, "There is an hour on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand."

1. That time is from the commencement of the khutbah till the end.

2. That time is towards the end of the day.( between Asr and Maghrib Salat)

It is therefore a big opportunity for all the Muslims males and females to avail this and make supplication and that will be the end of Friday prayers.

Total Number of Rakats in Jumaa

Two Rakat Sunnat before Farz salat

Then Two Rakat Farz

Then Two Rakat Sunnat after Farz Or

Four Rakat Sunnat after Farz Salat

Clarification about total number of sunnat rakat in Juma salat

A person entered the mosque while the Prophet was delivering the Khutba on a Friday. The Prophet said to him, "Have you prayed?" The man replied in the negative. The Prophet said, "Get up and pray two Rakat." (sahih Bukhari 13:52)

Clarification about total number of Rakat in Juma was sought and a Question was submitted on 31.10.2008 to seek clarification which was answered by the Imam of IsalmiCity from Toranto,Canada.

Question :

How many rakats are there in Jumuah Prayer ?

Answer :

Bismillahir-RaHmanir-RaHeem. The Friday Prayer has TWO FARD (Obligatory) rakats. Fiqhus Sunnah, 038 : 2.144A : It is a sunnah to pray four rak'at or two rak'at after al-Jumu'ah: Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "Whoever is to pray after the Jumu'ah should pray four rak'at." This is related by Muslim, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmizhi. Ya'la ibn Umayyah reports that he heard the Prophet recite, while on the pulpit: "And they cry: O Malik!..." (az-Zukhruf 77). This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

How to Give a Khutbah

khutbah is a religious talk given on Friday just before performing Salat (prayer). Since the Khutbah is given before Salat, Muslims are supposed to come to the Masjid before the Khateeb starts his khutbah.

1. The khutbah is composed of two consecutive speeches with a short break.

2. The Mu'azzin recites the Azaan (call to prayer). It is the standard Azaan, except that it is given inside the Masjid and in front of the Khateeb who is sitting on the pulpit.

3. After the Azaan, the Khateeb should start the khutbah

The Friday Khutbah begins with the praises of Allah and includes the blessing for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Dua for the guidance and the Mercy of Allah on the community. It should also include at least one Quranic verse and one related Hadith. The topic of the Khutbah should be relevant to our time and our condition.

The purpose of Friday Khutbah is to remind the Muslims about their responsibilities and to motivate them to stop evil and promote good in their lives, families and in the community. It is therefore essentila that the khutbah should be in local language.

Allah told us in Quran (“Whenever We sent a Messenger' to convey Our Message, he delivered it in the language of his people in order to make (things) clear to them”( Quran 14:4.)

5. After first khutbah he sits down and before that he should ask the congregating Muslims to ask Allah for forgiveness, guidance and mercy. He should ask forgiveness for himself, also.

After a few moments of pause, he stands up and starts the second khutbah.

The second khutbah should start with praise to Allah, followed by greeting unto the Prophet, his family, his companions and unto their followers. It is preferable that the second khutbah be devoted to Du'a' (supplications). The Khateeb should then recite several Du'a'.

Then he may say the following:

نَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Allah enjoins justice, generosity and kind treatment with kindred, and forbids indecency, wickedness and oppression. He admonishes you so that you may learn a lesson.