SUNNAH OF JUMU’AH

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

SUNNAH OF JUMU’AH (FRIDAYS’)

O Allah (The Exalted) bless, sanctify and grant peace to our master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Your Prophet, Your Messenger.

Jumu’ah: the king of the week

Sa’ad bin Ma’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Jumu’ah is the king of all days and it is esteemed before Allah (The Exalted), it is also greater than ‘Eidul Fitr and ‘Eidul Adha. It has five qualities:

1. Allah (The Exalted) created Prophet Adam (upon whom be peace) on this day.

2. This day he was sent to earth.

3. He passed away on this day.

4. Your lawful supplications are accepted on this day.

5. The Day of Resurrection will be on this day. No angel in the heavens, the earth, the air, the mountains and in the sea who doesn’t fear the day of Jumu’ah. i

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrates the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “Amongst all the days the best is Jumu’ah, Prophet Adam (upon whom be peace) was born, this day he entered Paradise, this day he came from Paradise to earth and the Day of Judgment will be on Jumu’ah.” ii

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Jibrail (upon whom be peace) came to me with a clean mirror in his hand and said: “This is Jumu’ah. Allah (The Exalted) has made it obligatory on you, so that it may be a festival for you and for your followers.” I asked: “What good is there in it for us?” He said: “You have got auspicious time in it. If a person seeks anything from Allah (The Exalted) at this time, Allah (The Exalted) has promised that He will give. If deprived of that, many additional things are given to the person in addition. If any people want to save themselves from any evil that day, Allah (The Exalted) saves the person from a greater calamity or a like calamity that has been decreed on the person. The day of Jumu’ah is the best day for us and we shall call it on the day of resurrection as the day of grace.”” iii

What a blessed day Jumu’ah is which has so many blessings, virtues and benefits for all.

Hasan Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whoever prays in the night of Jumu’ah (on Thursday night) Surah Yaseen, Surah Hameem and Surah Adukhan, and when one wakes up, one is already forgiven. It is said that whoever prays Surah Kahaf on Friday he will be like that person who gave 10,000 dinars1 (in charity).” iv

1 A currency

Subhanallah! We should spend special days and nights in the remembrance of Allah (The Exalted). There are so many rewards to be gained. May Allah (The Exalted) give us the ability to recite the Qur’an at least once a day, Ameen.

Fearing on the day of Jumu’ah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) states that, “Every angel fears the day of Friday, even the sky and the earth fear this day.” v

Allahu Akbar! We look forward to the weekend and forget about the fact that the day of judgement will be on a Friday. Let us take head and prepare for this day.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that, “People will stop missing their Friday prayers or Allah (The Exalted) will stamp their hearts, then they will become of those who are heedless.” vi

Those who do not even offer their Jumu’ah Salaah need to take heed, we don’t want to become of those who can’t even offer one Salaah a week out of thirty-five, can we really call ourselves Muslims? 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Hypocrite

It is quoted in the ahadith that those who miss three consecutive Jumu’ahs have thrown Islam behind their backs, and they are hypocrites, and Allah (The Exalted) dissociates Himself from them.

Some think its okay to miss two and pray the third without a valid Shar’i reason. This is a major sin and no Salaah should be missed, as five times Salaah is obligatory, some people are always looking for short cuts and excuses suggested by Shaytan, such as ‘I am no one to look after my business,’ ‘My clothes are not clean,’ or ‘I can’t get time of from work,’ etc. Let us fear Allah (The Exalted) and become a true believer and not a hypocrite.

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that, “Whoever believes in Allah (The Exalted) and the last day, for him the Jumu’ah prayer is Fardh. Hence, those who are ill, travellers, women, and children are not included in this.” vii

Bathing on Jumu’ah will wipe out sins

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has said that, “The bathing on Friday pulls out every sin (Minor) of man from its roots.” viii Subhanallah!

‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “Whoever comes for the Jumu’ah prayer should take a bath (before coming).” ix

In a hadith it states, “Whosoever takes a bath on Friday will have his sins forgiven. When he leaves for Friday prayer ten rewards are recorded for each step and when he finishes the prayer, a reward of two years’ worship is recorded on his credit.” x Subhanallah!

‘Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “Whoever bathes on Jumu’ah his sins are buried and when he walks (for Jumu’ah Salaah) then on every step he receives twenty rewards and when the Salaah has finished then he receives reward equivalent to two hundred years of good deeds.” xi

There are many different rewards stated in different ahadith, however, one will definitely be rewarded more if one practises as many Sunnats as possible.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that, “On the day of Jumu’ah the angles stand at all entrances (where Jumu’ahs are performed) and write the names of people entering. The first to enter is (like) as if he has sacrificed a camel, after him the second person is (like) as if he has sacrificed a cow and the third person is (like) as if he sacrificed a goat, then the one who comes after is like he gave a chicken in the path of Allah (The Exalted) and the one who comes after is like as if he gave an egg in the path of Allah (The Exalted). When the Imam stands to perform the sermon the scrolls are closed and put away.” xii Subhanallah!

Register your name

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Every Friday the angels take their stand at every gate of the mosques to write the names of the people according to the time of their arrival for prayer. When the Imam sits (on the pulpit) they fold up their scrolls and get ready to listen to the sermon.” xiii

Respected brother! Those of us who go late, our names are not entered in the register and we are deemed absent from the Jumu’ah prayer. Try and go before the sermon, as there is a lot of reward. Make an effort to go to Jumu’ah early as possible and not at the last minute. Another important point is that the complete Salaah should be prayed and not only the Fardh. The four Sunnah before the Fardh and the four Sunnah and two Sunnah are all Moakedah (emphasised Sunnahs). Missing them is a sin.

Clean Clothing

‘Abd-Allah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying, “Even if one has other garments he may wear for Friday the same two garments he wears everyday.” xiv

It is not necessary to wear new clothes on Friday but better to do so, making sure they are clean. 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Special dress for Friday

‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) has reported that, “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had a special suit that he would wear on Fridays. When he returned from the prayer we would fold and lay it aside to be taken out only on the next Friday.” xv

Useless talk

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “In the sermon (Khutba), if you said to your friend ‘Stay quiet!’ Then he has said a useless thing, for him there is no reward in this Jumu’ah.” xvi

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrates the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “On the day of Jumu’ah at the time of the Imams sermon if one says “quiet” to someone, they have said a useless thing.” xvii

When the sermon is being recited, one should stay completely silent, to the extent even when the name of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is heard it is only permissible to send Salawaat in the heart and not aloud.

Yahya (may Allah be pleased with him) related from Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked Ibn Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him) about talking in Jumu’ah after the Imam had come down from the pulpit but before he had said the takbir. Ibn Shihab said, “There is no harm in that.” xviii

Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “A person who takes a bath on Friday and gains cleanliness in all respects and oiled (the hair) and (applied) scent, then set out for the sermon (Khutbah), sat without disturbing the people, and prayed Salaah, kept quiet whilst the Imam recites the sermon, all his sins will be forgiven from one Friday to another.” xix

Subhanallah! Look at the numerous benefits, however, some stay away from these benefits and are unfortunate that they do not even pray Jumu’ah. This is the king of the week, all the creation fears Allah (The Exalted) on this day, why don’t we?

Saib bin Yazeed (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would stand on the pulpit (Mimbar) on Friday, the Adhaan would be called in front of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) at the door, the same would happen in the time of ‘Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).” xx

This does not mean in the actual prayer area but outside.

In Paradise

Samara bin Jandab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that, “Be present at the time of Friday sermon and be close to the Imam, if you remain far away, you will remain far in Paradise although you will enter Paradise.” xxi

Let us go and sit nearest to the Imam as possible and not near the door. Many come at the last minute and are first to leave. If we want to be at a high degree in Paradise let us sit close to the Imam, Insha-Allah!

If you want to be close to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Paradise, and who doesn’t desire this? This is a sign of being close to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). We will have to follow the Sunnah very closely.

Needs Granted

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “There is a time on the day of Jumu’ah that if a Muslim finds it, and calls Allah (The Exalted) for mercy then Allah (The Exalted) will grant his needs, and that time is very short.”

In one hadith it states; “On the day of Jumu’ah if one desires something then find it between ‘Asr and Maghrib.” xxii 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

This is a very blessed moment were supplications are accepted. Ask for whatever you want as long as it is permissible in Islam. The method and details of supplicating is mentioned in the chapter on supplication.

Dying on Jumu’ah

‘Abd-Allah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “Muslims who die on the day or night of Jumu’ah, then Allah (The Exalted) will save them from the questioning of the grave.” xxiii

Subhanallah! May Allah (The Exalted) grant us this, Ameen!

Manners of Jumu’ah

Jumu’ah is Farz-e-‘Ain meaning obligatory on all individuals. Its obligation is more important than Dhuhr Salaah and those who reject it is a Kafir.xxiv It is quoted in the hadith that those who miss three Jumu’ahs have thrown Islam behind them, and he is a hypocrite and is disassociated from Allah (The Exalted). xxv

1. Jumu’ah preparations should commence on Thursday evening, such as the clipping of nails and removing of hair, etc. xxvi

2. To have a bath (ghusl) on Friday. xxvii

3. To use the Miswak. xxviii

4. To use ‘Itr (scent). xxix

5. To apply oil. xxx

6. To wear one’s best clothes, not necessarily new; it should preferably be white as Allah (The Exalted) likes white clothes. xxxi

7. To proceed early to the Masjid for the Jumu’ah Salaah. The earlier one goes the greater the reward. xxxii

8. To walk to the Masjid if possible. xxxiii

9. For every step is a reward of fasting for one year. xxxiv

10. One should listen attentively to the Khutba (sermon) even if one does not understand it. xxxv

11. One should not speak nor warn others to keep quiet whilst the Khutba is in progress.

12. When the Messenger of Allah’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) name is mentioned in the Khutba, it is permissible to recite Durood in the heart only (without the movement of the lips or tongue). Between the two khutbas one should make supplication (only in their heart), without raising the hands.

13. To read Surah Kahaf (Surah No: 18) before or after the Jumu’ah Salaah- according to one narration will expiate ones sins committed in the past week.

14. To sit and face the Imam is desirable in the Jumu’ah sermon.

15. To sit close to the Imam. xxxvi

16. In a narration it states that on the day of Jumu’ah Allah (The Exalted) will release six thousand people from Hell. xxxvii

17. Do not kiss the thumbs when the name of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is mentioned in the sermon. This is only for the sermon. You should recite Salawaat in the heart and not with the tongue. xxxviii

18. If the rows are already filled, one must not jump over the shoulders of the people to get to the front. xxxix

19. One should not fiddle with clothes or fingers etc. xl

5 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

i Ibn Majah

ii Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Fatawa-e-Razawiyya, Vol: 9, p. 265, Jam’i-ul-Hadith, Vol: 1, p. 611

iii Ihya by Al-Ghazali

iv Ghunyatul Talibeen

v ibid

vi Muslim

vii Ghunyatul Talibeen

viii Tabarani

ix Bukhari, Friday Prayer.

x Tabarani

xi ibid

xii Ghunyatul Talibeen

xiii Bukhari

xiv Ibn Majah

xv Tabarani

xvi Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Fatawa-e-Razawiyya, Vol: 3, p. 697, Jam’i-ul-Hadith, Vol: 1, p. 615. Ghunya-tut-Talibeen.

xvii Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, , Fatawa-e-Razawiyya, Vol: 3, p. 697, Jam’i-ul-Hadith, Vol: 1, p. 614

xviii Al-Muwatta

xix Bukhari, book of Jumu’ah.

xx Abu Dawud. Hadith Hasan/ Sahih

xxi Abu Dawood

xxii Nizam-e-Shariat

xxiii Tirmidhi

xxiv Durr-e-Mukhtar, etc.

xxv Ibne-Khuzaima, Imam Shafi’i

xxvi Ihya ulum adeen

xxvii Bukhari, Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

xxviii ibid

xxix ibid

xxx Bukhari

xxxi Abu Dawud

xxxii Bukhari, Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

xxxiii Ibn Majah

xxxiv Tirmidhi

xxxv Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

xxxvi ibid

xxxvii Ihya ulum adeen

xxxviii Fatawa-e-Razawiyya

xxxix Abu Dawud

xl Ibn Majah

xli ibid

Salawaat for Friday

To recite Salawaat in abundance. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said, “Recite Salawaat upon me in abundance on the day of Jumu’ah since they are presented to me.” xli

In one narration it is reported that the recitation of the following Salawaat eighty times after ‘Asr on Friday before standing up from the place of Salaah shall expiate eighty years of sin and shall merit the reward of eighty years of worship: –

Allahumma Salli ‘Ala Sayyidina Muhammadinin Nabiyyil Ummiyi Wa’Alaa Aalihi Wassallimu Taslima

May Allah (The Exalted) give us the ability to appreciate this day and make the most of it and to follow the Sunnah very closely, Ameen.