The Blessings of Jumuah: A Complete Guide to Friday in Islam

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ وَالصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطٰنِ الرَّجِيْمِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Blessings of Jumuah

Though Satan will definitely make you feel lazy, revive your faith by going through this booklet thoroughly.

Excellence of invoking Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī on Friday:

The Prophet of Raḥmah, the Intercessor of Ummah, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘The one who recites Ṣalāt 200 times upon me on Friday, his 200 years’ sins will be forgiven.’

(Jam’-ul-Jawāmi’ lis-Suyūṭī, vol. 7, pp. 199, Ḥadīš 22353)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ    صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! How fortunate we are as Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has blessed us with the favour of Jumu’a-tul-Mubārak for the sake of His Beloved Rasūl صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ. Regrettfully, like other ordinary days, we spend even Friday heedlessly whereas it is a day of Eid, it is superior to all other days, the fire of Hell is not blazed up on Friday and the gates of Hell are not opened on Friday night. On the Day of Resurrection, Friday will be brought in the form of a bride; the fortunate Muslim dying on Friday attains the rank of martyrdom and remains safe from the torment of the grave.

A renowned commentator of the Holy Quran, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الْحَنَّان has said, ‘The reward of the Hajj performed on Friday is equivalent to 70 Hajj as the reward of a single virtuous deed performed on Friday is enhanced 70 times.’ (As Friday is an immensely sacred day, therefore,) The punishment of a sin committed on Friday is also increased 70 times.

(Derived from Mirāt, vol. 2, pp. 323, 325, 336)

How words can express the excellence of Friday! By the name of Jumu’ah, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has revealed a complete Sūrah that is present in the 28^th part of the Holy Quran. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said in the 9^th verse of Sūrah Al-Jumu’ah:

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (9)

O people who believe! When the call for Ṣalāh is given on (Friday) the day of congregation, rush towards the remembrance of Allah and stop buying and selling; this is better for you if you understand.

[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)]

When did our Prophet offer his first Jumu’ah Ṣalāh?

‘Allāmah Maulānā Sayyid Muhammad Na’īmuddīn Murādābādī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْهَادِى has said, ‘When the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ was on his way to Madīnah for migration, he stopped at a place called Qubā at the time of Chāsht on Monday, 12th Rabī’-ul-Awwal. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ stayed there for four days (Monday to Thursday); during the stay, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ laid the foundation stone of a Masjid. On Friday, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ proceeded towards Madīnah. When they reached the area of the Banī Sālim Ibn ‘Awf, it was time to offer the Jumu’ah Ṣalāh; people consecrated that place as Masjid where the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ offered the (first) Jumu’ah Ṣalāh and delivered a sermon.

(Khazāin-ul-‘Irfān, pp. 884)

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ! The glorious Masjid-ul-Jumu’ah still exists there; the visitors behold the Masjid for the attainment of blessings and offer Nafl Ṣalāh over there.

Meaning of the word ‘Jumu’ah’

The renowned commentator of the Holy Quran, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الْحَنَّان has stated, ‘As all the creatures assembled in their beings on this day and the completion of the creation took place on the very same day, clay for Sayyidunā Ādam عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا وَعَلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام was also collected on this day; similarly, people congregate and perform the Friday Ṣalāh on this day; therefore, it is called Jumu’ah on account of the aforementioned reasons. Before the advent of Islam, the Arabs used to call it ‘Arūbah.’

(Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, vol. 2, pp. 317)

How many times Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ offered Jumu’ah Ṣalāh?

A renowned commentator of the Holy Quran, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الْحَنَّان has stated, ‘The Rasūl of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the Most Generous and Kind صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ offered almost 500 Jumu’ah Ṣalāh as offering of Jumu’ah Ṣalāh commenced subsequent to the migration after which the total period of the apparent life of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ is ten years and there are 500 Fridays in ten years’ period.’

(Mirāt, vol. 2, pp. 346 – Lam’āt lish-Shaykh ‘Abdul Ḥaq Dihlvī, vol. 4, pp. 190, Ḥadīš 1415)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ    صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

Seal on heart

The Beloved Rasūl صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ has said, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will seal off the heart of the one abandoning three Jumu’ah’s Ṣalāh out of laziness.’

(Jāmi’ Tirmīżī, vol. 2, pp. 38, Ḥadīš 500)

Jumu’ah Ṣalāh is Farḍ-e-‘Ayn and its Farḍiyyat (obligation) is more emphatic than that of Ṣalāt-uz-Zuhr; the denier of its obligation is Kāfir (unbeliever).

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 5 – Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 762)

Excellence of wearing ‘Imāmah on Friday

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Indeed, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His angels send Ṣalāt upon those who wear ‘Imāmah (turban) on Friday.’

(Majma’-uz-Zawā’id, vol. 2, pp. 394, Ḥadīš 3075)

Cure is bestowed

Sayyidunā Ḥumayd Bin ‘Abdur Raḥmān رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمَا has narrated via his father, ‘The one who trims his nails on Friday, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ removes his disease and bless him with cure.’

(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybāh, vol. 2, pp. 65)

Protection from afflictions up to ten days

Ṣadr-ush-Sharī’ah Badr-uṭ-Ṭarīqah ‘Allāmah Maulānā Muhammad Amjal ‘Alī A’ẓamī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْقَوِى has said: It is stated in a blessed Ḥadīš that the one who trims his nails on Friday, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will protect him from afflictions up to the next Friday including three more days, i.e. ten days in total. In accordance with one more narration, ‘The one trimming his nails on Friday, mercy will approach (him) and (his) sins will be removed.’

 (Bahār-e-Sharī’at, part 16, pp. 226 – Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, vol. 9, pp. 668-669)