Saturday, June 13, 2026

Jumuah Prayer in Islam: Importance, Excellence, and Blessings

Post-Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah activities

Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said in the 10th verse of Sūrah Jumu’ah (part 28):

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

And when the Ṣalāh ends, spread out in the land and seek Allah’s munificence, and profusely remember Allah, in the hope of attaining success.

[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)]

Commenting on the foregoing verse, ‘Allāmah Maulānā Sayyid Muhammad Na’īmuddīn Murādābādī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْهَادِي has written in Ḥazāin-ul-‘Irfān, ‘Having offered Friday Ṣalāh, it is permissible for you to occupy yourselves in earning livelihood, or earn reward by acquiring (religious) knowledge, visiting the sick, attending funerals, visiting scholars or performing other such righteous deeds.’

Attending a gathering of Islamic knowledge

Attending a gathering of religious knowledge after Friday Ṣalāh is preferable. Therefore, Ḥujjat-ul-Islam Sayyidunā Imām Muhammad Bin Muhammad Bin Muhammad Ghazālī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ الْوَالِی narrated that Sayyidunā Anas Bin Mālik رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ has said, ‘This verse does not refer to worldly trade and business (only), rather, it refers to seeking (Islamic) knowledge, visiting brothers, visiting the sick, attending funerals and carrying out other such activities.’

(Kīmiyā-e-Sa’ādat, vol. 1, pp. 191)

Dear Islamic brothers! There are eleven preconditions for rendering Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah Wājib; if either of them is not found, it will no longer remain Farḍ. However, if someone still offers it, his Ṣalāh will be valid; and it is preferable for a sane, adult male to offer Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah. If a minor offers Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah, it will be regarded as Nafl because Ṣalāh is not Farḍ for him.

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, vol. 3, pp. 30)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ       صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

11 Pre-conditions for the obligation of Ṣalāt-ul Jumu’ah

1.      Being settled in city

2.      Health (Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is not Farḍ for a patient. Here, patient refers to the person who cannot get to the Masjid where Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is held or even though he can get to the Masjid, it will result in the prolongation of his disease or delay in cure. The ruling of patient applies to Shaykh-e-Fānī as well).

3.      Being a free person (Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is not Farḍ for a slave; his master can prevent him).

4.      Being a man

5.      Being an adult

6.      Being sane (the foregoing two conditions, i.e. adulthood and sanity are necessary not only for the obligation of Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah but also for every other worship).

7.      Having the faculty of sight

8.      Having the capability to walk

9.      Not being imprisoned

10.  Not having the fear of the king, thief etc. or that of any oppressor.

11.  Not having the valid fear of harm due to rainfall, snowfall, tornado or cold weather.

(Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 770-772)

Those for whom Ṣalāh is Farḍ but Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is not Farḍ on account of any Shar’ī exemption, are not exempted from Ṣalāt-uz-Zuhr on Friday; such people have to offer Ṣalāt-uz-Zuhr in lieu of Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah.

Sunnaḥs of Friday

The Mustaḥabbāt of Jumu’ah include proceeding to offer Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah in initial time, using Miswāk, wearing nice white clothes, applying oil and fragrance sitting in the first Ṣaf (row); while having a bath is Sunnaḥ.

(Fatāwā ‘Ālamgīrī, vol. 1, pp. 149 – Ghunyah, pp. 559)

Time for Ghusl on Friday

Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الْحَنَّان has stated, ‘Some scholars رَحْمَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى say that having a bath on Friday is a Sunnaḥ for Friday Ṣalāh, not for Friday itself, (therefore) having a bath on Friday is not a Sunnaḥ for those for whom Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is not Farḍ.

According to some scholars رَحْمَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى, one should have bath on Friday close to the time of Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah so that he offers the Ṣalāh with the same Wuḍū (made during the bath). However, the most authentic verdict is that the time for Friday’s bath starts from the break of dawn.’

(Mirāh, vol. 2, pp. 334)

The foregoing account also clarifies that Friday’s bath is not a Sunnaḥ for women, travellers etc. for whom Friday Ṣalāh is not Wājib.

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ       صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

Friday’s bath is Sunnat-e-Ghayr Muakkadaḥ

‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Ābidīn Shāmī قُدِّسَ سِرُّهُ السَّامِي has said, ‘Having a bath for Ṣalāt-ul-Jumu’ah is one of the Sunan-e-Zawāid; (and therefore) the abandoner of Friday’s bath will not be objected to.’

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, vol. 1, pp. 339)

Excellence of sitting closer during sermon

Sayyidunā Samurah Bin Jundab رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ has narrated that the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Be present at the time of the sermon and sit close to the Imām because the farther a person remains from the Imām, the later he will enter Heaven, though he (a Muslim) will definitely enter the Heaven.’

 (Sunan Abū Dāwūd, vol. 1, pp. 410, Ḥadīš 1108)

No reward of Jumu’ah

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘The one who talks on Friday, whilst the Imām is delivering the sermon, is like a donkey carrying the books and at that time, the one asking him ‘keep silent’ will not be rewarded with the reward of Jumu’ah.’

 (Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 1, pp. 494, Ḥadīš 2033)

Listening to the sermon silently is Farḍ

The acts that are Ḥarām during Ṣalāh such as eating, drinking, greeting, saying Salām, replying to Salām and even calling someone to righteousness are also Ḥarām during the sermon as well. However, the Khaṭīb (the deliverer of sermon) can call someone to righteousness. It is Farḍ for all the attendees to listen and remain silent while the sermon is being delivered. Staying silent is Wājib even for those present so far from the Imām that they cannot listen to the sermon. If someone is seen committing any misdeed, he may be prevented either by the gesture of hand or nod of head; preventing him by uttering any word or sound is not permissible.

 (Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 774 – Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 39)

Listener of sermon is not allowed to recite even Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī

If the Khaṭīb mentioned the blessed name of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ during the sermon, the listeners may recite Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī in their hearts; reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī verbally at that time is not allowed. Likewise, uttering رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمْ is not allowed on listening to the blessed names of companions of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَاَلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ during the sermon.

(Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 775 – Durr-e-Mukhtār, vol. 3, pp. 40)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ       صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

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