Wisdom underlying the Legislation of Jum'ah Prayer and Exhortation to Observe it

First Sermon:

 

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness and repent to Him. We seek refuge with Allâh from the evils of ourselves and from the wickedness of our own deeds. Whomever that Allâh guides, none can mislead him, and whomever He sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allâh alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ )

(O you who believe, fear Allâh as he should be feared and die not unless you are Muslims) [Al-Imran: 102]

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا )

(O people fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From it, He created its spouse, and from both of them scattered many men and women. Fear Allâh, by whom you ask one another, and (fear) the wombs (lest you sever its relationship). Allâh is ever watching over you). [An-Nisa: 1].

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا * يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَن يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا )

(O you, who believe, fear Allâh and say sound statements. He will mend your deeds for you and forgive your sins. Whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger shall win a great victory) [Al-Ahzab: 70-71].

O people! Fear Allâh, the Most Purified, and know that our Islamic religion has legislated Friday prayer owing to what it entails regarding lofty meanings and Islamic brotherhood that resuscitates cohesion and unity among the people of the Muslim nation, which is in fact one flesh; as has been described by the best of creation and leader of humanity, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),  who said: " The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever" (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

 

What a beautiful congregation and great emblem! It reflects the manifestations of unity, acquaintance between Muslims is renewed and the spirit regains its joy and pleasure in this holy day and blessed Eid.

Islam has glorified this day and preferred it to other days. It gave it as a mark of honour to the nation of Muhammad, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him). Abu Hurairah,  may Allâh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),  said, " The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day, Adam was created, on this day he was sent down, on it repentance was accepted from him, on this day he died, and on this day the Hour will begin. There is no living creature on Earth that does not listen out from Friday morning until the sun rises, fearing the onset of the Hour, except the Jinn and Mankind. On (Friday) there is an hour in which, if a believer prays and asks Allâh, the Most Exalted and Purified, for something, He will give it to him "(Al-Albani).

O believers! The Friday prayer is obligatory at the individual level except for women, the traveler, the minor, slave and the sick person. Allâh, the Most High, says,

(  يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوۡمِ ٱلۡجُمُعَةِ فَٱسۡعَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُواْ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ * فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرً۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ )

O you who believe, when the call for Salah (prayer) is proclaimed on Friday, hasten for the remembrance of Allâh, and leave off business. That is much better for you, if you but know. (9) Then once the Salah is over, disperse in the land, and seek the grace of Allâh, and remember Allâh abundantly, so that you may be successful [Friday: 9.10].

 Ibn Kathir, May Allâh have mercy on him, said, "Hasten to the remembrance of Allâh and leave off the business when the call to prayer is made and remember Allâh while conducting your business and when taking and giving. You should not be preoccupied by this world from achieving that which will benefit you in the hereafter".

Slaves of Allâh! There are acts of worship and etiquettes that have been prescribed  on this blessed day, which involve purification of the souls, serve as a reminder for the faithful believers, help to tame the souls and erase the sins. These include as follows:

 

• Recitation of Surah Al-Kahf. This came in the hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "Whoever recites Surah Al-Kahf on Friday, it will light for him the period between him and the two Fridays" (Al-Hakim).
• Taking a ritual bath: This came in the hadeeth of the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), that he said, " Ghusl (taking a ritual bath) should be performed on Friday by everyone who has reached the age of puberty, and using the siwak (tooth stick), and he should use whatever he is able of the perfume". (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
• Going early to the mosque: The Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, " He who takes a ritual bath on Friday, and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a camel as a sacrifice to seek the Pleasure of Allâh; and he who comes at the second hour is like one who offers a cow to win the Pleasure of Allâh; and he who comes at the third hour is like one who offers a ram with horns (in sacrifice); and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen; and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg. And when the Imam ascends the pulpit, the angels (who write the names of those who come to the mosque before the coming of the Imam) close (their record) in order to listen to the Khutbah "(Sahih Muslim).
• To do a lot of prayers for the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him and to make a lot of du'a because in it there is a period of time which if a Muslim gets while praying and asks for something from Allâh, then Allâh will definitely meet his demand. The Messenger of Allâh, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "On Friday there is an hour when no believing slave performs prayer and asks Allâh for anything at that time, but Allâh will fulfill his need " (Sahih Bukhari).

May Allâh bless me and you in the noble Qur'an, and benefit me and you with the verses and wise reminder it contains.

 

Second sermon:

 

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh alone. May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon the last Prophet.

Slaves of Allâh! It is necessary to alert about some violations that recur with respect to the Friday prayer:

• Skipping the necks of people while attending the Jum'ah prayer: When the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), saw a man stepping over the people’s shoulders, he said: " Sit down, for you have caused harm to the (people) and you are late " (Ibn Majah).

Caused harm to the people here means: violating the sanctity of Muslims by skipping their necks. You are late means that you have delayed coming to the Friday prayer. Allâh says,

(  يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوۡمِ ٱلۡجُمُعَةِ فَٱسۡعَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُواْ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٩) فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرً۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ )

O you who believe, when the call for Salah (prayer) is proclaimed on Friday, hasten for the remembrance of Allâh, and leave off business. That is much better for you, if you but know. (9) Then once the Salah is over, disperse in the land, and seek the grace of Allâh, and remember Allâh abundantly, so that you may be successful [Friday: 9.10].

• Being distracted from listening to the sermon is a waste of the interest for which it has been prescribed. This includes tracking the Muslims with reminding and guidance to that which entails their happiness in this world and the hereafter. The Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), says, "Whoever speaks on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon or touches the pebbles has engaged in Laghw (idle talk or behaviour) and whoever engages in idle talk or behavior has no reward for the Jum'ah service” . "(Al-Bukhari). This is a negation of the reward not adequacy.

In another hadith, " Whoever speaks on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon is like a donkey carrying books, and he who tells him to listen will have no reward for the Friday service "(Ahmad).

 

Brothers in Faith! Just as Friday is an obligation Allâh has imposed on His slaves, failure to attend it or observe it necessitates the immediate and deferred punishment of Allâh. Among the immediate punishments is that Allâh will seal on the hearts of those who fail to attend it, consider them among the heedless ones. The Messenger of Allâh, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),   said, " Either some people (i.e. hypocrites) stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allâh will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless "(At-Tirmidhi and Ahmad).

 

The Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),   further said, " Whoever abandons Friday (prayer) three times, out of negligence, Allâh will place a seal over his heart "(Muslim).

 

Hence, strive to realize the blessings of this day and seize some of the divine hints it entails; for it is a great day because it reminds of the beginning and the return. Allâh has prescribed for every nation, in the week, a day, which they devote for worship, and the most deserving of days for this desired purpose was the day, in which Allâh assembles His creatures, and it is the Friday. So, Allâh preserved it for this nation; due to its virtue and honour, thus prescribing their assembly on this day to obey Him. He also decreed that they shall come together with other nations on this day in order to achieve its dignity. It is indeed, a day of meeting in this world according to the Shari'ah, and the day of assembly in the hereafter according to the decree of Allâh.

 

Invoke prayers and blessings of Allâh upon the one Allâh, the Most Exalted and Glorified, has commanded you to do so when He said,

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا )

Allâh sends His Salah (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salah on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet him with the Islamic way of greeting [Al-Ahzab: 56].