Alhamdulillah It’s Jumu’ah Again
Once again Allah Ta’aala has given us Friday, which we know as Jumu’ah. This is the best day of the week, so it’s only right that we do the best actions we can on this day. Let us look at a few actions we can do on Jumu’ah.
Remember: Jumu’ah begins after maghrib on Thursday and finishes at maghrib time on Friday. So aim to complete all of these actions during this time.
Virtue of Jumu’ah (1)
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri رضي الله عنهما both relate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever (does the following on a Friday):
- Has a bath on Friday,
- Puts on the best of his clothes,
- Applies perfume if he has any,
- Then attends Friday prayer without crossing over people’s necks,
- Then performs what Allah has prescribed for him (i.e Salah),
- Then remains silent from the time his Imam comes out [to deliver the sermon] until he finishes his prayer,
It will make amends for his [minor] sins committed in between this Friday prayer and the Friday prayer of the previous week.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud no: 347, Musnad Ahmad, and Mustadrak of al-Hakim no: 1084)
Virtue of Jumu’ah (2)
Sayyiduna Aws Ibn Aws رضي الله عنه reports that Rasulullah ﷺ said: Whoever (does the following on a Friday):
1. Takes a thorough bath,
2.Goes very early to the Masjid,
3. Goes walking,
4. Sits close to the imam (the mimbar where the imam will give the sermon)
5. Listens attentively to the khutbah (sermon)
6. Doesn’t engage in futile activity (like, talking to someone or fidgeting with his hair, clothes or mobile phone (cell phone) etc.
Will receive for every step: The reward for one year’s fast and one year’s Tahhajjud Salah!
(Sunan Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
This is no small reward, it is huge. This is why some experts on hadeeth have said that there is no other Sahih (authentic) Hadith with greater virtue than this one! (Mirqat, hadith: 1388)
Following Sunnah Practices
● Allamah Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله would say, “Rasulullah ﷺ is the leader of all of mankind, and the day of Friday is the leader of all days.” (Zaad Al-Maad)
● These two leaders have a great bond, thus on the day of Friday we should pay extra attention to following the sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ and sending durood in abundance too.
Arriving early for Jumu’ah Salah
Arriving early for Jumu’ah Salah
● Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه reports that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ say: “ On the Day of Qiyamah people will sit near Allah Ta’ala according to how early they came to Jumu’ah…”(Sunan Ibn Majah)
● Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه would advise people to hasten towards the Jumu’ah salaah.
● Our beloved Nabi ﷺ says: “When Friday arrives, angels are over the door of every masjid (mosque) to record (the names of) those who arrive one by one. (They continue to do this until) When the Imam sits to begin (Khutbah), they close their scrolls and listen to the reminder. (Sahih Muslim)
Wear Nice Clothes
Wear nice clothes (preferably white)
Like any special day or occasion, we should aim to wear our best available clothes. This does not require us to buy new clothes for Jumu’ah or wear expensive clothes but rather just choose the best of the clothes we already have.
What are the best of our clothes:
1) Clothing which are clean
2) Clothing which are most new or best in quality compared to others
3) Clothing which is closest to sunnah clothing or the clothing of the pious
4) Wearing white clothes
Some ahadeeth about wearing white clothing:
1.) Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه relates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Wear white clothes, because they are the best of your clothes (khayru thiyabikum), and shroud your dead in it…” (Sunan Abi Dawud)
2.) Sayyiduna Samura Ibn Jundub رضي الله عنه relates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Wear white clothes because they are more pure and more clean.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
3.) Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda رضي الله عنه relates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The best clothing in which you meet Allah Ta’ala in the graves and in your Mosques is white.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
Durood
We should Read durood every day but reading durood on Friday holds extra special significance.
Durood is to send salutations and blessings upon our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
The benefits of reading durood are many. Let us look at a few:
– Durood will make our ⚖️ scales heavy.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “Sending durood upon me shall be a source of light for the darkness of the Bridge on the Day of Qiyaamah. Whoever wishes his deeds to be weighed in a very large scale should send durood upon me abundantly.”
– Through reading durood we will gain the help of our beloved Nabi ﷺ on the day of Qiyamah.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “Whoever sends durood upon me ten times in the morning and ten times in the evening, I will intercede on his behalf on the Day of Qiyaamah.” In another narration, our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “Whoever sends durood upon me, I shall intercede for him on the Day of Qiyaamah.”
– Through the blessing of Durood our needs of this world and the hereafter are fulfilled.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “The person who sends 100 durood upon me daily, 100 of his needs shall be fulfilled; thirty of this world and the remaining of the Hereafter.”
– By reading durood we acquire lots of reward, blessings and mercies.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “Whoever sends one durood upon me, Allah Ta’ala sends ten blessings upon him, forgives ten of his sins and raises his status (position) ten times.”
– Durood will help us gain the closeness of our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “On the Day of Judgment, the person closest to me will be the one who has sent the most Durood into me.”
– Durood carries the reward of giving charity.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “Send durood upon me. Your durood wipe out sins and are an act of charity.”
⏱️ So let’s get read as much durood as possible every day and on Friday read even more.
Our aim is to read 300 durood daily and 500 to 1000 every Friday.
Print out and use our durood counter chart to keep track of all your durood on Friday and every day:
Click here to see our durood tracker chart.
Surah Kahf (Part 1)
Surah Kahaf is in the 15th Juzz of the Glorious Quran and our beloved Nabi ﷺ has advised us to read it every Friday.
What are the benefits of reading this surah on Friday?
Let’s look at two benefits:
1. First of all the one who recites this Surah on Jumu’ah (Friday), receives a special light from Allah Ta’ala which is placed in his heart. This special light remains shining until the next Friday!
To understand this light, let us take an example. It is dark and you need help, just then someone gives you a torch. What will this do? This torch will give you light and guide you towards safety and with this, it will save you from falling and hurting yourself.
The same is true for this special light which Allah Ta’ala places in our hearts. It acts like a torch and guides us towards doing good actions until the next Friday.
So let’s read Surah Kahaf and get this light!
Fun facts About Surah Kahaf:
Surah Kahf appears in the 15th and 16th Juz, it has 1,577 words, 6,360 letters and consists of 12 Rukus! Memorise these facts and you can impress your friends!
Surah Kahf (Part 2)
Surah Kahaf is in the 15th Juzz of the Glorious Quran and our beloved Nabi ﷺ has advised us to read it every Friday.
What are the benefits of reading this surah on Friday?
Let’s look at two benefits:
2. The second benefit of reading Surah Kahaf is that the reciter will be saved from the fitnah (trial) of Dajjal.
This test will be so difficult for every person that very few will be able to save their Iman. However, the person who reads Surah Kahaf every Friday will have no problems.
Think of it as a shield, if you have a big strong shield, no matter what someone throws at you, you will stand protected and safe.
Like this, Surah Kahaf will be your shield and no matter what false beliefs and lies Dajjal throws at you to fool you to leave Islam, you will stand strong and protected by this shield Insha’Allah.
So read Surah Kahaf every Friday no matter what!
Fun facts About Surah Kahaf:
In Surah Kahaf there are 4 main topics:
1. Trial of Faith – This is found in verses 9 till 26 where the people of the Cave (Ashabul Kahf) are mentioned.
2. Trial of Wealth – This is found in verses 32 to 44 in the story of the rich and the poor man.
3. Trial of Knowledge – This is found in verses 60 to 82 in the story of Musa alayhis salam and Khizar alayhis salam.
4. Trial of Power – This is found in verses 83-98 in the story of Dhul Qarnayn and Yajuj Majuj
Du’a
The Hour of Acceptance on Friday
In a hadeeth, we find that on Friday there is a moment in which whatever dua is made it is accepted.
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said: Rasulullaah ﷺ said: “On Friday there is an hour when, if a Muslim happens to pray at that time and ask Allah Ta’aala for something good, He will give it to him.”
Our scholars have researched this matter and found that this time is either one of two:
1) During the Jummah khutba when the imam sits and stands again. During this sitting whatever is asked by the congregation is accepted by Allah Ta’aala.
2) The time between Asr and maghrib. Though the time closer to maghrib Azan is more blessed.
Both of these times can be correct but most hold the view that between Asr and maghrib is most correct.
So make sure you use this special and magical time between Asr and maghrib to make dua and have all your wishes fulfilled by Allah Ta’aala.
Making Ghusl
One of the very simple sunnah of Jumu’ah is to make ghusl.
Our beloved Nabi ﷺ has said:
‘To take a bath on a Friday is binding (extremely emphasised) on every mature person.’ (Sahih Bukhari)
Many of us shower on most mornings as a habit. All that’s required is the intention to be for the ghusl of Jumu’ah, and we’ll be rewarded for this action. The reward for this will be:
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah رضي الله عنه narrates that Rasulullah ﷺ said: “Taking a bath on Friday takes out sins from the hair roots [i.e. removes minor sins completely].” (Al Mu’jamul Kabir)
Also, as far as possible we should aim to do ghusl before Jumu’ah salah and attend our Jumu’ah salah with the purity obtained through this ghusl.
So, let’s be alert tomorrow and get our intention right and earn this easy reward.
Remembering Allah Ta’aala
Friday is the best day of the week and one of the good actions we should try to do in abundance on this day is making Zikr of Allah Ta’ala (remembering Allah Ta’ala).
Though Zikr (remembrance of Allah Ta’alaa) is for every day, the special blessings and rewards of Friday mean we should remember Allah Ta’alaa even more.
To encourage this, Allah Ta’aala while mentioning Jumu’ah prayer in the Glorious Qur’an says:
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“When the prayer has concluded (finished) disperse within the land (get back to whatever you need to do) and seek from the bounty (blessings and provisions) of Allah Ta’aala, and remember Allah Ta’aala often, that you may succeed”
[Surah Al-Jumu’ah 62:10]
Imam An Nawawi rahmatullahi alayh, while explaining the importance of zikr on Jumu’ah says that on Jumu’ah a person may read the same zikr as he would do on any other day. However, the recommendation of doing abundance (lots) of zikr increases on this day as compared with other days. (Al Adhkaar – Imam Nawawi)
What Zikr (Azkaar) can we read on Friday/Jumuah?
1) Durood/Salaat alan Nabi ﷺ
2) Recitation of the Glorious Quran (especially Surah Kahf)
3) Masnoon prescribed duas at their appointed times (e.g. Dua for eating, journey etc).
4) Making dua to Allah Ta’aala (especially between to the two khutbas and between Asr and Maghrib salaah)
5) All Azkaar mentioned in the ahadeeth
6) General Words Glorifying Allah Ta’aala (such as Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar and Astaghfirullah etc.
Using Miswak and Applying Itr
Two sunnah actions in addition to having a bath/ghusl on Friday is to use the miswak and apply fragrance (itr).
In the Hadeeth, we find our beloved Nabi ﷺ has told us:
“This day [Friday] is a day of Eid, Allah Ta’aala has made it such for the Muslims. So have a bath, whoever has fragrance should apply it, and use the miswak.” (Ibn Majah)
Note: Using miswak is a very liked sunnah for every day and should be used every day but more so on Friday (Click here to read our lesson on using miswak) and likewise using itr/perfume has been recommended on normal days too.
Note: Women must abstain from leaving the home with fragrance as this has been prohibited by our beloved Nabi ﷺ.