✨Friday Prayer✨

Indeed from Allah Almighty’s favor upon us, is that he made this community the best community ever raised for humanity and the most honored in the sight of Allah Almighty. And from what Allah saved for this community is the virtues of the day of Friday. For Allah diverted the previous communities from it and guided this community to it.

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Allah diverted those who came before us from Friday. Saturday was for the Jewish Community and Sunday was for the Christian Community. Then Allah brought us and guided us to Friday, so there is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and thus they will follow us on the Day of Resurrection. We are the last of the people of this world but the first on the Day of Resurrection for whom judgment will be passed before all other creatures. [Muslim 856a]

And Allah Almighty singled out Friday with great characteristics. For Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day, Adam, peace be upon him, was created, on this day he was admitted to Paradise, and on this day he was removed from it. And the Hour will not be established except on Friday.[Muslim 854b]

And from Friday’s characteristics is that Friday Prayer is established on it and it is one of the most confirmed obligations of Islam and among the greatest gatherings of the Muslims. And it is the greatest gathering aside from the gathering of the Day of Arafat. And for that reason, he who misses out on three Friday Prayers in a row, without a valid excuse, Allah will close the doors of goodness for him. For the Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever missed three Friday Prayers (in a row) out of negligence, Allah will seal his heart. [Sunan Ibn Majah 1125, Grade:Hasan]

And in another narration:
Whoever misses three Friday Prayers (in a row) without a (valid) excuse, is a hypocrite. [Sahih Ibn Habban (Arnaout) 258, Grade: Hassan]

And from the characteristics of Friday is that it has the Khutbah, the aim of which is to praise and express gratitude to Allah and to bear witness to His oneness and the messengership of His Prophet. And to remind the people of the days of Allah’s favor and the days of Allah’s punishment and destruction of former communities. And to warn the people from Allah’s punishment and His retribution. And to instruct the people with what gets them closer to Him. For that reason, Allah commanded hastening to the Friday Prayer. Allah Almighty said:
Al Jumu’ah (62) 9: O you who have believed, when [the adhān] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumuʿah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allāh and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.

And the remembrance to which people are commanded to proceed is the khutbah and the prayer. So Allah Almighty commanded His faithful servants to attend the Friday prayer and to hasten to it, when it is called, and to pay attention to it. And Allah Almighty made it the most important occupation and commanded, during it time, to leave all worldly occupations which are never ending.

And a Muslim should be keen to apply the Sunnahs reported from the Prophet ﷺto obtain the great rewards that he promised. And from that is what Salman Al Farsi, may Allah be pleased with him narrated from the Prophet ﷺ who said:
If any man bathes on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can with ablution, anoints himself with oil, or puts on a touch of perfume which he has in his house, then goes out and, without squeezing between two men, then prays what is prescribed for him, then remains silent when the imam speaks, his (minor) sins between it and the next Friday will be forgiven. [Bukhari 883]

And in this hadith, there are several etiquettes urged by Prophet ﷺ. The first is ghusl, major ritual purification, and it is a confirmed sunnah. And some scholars are of the opinion that it is mandatory. So a Muslim should maintain performing ghusl for Friday Prayer and even if he pours water on his body, especially in these times of ours in which access to water has been facilitated for people more than any previous times. And to Allah is due all praise.

And the next etiquette for Friday is applying perfume.

And in a narration from Muslim:
Even if it is women’s perfume. [Muslim 846b]

That is, even if it is his wife’s perfume. And this indicates that this Sunnah is confirmed. So a Muslim going out to the Friday prayer should apply perfume, adorn himself, wear the best garments and adorn with his best adornments. For Allah Almighty is the most deserving of those for whom to adorn oneself. Allah Almighty said:
Al Araf (7) 31: O children of Adam, take your adornment [i.e., wear your clothing] at every masjid,

And this adornment for prayer is a pleasant smell and clean clothes, which prepares the mind to receive the khutbah and listen to it attentively. Also, the fellow worshippers and angels are spared from offensive odors.

The third etiquette of Friday is being keen to not step over people’s necks to get a prayer spot, or hindering others from listening to the khutbah. For stepping over people diminishes the reward and some scholars are of the view that it is forbidden due to the hadith narrated by Abdallah bin Busr, may Allah be pleased with him, who related that the Prophet ﷺ saw a man stepping over the people and said:
Sit down, you are harming (people). [Sunan an-Nasa’i 1399, Grade: Sahih]

This is particularly the case if it is during the khutbah because this harms people in addition to distracting them from listening to the khutbah.

The fourth etiquette of Friday that the Prophet ﷺ indicated:
Then prays what is prescribed for him [Bukhari 883]

And the Prophet ﷺ did not specify a limit in that regard. And from this, the scholars mentioned that the sunnah prayer before Friday Prayer does not have a limit. If a person wishes, they can pray two units of prayer and if they wish they can pray four units of prayer and so forth additionally praying two units at a time according to their vigor and resolve. And one should take note not to pray at the forbidden time preceding the zenith of the sun, that is approximately seven minutes before the zenith of the sun.

The fifth etiquette of Friday that the Prophet ﷺ indicated with his words:
Then remains silent when the imam speaks [Bukhari 883]

So it is mandatory to listen to the khutbah from when it begins. And to turn to it with one’s heart and body. And listen to it to benefit from it. For Allah Almighty informed that the reminder benefits the believers. Allah Almighty said:
Adh Dhariyat (51) 55: And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.

So whoever enters the Masjed while the second adhan is being called or during the Khutbah should immediately pray the greeting of the Masjed prayer with two brief rakat (unit of prayer). This is because, as narrated in the two sahihs (Bukhari 444, Muslim 714b), the Prophet ﷺ commanded the one who sat down while he was delivering the khutbah to pray to rakat (unit of prayer) and so that one avails himself for listening to the khutbah.

And some people greatly benefit from Friday khutbahs when they listen to them. On the other hand, it is forbidden to speak during the khutbah, even if is for enjoining good or forbidding evil. For the Prophet ﷺ said:
If you say to your companion: listen attentively on a Friday when the Imam is delivering the khutbah, then you have engaged in idle talk. [Bukhari 934, Muslim 851a]

And the meaning of engaging in idle talk is that one is denied the reward of Friday Prayer due to his breach and speaking while the imam is delivering the khutbah. So whoever fulfills these five matters, is promised, through the tongue of the truthful and trustworthy ﷺ, forgiveness of sins in between the two Fridays; that is from the current Friday Prayer and its khutbah to the same time next Friday.

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