Ramadan 1445 AH — Day 26: Yaumul Jumu’ah
“Let people stop neglecting Jumu’ah, or Allah will place a seal on their hearts, then they will be among those who are neglectful.” — Muslim
The Arabic word for Friday is Yaumul Jumu‘ah, meaning: the ‘day of gathering or assembly’. Friday is considered the “master of days” in Islam, and performing righteous deeds on this day holds special significance. A whole chapter of the Qur’an is named Suratul Jum’ah and it is also a blessed day as explicitly mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it, Adam was created, on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. — Sahih Muslim
Other virtues of this day are:
- An extraordinary hour occurs every Friday in which supplications are accepted. This is as reported by Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him in the Saheehayn:
“Indeed, there is surely a time on Friday at which no Muslim would stand, pray and beg Allah for what is good except that He would give it to him”. And he indicated with his hand that (this time) is short and narrow’. — Bukhari and Muslim
- Another profound virtue of Fridays is that, if a Muslim passes away on this day, they will be protected from the trial of the grave:
No Muslim dies during the day on Friday or the night of Friday except that Allah protects him from the trial of the grave. — Tirmidhi
- Jumu’ah to Jumu’ah serves as a means of expiation for you. Abu Hurayrah narrates again in the book of Imam Muslim that Allah’s Apostleﷺ said:
“The five daily prayers, and from one Jumu`ah to the next, are an expiation for whatever sins come in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin.” — Muslim
What are the Sunnah acts for this day?
The companions of the Prophet ﷺ would prepare for Yaumul Jum’ah with great anticipation, ensuring that they were spiritually and physically ready for the Friday prayer. They would engage in acts of charity, and remembrance of Allah on Fridays, seeking to maximize its blessings and earn Allah’s pleasure. Enlisted below are some recommended sunnah acts for yaumul jum’ah:
- First, it is highly recommended for mature Muslims to observe the Friday prayer so long as they remain sane and healthy. It is also allowed for Muslim women to attend the prayer if they want to.
Oh, you who believe! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, then proceed diligently to the remembrance of Allah and leave off your business. That is best for you if only you knew. — Qur’an 62[Al-Jumu’ah]:9
2. Friday is regarded as a lesser Eid, therefore, it is advised to perform Ghusl (ritual bath), wear one’s finest attire, apply perfume, use the miswak for oral hygiene, and present oneself well for observing the Jumu’ah prayer. Allah Apostle ﷺ said:
Indeed this day of Jumu’ah is a day of Eid — a festival, which Allah has made for the Muslims. So whoever comes to the Friday (prayer), let him take a bath, and if he has perfume, then let him put some on. And upon you (I urge to use) is the tooth stick — miswak — Ibn Majah
3. Come early for the Friday prayer, listen attentively to the Khutbah — sermon, and do not speak while the Imam is on the mimbar — pulpit. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever takes a bath on Friday thoroughly, and then sets out arriving early at the mosque, he will be forgiven and rewarded as if he sacrificed a camel in Allah’s cause.” — Sahih Bukhari
4. There is no obligation to designate Friday for fasting or performing a special nightly prayer Qiyamul Layl. If fasting is desired, it is advisable to do so on a day preceding or following Friday, in conjunction with Friday if deemed necessary.
Abu Hurayrah said that, the Prophetﷺ said: “Do not single out the night of Friday for qiyaam al-layl, and do not single out the day of Friday for fasting, unless that is part of the habitual fasting of any one of you.” — Muslim
5. It’s also from the sunnah to recite Suratul Kahf on Friday as reported by Abu Sa’id al-Khduri that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever reads Surat al-Kahf on Friday, he will be illuminated with light between the two Fridays.” — Al-Hakim
6. Sending a lot of blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ is highly recommended:
Aws ibn Aws narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of your days is Friday. On that day Adam (peace be upon him) was created; on that day he died; on that day the Trumpet will be blown; and on that day all of creation will swoon. So send a great deal of blessings upon me (i.e. on Friday), for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings upon you be shown to you when you have turned to dust?” He said, “Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets.” — Abu Dawud
7. After the salat has been completed, go back to work, and continue your hustle while still indulging in the remembrance of Allah. Allah said:
“Then when the (Jumu‘ah) Salaah (prayer) is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah (by working), and remembering Allah much.” — Qur’an 62[Al-Jumu’ah]:10)
In summary, Yaumul Jumu’ah holds immense virtues in Islam, and observing its Sunnah practices and etiquette is highly recommended. Muslims are encouraged to seize the opportunity of this blessed day to increase their worship, seek forgiveness, and draw closer to Allah. These are part of the ways to benefit immensely from the blessings of Yaumul Jumah.
Action Points
- Starting from today henceforth, make it a duty to perform the sunnah rituals of Jumu’ah.
- Remind others about this so that you can also earn a share of the reward for this revival.
- Tonight is the 27th night of Ramadan, so don’t forget to look out for Laylatul Qadr.
That’s it for today, take action on this Daily Revival and if you missed yesterday’s episode, you can find it here. I ask Allah to make it easy for you and me. Amin!
Yaumul Jum’ah 26th Ramadan 1445 AH // Friday 5th April 2024.
- If you’d like to support a charitable cause this Ramadan, donate to Rafeeqee Foundation
- You may join my WhatsApp Broadcast channel called “Islamic Reminders” where you can find some more beneficial stuff.
- Finally, I made a practical video on how to crush your Ramadan goals using two non-conventional methodologies. You’ll find it on Pure Masculinity Podcast, don’t forget to subscribe.
