Get The Most Out Of Jummah.

Allah, the Exalted has preferred and elevated some hours, days, nights and months to others in excellence. Every period of time has a specific virtue and certain types of worship. Such superiority is a special type of mercy and favor from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’Ala upon His slaves. The successful among them take benefit of those precious moments by knowing their excellence and virtues and engage themselves in worship devotedly before their Creator. As a result, they will receive endless mercy, favors and rewards from Him, erase their sins through such opportunities and rescue themselves from the punishment and torment of the Hell-fire.

Among the many precious days, is the day of Jummu’ah (Friday). It is one of the best of all the seven days of the week. It has many religious significance and virtues. A complete Surah in the Holy Quran named after this day. It is a day, in which there is a special kind of prayer. This prayer is named “the Jummu’ah prayer” or “Friday prayer”.
The Muslims gather on this day in the Masjids to pray Jummu’ah prayer collectively in congregation, and before prayer the orator delivers a speech, which is called “Friday sermon” or “Khutbah”. In this sermon, he admonishes people and gives lessons about religious matters and affairs.

There are many virtues and excellence of this day and among those are the following:

● It is a Festival Day, which occurs Frequently:

It is a frequent festival day for the Muslims. It occurs every week. The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“This day is an Eid (festival) which Allah has ordained for the Muslims. Whoever comes to Friday (prayer), let him take a bath.”
(Ib Majah 1098).

● It is forbidden to fast on this dayunless one observes fast a day before or after it, because the beloved Prophet peace be upon him said:

“None of you should observe Saum (fast) on Friday unless he observes Saum (fast) a day before or after it.” (Al-Bukhari 1985).

And it is because to oppose the way of Jews and Christians and to strengthen the believers to perform the certain types of worship, such as: Praying, supplicating to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’Ala) and reciting the Quran in it.

● It is one of the Best of all the Seven Days of the Week:

The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam (Aliyhis Salam) was created, on this day he was admitted to Paradise, and on this day he was taken out of it.” (Muslim 854).

In some narrations there is more description that Prophet Adam (AS) died on that very day and on that very day the Resurrection will occur. Are these events in any way related to the superiority of the day of Friday or are they just described? The scholar have adopted both views. If these events are related to its superiority, the expulsion of Prophet Adam (AS) becomes its merit because his exit became the cause of prophets and messengers being sent down, and their existence is human superiority. Likewise, the demotion of Adam (AS) and the occurrence of the Hour are causes of meeting with Allah, admission to Paradise, and the achievement of nobleness.

● There is an hour in which the Supplication is Answered:

The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“In it there is an hour in which the Muslim worshipper would not stand in Salah, asking Allah for anything except that He would give it to him.”
(Muslim 935).

Although this is the preferred opinion, that this moment is after the Asr prayer it is best to make supplication often and throughout the whole day.

● Doing Good Deeds are preferred in it:

The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“There are five (good deeds), whoever performs them in a day, Allah will include him in those who will enter Paradise. Visiting a sick person, attending a funeral, fasting that day, performing the Friday prayer and manumitting a slave.” (As-Silsilah As-Sahihah 1033).

● Sins are Expiated in this Day:

The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“Whoever takes a bath on a Friday and does it well, and purifies himself and does it well, and puts on his best clothes, and puts on whatever Allah decrees for him of the perfume of his family, then comes to the mosque and does not engage in idle talk or separate (pushing between) two people; he will be forgiven for (his sins) between that day and the previous Friday.” (Ib Majah 1097).

● Those who Walk for Jummu’ah prayer (Friday prayer) will receive Great Rewards:

It is evident from the following Hadith that if a person takes a bath with great care and sets out early for Jummu’ah prayer and he listens to the sermon attentively, this will yield him a great reward and recompense. The reward of each step is equal to the standing in prayer and observing fast for a whole year.

The Prophet peace be upon him said:

“Whoever performs Ghusl (bath) on Friday, and bathes completely, and goes early, arriving early, gets close and listens and is silent, there will be for him in every step he takes the reward of a year of fasting and standing (in prayer).” (At-Tirmidhi 496).

● Conclusion ●

In short, besides the above-mentioned excellence Friday has many other virtues and excellence from which a Muslim should benefit himself.

On such virtuous day many people waste their time aimlessly and prefer to sleep all day or rather go into a lazy mode preparing for the weekend ahead. The women in many societies especially allocate such a day for shopping and house work. Such people deprive themselves from the great rewards of this day. We should know the significance of Friday and its value, in order to benefit ourselves from its great rewards, worship our Lord, supplicate Him and send Salat (peace and blessing) upon the beloved Prophet peace be upon him.

Since the day of Friday is a superior day good acts performed on this day are superior too. And sending peace and blessing upon the Prophet peace be upon him is the most superior way of getting closer to Allah (SWT); it becomes more meritorious on that day. Hence, sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet peace be upon him is a sort of gift, it is presented to him. SubhanAllah what could make one understand its merit?

May Allah give us the ability to act upon all of these virtuous deeds and the Sunnah of the prophet peace be upon him.. Aameen thumma Aameen