Lessons

Prayer

Friday, the day of Jumu'ah

Discover the special blessings of Friday and how to prepare for the weekly congregational prayer.

3 short lessons · about 3 min · every point has its source

1. The blessings of Friday

As a Muslim, your week revolves around a sacred day known in Arabic as Jumu'ah, which refers to Friday. The Prophet ﷺ taught that Friday is the best day on which the sun has risen.¹ Allah chose this day as a day of prayer and guided the Muslim community to it.²

Friday has held a central place throughout human history from the very beginning. The Prophet ﷺ taught that Adam was created on Friday. Adam was admitted into Paradise on Friday, and he was also taken out of it on Friday.¹

This day also points forward to the future and the conclusion of this world. The Prophet ﷺ taught that the Last Hour will take place on no other day than Friday.³ Because of the dignity of this day, the Prophet ﷺ encouraged believers to send abundant peace and blessings upon him whenever Friday arrives.⁴

Friday also brings a wonderful opportunity for your personal supplications. The Prophet ﷺ explained that on Friday there is a special time when Allah grants a praying believer whatever they ask of Him.⁵ You can turn to Allah in prayer throughout this blessed day with hope and peace in your heart.

2. Preparing for the gathering

Friday is a weekly gathering where the community comes together in the mosque. Coming to the congregation in a clean state shows consideration and care for those praying beside you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed anyone who attends the Friday prayer to take a full bath.⁶ He stated that washing the head and body once every seven days is a duty upon every Muslim.⁷

The people used to work for their living and would go to the Friday prayer in the same state they were in at work.⁸ In the warm weather, clothes could hold sweat and create unpleasant smells that bothered others in the crowded space.⁹ So they were asked to take a bath on Friday.⁸ He also encouraged them to apply good oil or fragrance if they had it.⁹

You can ask your local imam to learn more about the practice in your community. Either way, washing yourself and putting on clean clothes before heading to the mosque honors the day and brings comfort to your fellow believers.

3. Answering the call to prayer

When the Friday call to prayer (adhan) sounds, Allah instructs the believers to leave trade behind and proceed to His remembrance. Leaving trade when the call to prayer is made on Friday is better for believers.¹⁰ It is a comforting reminder that our daily work can always wait while we turn our hearts toward our Creator.

Arriving early allows you to receive a special honor. On every Friday, angels stand at the gates of the mosque to record the names of people in the order of their arrival. When the prayer leader (imam) sits for the sermon, the angels fold up their scrolls and listen to the reminder.¹¹

Once you sit down inside the mosque, maintaining peaceful focus is an essential part of the gathering. The Prophet ﷺ taught that whoever performs ablution well, attends the Friday prayer, and listens in silence will have sins forgiven until the next Friday, with three extra days.¹² Full focus is so important that even telling your companion to listen attentively while the imam delivers the sermon (khutbah) counts as idle talk.¹³

Sources

1. Sahih Muslim 854a Read it in full
   Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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
2. Sahih Muslim 856a Read it in full
   It is narrated by Abu Huraira and Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: It was Friday from which Allah diverted those who were before us. For the Jews (the day set aside for prayer) was Sabt (Saturday), and for the Christians it was Sunday. And Allah turned towards us and guided us to Friday (as the day of prayer) for us. In fact, He (Allah) made Friday, Saturday and Sunday (as days of prayer). In this order would they (Jews and Christians) come after us on the Day of Resurrection. We are the last of (the Ummahs) among the people in this world and the first among the created to be judged on the Day of Resurrection. In one narration it is: ', to be judged among them
3. Sahih Muslim 854b Read it in full
   Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: 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. And the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday
4. Sunan Ibn Majah 1085
   It was narrated that Shaddad bin Aws said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The best of your days is Friday. On it Adam was created, on it the Trumpet will be blown, on it all creatures will swoon. So send a great deal of peace and blessings upon me on that day, for your peace and blessings will be presented to me.’ A man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how will our peace and blessings be shown to you when you will have disintegrated?’ He said: ‘Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets.’”Grading: Al-Albani: Sahih; Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi: Sahih; Shuaib Al Arnaut: Sahih Lighairihi
5. Sunan an-Nasaʾi 1430
   It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "I went out to At-Tur and met Ka'b. He and I spent a day together, when I narrated things to him from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he narrated things to me from the Tawrah. I said to him: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 his repentance was accepted, 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 son of Adam. On (Friday) there is an hour in which, if a believer prays and asks Allah for something, He will give it to him. Ka'b said: Is that one day in every year? I said: No, it is every Friday.' Then Ka'b read in the Tawrah and said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spoke the truth; it is every Friday. Then I went out and met Basrah bin Abi Basrah Al-Ghifari. He said: From where have you come? I said: From At-Tur. He said: If I had met you before you went there, you would not have gone. I said to him: Why? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Do not travel especially to visit any masjid except three: Al Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah), my masjid (in Al-Madinah) and the Masjid of Bait Al-Maqdis (in Jerusalem). Then I met 'Abdullah bin Salam and said: 'If you had only seen me, I went to At-Tur and met Ka'b, and he and I spent the day together, when I narrated things to him from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he narrated things to me from the Tawrah. I said to him: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 this day his repentance was accepted, 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 son of Adam. On (Friday) there is an hour in which, if a believer prays and asks Allah for something, He will give it to him. Ka'b said: That is one day in every year. 'Abdullah bin Salam said: Ka'b is not telling the truth. I said: Then Ka'b read (in the Tawrah) and said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spoke the truth; it is every Friday. 'Abdullah said: Ka'b spoke the truth; I know when that time is. I said: O my brother, tell me about it. He said: It is the last hour of Friday, before the sun sets. I said: Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If a believer prays, but that is not a time for prayer. He said: Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Whoever prays and sits waiting for the (next) prayer, is in a state of prayer until the next prayer comes? I said: Of course. He said: That is what it isGrading: Abu Ghuddah: Sahih; Al-Albani: Sahih; Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Sahih
6. Sahih al-Bukhari 877 Read it in full
   Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Anyone of you attending the Friday (prayers) should take a bath
7. Sahih Muslim 849 Read it in full
   Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said. it is the right of Allah upon every Muslim that he should take a bath (at least) on one day (Friday) during the seven days (of the week) and he should wash his head and body
8. Sahih al-Bukhari 903 Read it in full
   Narrated Yahya bin Sa`id: I asked `Amra about taking a bath on Fridays. She replied, " Aisha said, 'The people used to work (for their livelihood) and whenever they went for the Jumua prayer, they used to go to the mosque in the same shape as they had been in work. So they were asked to take a bath on Friday
9. Sunan Abi Dawud 353 Read it in full
   Amr b. Abi 'Amr and 'Ikrimah reported: Some people of Iraq came and said: Ibn 'Abbas, do you regard taking a bath on Friday as obligatory ? He said: No, it is only a means of cleanliness, and is better for one who washes oneself. Anyone who does not take a bath, it is not essential for him. I inform you how the bath (on Friday) commenced. The people were poor and used to wear woolen clothes, and would carry loads on their backs. Their mosque was small and its rood was lowered down. It was a sort of trellis of vine. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) once came out on a hot day and the people perspired profusely in the woolen clothes so much so that foul smell emitted from them and it caused trouble to each other. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) found the foul smell, he said: O people, when this day (Friday) comes, you should take bath and every one should anoint the best oil and perfume one has. Ibn 'Abbas then said: Then Allah, the Exalted, provided wealth (to the people) and they wore clothes other than the woolen, and were spared from work, and their mosque became vast. The foul smell that caused trouble to them became non-existentGrading: Al-Albani: Hasan; Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Hasan; Shuaib Al Arnaut: Hasan; Zubair Ali Zai: Hasan
10. Quran 62:9 (Al-Jumu'ah)
    O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew
11. Sahih al-Bukhari 3211 Read it in full
    Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "On every Friday the angels take their stand at every gate of the mosque to write the names of the people chronologically (i.e. according to the time of their arrival for the Friday prayer) and when the Imam sits (on the pulpit) they fold up their scrolls and get ready to listen to the sermon
12. Sahih Muslim 857b Read it in full
    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who performed ablution well, then came to Friday prayer, listened (to the sermon), kept silence all (his sins) between that time and the next Friday would be forgiven with three days extra, and he who touched pebbles caused an interruption
13. Sunan an-Nasaʾi 1401
    It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever says to his companion on Friday, when the imam is delivering the khutbah: 'Listen attentively,' has engaged in idle talkGrading: Abu Ghuddah: Sahih; Al-Albani: Sahih; Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih - Agreed Upon

Every point in this lesson rests on a verse of the Quran or a hadith, listed above. Hadith come from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, or from other collections only where every listed scholar graded them sahih or hasan. Found a mistake? Tell us.