The Importance of Friday!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

Friday is the best day of the week. Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had said, 

"We (Muslims) came last and yet we are the first on the day of judgment. They have received the books before us (meaning Torah and Injil). We have received the book after them (meaning the Qur’an). Friday was their day to be glorified. However, they disputed on that while Allah had told us Friday is the day to glorify. Thus they will follow us. The Jews glorify Saturday, and the Christians glorify Sunday."

Also reported by Imam Muslim, Abo-Dawod, Al-Nesaii, and Al-Termithi, that Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had said, 

"The best day during which the sun have risen is Friday. It is the Day Adam was created. It is the day when Adam entered paradise and also when he was taken out from it. It is also the day on which the day of judgment takes place."

Muslims are supposed to do the following on Fridays:

• Men are obligated to participate in Friday Prayer. Allah (S.W.T.) said in Surat Al-Jumauah, (verse 9), what can be translated as, "O’ you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to Prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is best for you if you but knew."

In addition, prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had warned from not attending Friday Prayer. Imam Muslim and Ahmad had reported that Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said about people who do not attend Friday Prayer, "I wanted to ask a man to lead people in the prayer so that I may go and burn houses of men who did not attend the Friday Prayer with us" He also said reported by Imam Muslim, Ahmad and An-Nesaii, 

"Either they (meaning people who do not attend the Friday prayer) stop neglecting Friday prayers or Allah will set a seal on their hearts so they can not find the right path again." 

In another authentic hadith reported by Abu Dawod, Termithi, An-Nesaii, and Ibn-Majah, that the prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, 

"Who ever does not attend three Friday prayers, (without a valid excuse) Allah will set a seal on his heart" 


• It is also recommended to increase supplication especially at the last hour of the day since it is the hour when requests are replied by Allah. In an authentic hadith reported by Imam An-Nesaii, Abu-Dawod, and Al-hakim, that the prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, 

"Friday has 12 hours, one of which is the hour where cries are granted for Muslim believers. This hour is sought at the last hour after Asar."

• It is encouraged to wish peace be upon prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) during Fridays and Friday’s night because of an authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod, An-Nesaii, and Ibn-Majah, that the Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

"The best day is Friday. On Friday Adam was created, and died. On Friday is the first time the trumpet is blown (meaning when every creature dies) and the second time the trumpet is blown (referring to resurrection). So increase the number of times you wish peace upon me since this prayer will be shown to me." 

They asked him, How will our prayers be shown to you after you have vanished. He replied, "Allah has prohibited earth to cause the body of prophets to decay." 


• It is recommended that Muslims recite surat Al-Kahf, because of the authentic hadith reported by Imam Al-Baihaqee, and Al-Hakim, that the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) had said, 

Who ever recites surat Al-Kahf on Friday, Allah will give him a light to the next Friday." 

• It is also recommended that Muslims clean and wash themselves and make sure they smell nice when they attend Friday Prayers. Imam Muslim and Bukhari reported that the prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

"Every Muslim is obligated to bath on Fridays and wear his best cloth. Also, he should use perfume if he has any." 

• It is important to come early to the Friday prayer. All of the hadith collectors, except Ibn-Majah, reported in an authentic hadith that the prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

"If one washes himself and then went to Friday Prayer, it is considered as if he donated a camel for the sake of Allah. However, If he went in the second hour then it is considered as if he donated a cow and if the third hour then as if he donated a big sheep and if the fourth hour then as if he donated a chicken and if the fifth hour then as if he donated an egg. Then when the Imam starts delivering the speech the angels come and listen to it." 

Also in anther authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

"On Friday the angels come to stand on the doors of the mosque (masjid), the angels record who comes first, if the Imam starts delivering the speech, the angles close their files and come to listen to the speech."


• It is forbidden to work on Fridays when the call for the prayer is announced because Allah says in surat Al-Jumu’ah, (verse 9), what can be translated as, 

"When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business."


• Also, it is forbidden to talk during the Khutbah. Several sayings of prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) covers this subject. In an authentic hadith reported by (the group of Ahadith collectors), except Ibn-Majah that prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said, 

If you told your friend to pay attention on Friday while the Imam is delivering the speech then you committed a sin of vain talk." 

Another authentic hadith which was reported by Imam Ibn-Majah and Attermizi that prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, 

"Even who touches the gravel on the floor then he committed vain talk, and he who does commit that there will be no (Jumuah) Friday for him."

• It is also disliked to walk between sitting people during Friday gathering unless there is an empty spot to fill. In an authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod, An-Nesaii, and Ahmad that, A man came and started walking between people during a Friday gathering while Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was delivering his speech, so the Prophet told him, "Sit because you caused harm to other people and came in late."

It was not legislated to consider Friday as a day off and not work during it. Because Allah (S.W.T.) said in surat Al-Jumu’ah, (verse 10), what can be translated as,

"And when the prayer is finished, then you may disperse through the land and seek of the bounty of Allah."

It was not a habit of any of the companions to consider Friday as a day to take off work. On the contrary Imam Al-Malek said, "It is disliked to take Friday off since we will be resembling the Jews and Christians for taking, respectively, Saturday or Sunday off."

Finally , there are two important matters for us in this country to be cautioned of. First of all, we must not neglect Friday Prayers because of work, study, or other matters. Every Muslims should make attending Friday Prayer as his top priority. It is important to do so since ignoring it three times with no valid reason will cause the heart to be sealed from the right path.

The second matter to watch for is the loosing of one’s interest in the importance of Friday. This is especially important for the growing generation who are used to the concept of weekend being Saturday and Sunday and know almost nothing about the importance of Friday in the eyes of Muslims. So it is our duty to remind them and ourselves about this great day which is the best day of the week and try to spend it according to Islamic teaching.

A Coat In Winter.

Ibn Rajab said: “Taking care of the poor in the winter and protecting them from the cold is a great deed. Safwan bin Salim went out on a cold night in Madinah near the mosque, and he saw a man with little clothing on. So, he took off his coat and covered him up with it. So, someone living in Sham saw in a dream that Safwan bin Salim had entered Paradise with a shirt he had made. So, he went to Madinah and said: “Show me where Safwan is.” When he found him, he told him of the dream.

Also, Mis’ar saw a bedouin standing in the Sun saying:

Winter has come, and I have no money * And such a thing can only happen to a Muslim;

The people have put on their coats * And it is as if I am in Makkah only wearing ihram…

So, Mis’ar took off his coat and put it on the man.

It was related to one of the righteous leaders that there was a woman with four orphaned children who were naked and hungry. So, he had a man go to them and bring them clothes and food. He then took off his outer clothing and said:

 “I will not wear these or be warmed by them until you return and tell me that they are clothed and fed.” So, the man went and came back and confirmed to the leader while he was shivering in the cold that they had taken the clothes and had eaten. He then put his outer clothes back on, and at-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Prophet (SAW) said:

“Whoever feeds a hungry believer will be fed by Allah on the Day of Judgement from the fruits of Paradise, and whoever quenches his thirst will have his thirst quenched from the Sealed Nectar, and whoever clothes him will be clothed from the green silk of Paradise.”

And Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reported with his chain that Ibn Mas’ud said:

“The people will be gathered on the Day of Ressurection as naked, hungry, and thirsty as they ever were. So, whoever clothed someone will be clothed by Allah, whoever fed someone will be fed by Allah, and whoever quenched someone’s thirst will have his thirst quenched by Allah, and whoever relieved others will be given Relief by Allah.””

‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 281)

FLAME IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE FIRE OF HELL...!

Boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, once said, "I don't smoke but I keep a match box in my pocket, when my heart slips towards SIN, I burn the matchstick & heat my palm with it, than say to myself, "Ali you can't even bear this heat, how would you bear the unbearable heat of hellfire?" SubhanAllah

Qari Muhammad Qayyam (may the mercy of Allah be upon him) related that a great deal of fighting and bloodshed had started prior to the Indo-Pakistan partition of 1947. He said that a very beautiful daughter of a very rich man in a certain community stepped out of her house to visit her aunt, who lived no more than a few streets away. Suddenly a riot erupted as she had gone halfway and she found herself trapped with apparently nowhere to go. She saw a mosque nearby and quickly went inside, sitting in the women’s section. The rioting continued late into the night and this girl did not know what to do.

The custodian of the masjid was a very young student there and late at night when he walked through the masjid before locking up he noticed this beautiful young lady. He was a respectful young man who feared Allah and so politely asked her to leave, saying that if she was found there then both would be dishonored and thrown out. She pleaded with him because of the extreme danger outside and so he agreed that she could spend the night, and sat down to study at the opposite end of the masjid.

The girl was unable to sleep with the events of the day in her mind and so watched the young man sitting studying by candle light at the opposite end of the masjid. She kept watching him and was very surprised at something she saw. From time to time this young man would extend his hand and keep it over the open flame, only withdrawing it when the flame obviously became unbearable. He then would resume his studies and continued this throughout the night until the dawn broke.

The young man called the adhan and asked the girl to leave before the congregation started coming to pray since now everything was calm outside. She agreed on the condition that he tell her why he was placing his hand on the candle flame throughout the night. The young man said that that was his own business and so the girl refused to leave until he told her what she wanted to know. The young man gave in and said, “I am at the age of youth and strong desire. We were alone and my desire was increasing, and although I was studying the shaytan would occasionally put temptation in my heart. Hence whenever I would feel any temptation I would put my hand on the flame and my fingers would burn. I would say to myself that this flame is nothing compared to the fire of Hell.”

The girl left the masjid and reached home, calming her parents’ fears as to what had happened to her. She also confided in her mother that she wanted to marry the custodian of the mosque near their house. She related the night’s events to her parents and said that only such a man with true fear of Allah in his heart can be true to his wife. Only such a man who truly fears Allah can fulfill a wife’s rights properly.

Hence the poor custodian of the mosque earned the daughter of a rich household in marriage. He received this honor not because of his looks but because of his character. Everything disintegrates and turns to dust but character remains strong. Honor is not bestowed because of handsome clothes or beautiful jewelry but because of what is in the heart. Knowledge is only beneficial when it is captured within the heart, and not merely written in books. 

It's All About Trust...

Does the picture above remind you of anything?

Well, it reminds me of how trusting I was. I trusted my parents to throw me up in the air and not drop me. This is a familiar picture for most of us.

But what happened since then? Would I trust anyone now, not to "drop" me? I am afraid not.

When we are growing up we look up to our parents and feel secure and confident that they will always tell us the truth, protect us and shelter us. We Trust Them.

When my children were growing up, I trusted them and I still do, to tell me the truth of where they are and who with, I never searched through their personal possessions, I never lied and back bitten and was never a hypocrite by pretending to be someone I never was and Alhamdulillah I have been rewarded with children who trust me enough to tell me the truth. ( sometimes more than I need to know...lol).I always tell them that I appreciate them telling me the truth. This strengthens the bond of trust we have.

However ..........................

In the outside world ,we encounter a different scenario.People we meet in our daily lives, have no hesitation in betraying our trust. I often marvel at how far people go..., " reasons" unknown and possibly dark.

In Islam we read the Hadith of The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which clearly warns us:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: 1. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 2. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise ). 3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.)" Bukhari (Book 2, Hadith 32).

Here are some tips for building trust:

* Never tell a lie, always tell the truth. And, say it kindly and tactfully.

* Be real; do not act like somebody you are not.

* Do not gossip about other people's life. The one you are talking to may think you are gossiping her at her back. The worst scene is - she even pass what you said to other people too.

* Never betray a confidence. Do not tell the secrets confided to you.

* Keep all the promises you made. If you cannot keep a promise, better not to promise at all.

* When you borrow something, always return it as soon as possible on time.

Trust yourself First. Then Trust others. Always search for the good in others.Lead by example .

D O N' T   F O R G E T to also put all your trust in Allah, The Most High.

"O Allah, our Lord! All the praises are for You; You are the Keeper (Establisher or the One Who looks after) of the Heavens and the Earth. All the Praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is therein. You are the Truth, and Your saying is the Truth, and Your promise is the Truth, and the meeting with You is the Truth, and Paradise is the Truth, and the (Hell) Fire is the Truth. O Allah! I surrender myself to You, and believe in You, and I put my trust in You (solely depend upon). And to You I complain of my opponents and with Your Evidence I argue. So please forgive the sins which I have done in the past or I will do in the future, and also those (sins) which I did in secret or in public, and that which You know better than I. None has the right to be worshipped but You."

Bukhari (Book 93, Hadith 534)