Al- Jumu’ah – A day of worship

“O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu’ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if you did but know!”[62:9]

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty)” [65:2]

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If you say to your companion when the imam is preaching on Friday, ‘Be quiet and listen,’ you have engaged in idle talk.” (Al-Bukhaari).

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), that they heard the Prophet   (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them) say from his minbar: “People should definitely stop neglecting Jumu’ah, or else Allaah will most certainly seal their hearts and they will most certainly be among the ghaafileen.”

There are a number of hadeeths which speak of the virtue of this day, including the following:

It was also narrated (by al-Bukhaari) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam was created, on this day he entered Paradise and on this day he was expelled from it.”

It was narrated that Taariq ibn Shihaab said: “A Jewish man said to ‘Umar, ‘O Commander of the faithful, if this aayah – ‘This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion’ [al-Maa’idah 5:3] – had been revealed to us, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “I know on which day this aayah was revealed; it was revealed on the Day of ‘Arafaah, which was a Friday.” (Bukhaari).

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘ When Friday comes, at each door of the mosque there are angels who write down the first ones to come to the mosque. Then when the imaam sits down they close their books and come to listen to the sermon. The one who comes early (for Friday prayer) is like who sacrificed a camel, then those who come after him (in order of their coming) are like one who sacrificed a cow, then one who sacrificed a horned ram, then one who sacrificed a chicken, then like one who offered an egg.”  (Bukhari)

It was narrated in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever makes his wife do ghusl and does ghusl himself [i.e., has intercourse] on Friday and goes out early, walking not riding, and comes close to the imaam and listens [to the sermon] without interrupting, will have for each step he takes a reward equal to that of fasting and praying at night for one year.”(Tirmidhi)

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “On this day there is an hour when no Muslim slave stands and prays and asks Allaah for something, but Allaah will give it to him,” (Bukhaari)