Salaat-ul-Jumma
or Friday Prayer is offered in congregation. It is offered in place of
Zhuhr Prayer. Each week on Friday, Muslims are required to take
a bath, dress in their best clean clothes, wear perfume and assemble in
the mosque for Friday Prayer. The Holy Quran and the Sunnah speak
highly of the blessings of Jumm'a Prayer. If a Muslim spends Friday in
the remembrance of God Almighty, supplicating before his Lord, he is abundantly
rewarded by Allah.
Friday Prayer is an
occasion for the assembly of the Muslims of a whole city or a town. In
a large city, Friday Prayer can be offered in more than one place for
the convenience of the Muslim community. It gives them an opportunity
to meet together to discuss and solve their individual as well as community
problems. Getting together once a week develops unity, co-operation and
cohesiveness among Muslims. Friday Prayer is also a demonstration of Islamic
equality.
It gives the Imam
a chance to advise all Muslims at the same time on urgent matters that
face them. The Imam's sermon gives them guidance in Islamic teachings.
Friday Prayer is an obligatory Prayer for every adult male Muslim. However,
those who are sick, blind or disabled, those on a journey, and women,
are exempt from the obligation of attending the Prayer at the mosque.
They can join in the Prayer if they so wish, but if they cannot attend
the Friday Prayer, they have to offer Zhuhr Prayer instead, as
the Friday Prayer is offered in place of Zhuhr Prayer.
There are two Adhans
for Friday Prayer. The first Athan is recited when the sun begins
to decline and the second is recited just before the Imam stands
up before the congregation to deliver his sermon.
The sermon consists
of two parts. In the first part the Imam, after the recitation
of Att'-awwuz and Sura Fatiha, advises the gathering to
act upon the commandments of Allah and also about the duties they have
to perform to become good Muslims. The sermon can also deal with any other
matter of importance. This part of the sermon can be delivered in any
language.
After delivering the
first part of the sermon, the Imam sits down for a short while,
then stands up again and starts with the second part which is in Arabic
and which reads as follows:
Transliteration:
Alhamdu lillahi nahmaduhu
wa nasta 'inuhu wa nastaghfiruhu wa nu' minu bihi wa natawakkalu 'alaih.
Wa na 'uThu Billahi min shururi anfusina wamin sayy 'ati a 'malina. Man
yahdihillahu fala mudhilla lahu wa man yudlilhu fala hadiya lah. Wa nash-hadu
alla ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu wa nash-hadu anna Muhmmadan
'abduhu wa Rasuluh. Ibadallah rahima-kumullah. Innallaha ya'muru bil 'adli
wal-ihsani wa itai Thil-qurba. wa yanha 'anil fahshai wal- munkari wal-baghyi,
Ya 'izhkum la 'allakum taThakkarun. UThkurrullah yaTh-kur-kum wad 'uhu
yastajib lakum. Wala Thikrullahi akbar.
Translation:
All praise is
due to Allah. We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection;
we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against
the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our
deeds. Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him;
and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right
path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except
Allah. He is alone and has no partner. We bear witness that Muhammad
is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful
to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer
benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one
's kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves and evils
which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority.
He warns you
against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember
you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily
divine remembrance is the highest virtue.
Muslims are required
to listen to the sermon attentively. Any type of conversation during the
sermon is prohibited. After the Imam has delivered the second part
of the sermon, the Iqamah is recited and the Imam leads the congregational
two Raka'at of Jummah Prayer.
The Holy Prophet of
Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not approve of a
person telling others to refrain from conversation while the Imam
is delivering his Sermon. In unavoidable circumstances, a gesture by hand
or with a finger can be made to draw the attention of someone to stop
talking. In case the Imam asks something during the sermon, then
he should be replied to.
It is preferable that
the person who delivered the sermon should lead the Prayer. The Imam
should recite Sura Fatiha and some verses of the Holy Quran
in a loud voice during the Jummah Prayer. One should offer four Raka'at
of Sunnah Prayer before the Friday congregational Prayer and four
Raka'at of Sunnah after the congregational Jummah Prayer,
but two Raka'at of Sunnah after the congregational and Fardh
Jummah Prayer are also allowed instead of four, as mentioned in the famous
book of Traditions called Sunan Abu Daud (Kitab-us-Salaat bab Assalaat
ba'ad al Jummah wa sharah AlSunnat, Vol.3 page 449). The two Raka'at
of Sunnah Prayer to be offered before the Fardh are compulsory
and are not dropped even during a journey.
A person who comes to
the mosque during the sermon should not steer his way to the front by
jumping over the shoulders of the people already sitting. As the sermon
has already begun, he can if he wishes, offer two Raka'at of Sunnah
quickly during the sermon. If a person is late for Friday Prayer and joins
the congregation in the final Qa'dah, he should complete his Prayer
individually after the Imam has finished leading the Prayer. If,
however, he misses the congregational Prayer completely, such a person
should offer Zhuhr Prayer instead.
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