The Five Don’ts for Muslims on Friday (5 Authentic Hadiths)

You walk into the mosque on a Friday and the khutbah has already started. Do you sit straight down? Can you whisper to the person next to you to put his phone away? Friday is the best day of the week, and alongside its blessings the Prophet ﷺ also taught us a few things not to do on Friday in Islam. Here are five of them, each from an authentic hadith.

1. Don’t sit hugging your knees during the khutbah

This hadith is narrated by Mu’adh ibn Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). Some English translations name the narrator as Anas ibn Malik, but the Arabic chain is from Sahl ibn Mu’adh ibn Anas, from his father.

The hadith doesn’t give a reason for the prohibition. What is clear is that the khutbah deserves our full attention, so sit in a way that keeps you alert and listening.

Imam at-Tirmidhi noted right after this hadith that some scholars disliked this way of sitting during the khutbah, while others, including Ibn Umar, Ahmad and Ishaq, saw no harm in it. If you’re unsure, ask a scholar at your local mosque.

Try this: sit cross-legged or as you would in tashahhud, facing the khatib.

2. Don’t talk during the khutbah, not even to say “be quiet”

This is one of the best known things not to do on Friday. The hadith is narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). If even telling someone to be quiet counts as idle talk, then ordinary chatting during the khutbah is clearly further away from what the Prophet ﷺ taught.

So hold your tongue and focus on the khatib’s sermon. If others are talking, leave them be. In some mosques, the bilal reminds the congregation of this very hadith before the khatib takes his place on the minbar.

Try this: switch your phone to silent before you walk into the mosque, so nothing pulls you away from the khutbah.

3. Don’t miss Jumu’ah out of carelessness

It is narrated by Abu al-Ja’d ad-Damri (may Allah be pleased with him). The key word in the hadith is tahawunan: out of carelessness, taking it lightly. It is a warning for those who skip Jumu’ah without a valid excuse. For what counts as a valid excuse in your own situation, ask a qualified local scholar.

If you’ve missed Jumu’ah before, don’t despair. Repent and seek Allah’s forgiveness, for example with Sayyidul Istighfar. May Allah accept it and keep our hearts soft. Verily, Allah is the Most Forgiving.

Try this: on Thursday night, check your Friday plans and block out the time for Jumu’ah first.

4. Don’t sit down without praying two rak’ahs

This is narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). If you arrive late for Friday prayer, the Prophet ﷺ still asks that you pray two short rak’ahs before taking your seat, even while the imam is delivering the khutbah.

Some scholars hold a different view on praying while the khutbah is going on, so if your local mosque follows another practice, ask the imam.

Try this: if you walk in during the khutbah, keep the two rak’ahs short, as the hadith says, then sit down and listen.

5. Don’t single out Friday for fasting

So you can fast on a Friday, just not on its own. Join it with a fast on Thursday or Saturday. And if Friday falls within a fast you already keep regularly, the second narration shows that is fine too. The same hadith also tells us not to single out Friday night for night prayer.

Try this: if you’d like to fast on a Friday, plan a Thursday fast to go with it.

Things not to do on Friday in Islam: bringing it together

All five don’ts point the same way: Friday is for Jumu’ah, and Jumu’ah is for listening to the reminder with our full attention. Allah says:

Let’s strive to do our best to observe these five don’ts. There may be some we can’t fully wrap our heads around, but Allah knows what is best for us. If you have time, also read the five dos for Muslims on Friday and pick up some of the good practices there.

Key lessons

• Saying “be quiet” during the khutbah is already idle talk, so stay silent and listen.
• Missing Jumu’ah three times out of carelessness leads to a sealed heart.
• Pray two short rak’ahs before sitting, even if the khutbah has started.
• Don’t fast Friday on its own; join it with Thursday or Saturday.
• Sit attentively during the khutbah rather than hugging your knees.

Questions people ask

Which of these five do you find hardest? Pick that one and work on it this Friday, in shaa Allah.

Save this to Pinterest so you have these five reminders ready before next Jumu’ah.