بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala has made Jumuah or Friday as a special day for Prophet Muhammad’s ummah. There are lots of grace given on Friday but there things that we Muslim should observe on what is forbidden. In this post, I’d like to share the five dos for Muslims on Friday.
List of the five dos for Muslims on Friday
1. Do take a bath before going to the Friday prayer
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ غُسْلُ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُحْتَلِمٍ ”.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) said, “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male (Muslim) who has attained the age of puberty.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 879
Narrated by: Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الرَّمْلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ، – يَعْنِي ابْنَ فَضَالَةَ – عَنْ عَيَّاشِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ حَفْصَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ عَلَى كُلِّ مُحْتَلِمٍ رَوَاحُ الْجُمُعَةِ وَعَلَى كُلِّ مَنْ رَاحَ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الْغُسْلُ ” . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ إِذَا اغْتَسَلَ الرَّجُلُ بَعْدَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ أَجْزَأَهُ مِنْ غُسْلِ الْجُمُعَةِ وَإِنْ أَجْنَبَ .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It is necessary for every adult (person) to go for (saying) Friday (prayer), and for everyone who goes for Friday (prayer) washing is necessary.
Abu Dawud said: If one takes bath after sunrise, even though he washes because of seminal emission, that will be enough for him for his washing on Friday.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 342
Narrated by: Hafsah, Ummul Mu’minin (RA)
If there are any hindrance for you to take a bath before the Friday prayer, do it in the morning. May Allah accept it as following what Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) recommends.
2. Do recite Surah as-Sajadah and surah ad-Dahr during fajr prayer
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ هُرْمُزَ ـ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ {الم * تَنْزِيلُ} السَّجْدَةَ وَ{هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الإِنْسَانِ}
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the following in the fajr prayer of Friday, “Alif, Lam, Mim, Tanzil” (Suratas- Sajda #32) and “Hal-ata-ala-l-Insani” (i.e. Surah al-Insan #76).
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 891
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
For those who memorize these surahs, it is recommended to recite them. Other surahs are permissible as well. Surah as-Sajadah is recited during the first rak’ah after the obligatory surah al-Fatihah. Surah al-Insan on the other hand is recited in the second rak’ah after al-Fatihah.
3. Do wear perfume before joining in for the Friday congregational prayer
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، كَانَ لاَ يَرُوحُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ إِلاَّ ادَّهَنَ وَتَطَيَّبَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَرَامًا .
Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar would never go to Jumuah without wearing oil and perfume except when it was forbidden (i.e. when he was muhrim).
Source: Muwatta Malik
أَخْبَرَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ سَوَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ سُلَيْمٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ إِنَّ الْغُسْلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ عَلَى كُلِّ مُحْتَلِمٍ وَالسِّوَاكَ وَأَنْ يَمَسَّ مِنَ الطِّيبِ مَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ ” .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Ghusl should be performed on Friday by everyone who has reached the age of puberty, and using the siwak, and he should put on whatever he is able of using perfume.”
Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1383
Narrated by: ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Sa’eed
It is recommended as well to brush your teeth and clean your mouth before going to the mosque. If you can, do adorn your best clothes that you have and treat it as if you are celebrating Eid.
4. Do make lots of dua
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ خَشْرَمٍ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ، بُكَيْرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عِيسَى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَخْرَمَةُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ بْنِ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ لِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ أَسَمِعْتَ أَبَاكَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي شَأْنِ سَاعَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ نَعَمْ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «هِيَ مَا بَيْنَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ الإِمَامُ إِلَى أَنْ تُقْضَى الصَّلاَةُ
‘Abdullah b. Umar said to me: Did you hear anything from your father narrating something from the messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the time on Friday? I said: Yes, I heard him say from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (these words): ” It is between the time when the Imam sits down and the end of the prayer.”
Source: Sahih Muslim 853
Narrated by: Abu Burda b. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari
The window to supplicate during the interval said above is quite short so always be attentive to the sermon. It would be such a waste to not make dua in such an opportune time. I know that sometimes we get sleepy during the khutbah (sermon) but lets try to change that alright.
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادِ بْنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، – وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ – عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنِ الْجُلاَحِ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ أَنَّ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ سَاعَةً لاَ يُوجَدُ فِيهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ آتَاهُ إِيَّاهُ فَالْتَمِسُوهَا آخِرَ سَاعَةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ ” .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Friday is twelve hours in which there is no Muslim slave who asks Allah (SWT) for something but He will give it to him, so seek it in the last hour after ‘Asr.”
Sunan an-Nasa’i 1389
Narrated by: Jabir bin ‘Abdullah
Someone told me that people in olden days used to spend the entire ‘Asr at mosques. They continuously supplicate in order to seek for the opportune hour. May Allah grant them bountiful of rewards for acting on this Hadith.
Do you have any pressing needs or wishes to be fulfilled? Then increase your supplications in Friday especially during the aforementioned time in the who Hadiths above. May Allah grant and deliver your dua soon my brothers and sisters!
Now lets proceed with item number five in the list of the five dos for Muslims on Friday.
5. Do pray four raka’at of sunnah prayer after the Friday congregational prayer
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إذا صلى أحدكم الجمعة، فليصلِ بعدها أربعًا”.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “If anyone of you performs the Friday prayer, he should perform four raka’at (sunnah / optional) after it.”
Source: Riyad as-Salihin 1126
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
For those who can, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) recommends to do the optional salat as well. I myself have never performed it and only when writing this article that I became aware of this practice.
For those who are the same as I am, lets try to do it next Friday. May we become consistent in doing it. May Allah shower His blessings for those who are able to act on the Hadith above.
Conclusion for the five dos for Muslims on Friday
There are lots more to add to the five dos for Muslims on Friday but this list is already long enough. I know and agree that some items in this list is hard to achieve but we can do our best to act and follow the ones that we can do.
Furthermore we can always try to better ourselves in the coming future. It is a journey and may that journey brings us to Jannatul Firdaus for you and me.
As always, do share this piece of article out to all of your family and friends. Lets act upon the Hadith shared and teach it to our family and friends. May it be one of the long lasting good deeds that rewards us well. Here in this world and in the hereafter, InsyaAllah.
