AL-JUMU’AH
(FRIDAY)
ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPATING IN
JUMU’AH:
There
are many advantages of attending and participating in the prayer of
Jumu’ah.Some of them are as follows:
Responding to the command of Allah (SWT).
O you who believe, when the call to prayer is
made on the day of congregation (Friday), hasten to the remembrance of
Allah and leave off all business, this is better for you, if you know. (62:9)
Benefitting from the Khutbahs (sermons).
The
Imam delivers two sermons before the prayer of Jumu’ah. In the first
sermon, the congregation is reminded about TAQWA which means following
the commands of Allah (SWT) and the second sermon serves as a reminder
for TAUBAH which means sincere repentance. Both these sermons are ideal
and very useful for one’s spiritual growth. In accordance with the needs
of our time, issues and events affecting the Muslim Ummah at large, are
also addressed in the sermons by the Imam.
Meeting with fellow Muslims.
This
fosters unity and brotherhood amongst the believers. S.V.Mir Ahmad Ali
writes in the commentary of the Holy Qur’an;
The
wise ordinances of Islam provide ample opportunities of social contact
for the Muslims.Each individual remembers Allah five times everyday in
the home or place of business or local Masjid. On Friday, in every week,
there is a local meeting in the central Masjid of each local centre; it
may be a village, or town, or ward of a big city.At the two Eids every
year there is a local area meeting in one centre, the Eidgah. Once
atleastin a life time, a Muslim, having sufficient means, joins the vast
international assemblage of the world, in the centre of Islam, at Ka’bah.
The primary purpose in all the obligatory and optional forms of worship
is the remembrance of glorification of Allah, but they also create
spirit of unity, brotherhood and collective understanding and provide
opportunities for mutual consultation and action.
Preparing for the DHUHOOR (re-appearance) of
Imam al-Mahdi (aj).
Imam
al-Mahdi (aj) will re-appear on a Friday. This is what we recite in the
ziyarat (salutation) of Friday:
…..and Friday is your day when your
re-appearance is expected..
Leaving all the worldly activities aside and responding to the call of
Allah on Friday infact trains and prepares one be to alert for the call
of our living Holy Imam (aj) on this day.
Falaah (success) assured after Friday prayer.
And when the prayer is completed then disperse
in the land and seek the grace of Allah, and remember Allah much, so
that you may be successful. (62:10)
MORAL
STORY
Abu
Abdir-Rahman Salmi was a tutor of the Holy Qur’an in Madinah.Many
children would come to him to learn how to recite the Holy book.
One day
he taught a son of Imam Hussayn (as) to recite Sura al-Fatiha.When the
child recited the surah before his father, the Imam was so pleased that
he rewarded the tutor with valuable gifts. Some people criticised this
action saying it was not necessary to give so much in return for
teaching one surah. In reply, the Imam (as) said,
“What
comparison can there be between the gift I have given to the tutor of my
child, and his teaching the Holy Qur’an, the gift which he has given to
my child?”
The best
gift which parents can give to their children is to teach them how to
read the Qur’an, understand it, act upon its teachings and convey these
teachings to others.
Released by:
Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff
mulla@almahdi.org.uk |