The Virtue of Friday
Jumu’a (Friday) holds a singular station in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “The best day on which the sun rises is Friday.” Allah ﷻ says in Surah al-Jumu’ah (62:9):
“O you who believe, when the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave all trade.”
Friday is also the day when the Prophet Adam (AS) was created, the day he entered Jannah, and the day of the Hour (Qiyamat). It contains a sa’at al-ijaba — a blessed hour when all duas are accepted.
Obligations of Jumu’a
Jumu’a prayer is fardh ʿayn (individually obligatory) for every adult male Muslim who is:
- Resident (not a traveller covering ≥90km)
- Healthy and able to attend
- Free (not imprisoned)
Women, travellers, and the ill are excused but may attend.
The Jumu’a consists of:
- Ghusl — a major ablution (bath) before the prayer, highly recommended (some scholars say obligatory)
- Azaan al-Awwal — the first call to prayer (not used in all traditions)
- Khutba — two sermons delivered by the Imam from the minbar. Listening to the khutba is obligatory; speaking during it is forbidden.
- Two rakat of Jumu’a prayer in congregation (replacing Zuhr for that day)
The Bohra Jumu’a Tradition
In the Dawoodi Bohra community, Jumu’a is led by the Aamil saheb (local representative) or his deputy at the main community mosque (masjid). Key features:
- The khutba is delivered in Arabic with Bohra-specific salawat and recitations
- The congregation recites salawat extensively before and after the prayer
- Mizan al-Qira’a — Bohra recitations from Fatimid tradition are observed
- The post-Jumu’a gathering often includes communal du’a and dhikr
Recommended practices on Friday:
| Practice | Details |
|---|---|
| Ghusl | Take a complete bath on Friday morning |
| Fragrance | Wear clean clothes and apply itar (perfume) |
| Surah al-Kahf | Recite Surah al-Kahf (Ch. 18) — light between two Fridays |
| Salawat | Send abundant salawat on the Prophet (SAW) |
| Dua in the final hour | Make du’a in the last hour before Maghrib |
| Visit the sick | Visiting the ill on Friday carries special virtue |
The Blessed Hour (Sa’at al-Ijaba)
The Prophet (SAW) said there is an hour on Friday when no Muslim asks Allah for anything but that Allah grants it. There are two main opinions on when this is:
- After Asr until Maghrib — the more widely held view
- When the Imam sits between the two khutbas — a minority position
The Dawoodi Bohra practice encourages intensive du’a in the final hour before Maghrib on Fridays.
Surah al-Jumu’ah (62:9–10)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
“O you who believe, when the call to prayer is made on the day of Jumu’a, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave all trade. That is better for you, if only you knew.” (62:9)
A Note on Missed Jumu’a
The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever misses three consecutive Jumu’a prayers out of negligence, Allah seals his heart.” (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)
If you have genuinely missed Jumu’a (due to travel, illness, or a valid excuse), pray four rakat of Zuhr in its place.