3.19. EXCELLENCE OF FRIDAY PRAYER

God says

And when the prayer [of Friday congregation] is ended, disperse freely on earth* and seek to obtain [something] of God’s bounty; but remember God often**, so that you might attain to a happy state! -- Q.62:10
* I.e., “you may devote yourself to worldly pursuits”. As the sequence shows in the above verse, Friday is not the day of complete rest in Islamic Law.
** So that we may not overlook religious and moral obligations in our worldly pursuits.
(In devoting ourselves to worldly pursuits do we remember God often?)


Prophet said

“To God Friday is a greater day* than the day of Sacrifice Idd-ul-Azha and the day of Fitr (Idd-ul-Fitr)’” – H: Ibn Majah. Narrator: Abu Hobabah.
*Because, in the system of Islam Friday congregation brings the community together every week and perhaps it is because of that it is Farz, whereas the two Idd are not.

“Verily there is an hour on Friday in which, when a Muslim servant (of God) seeks good from Him, He grants it” -- H: Bukhari and Muslim. Narr: Abu Hurairah.
There are nearly thirty three Traditions relating to the special hour on Friday.

“Seek the hour which is so hoped for on Friday after Asr prayer till the setting of the sun.” —H: Anas. N: Tirmizi.

“Obligatory prayers five times a day, and one Friday prayer upto (the next) Friday prayer, and fasting (during a) month (of Ramadan) upto (the next Ramadan) fasts cause expiation (of sins) which come to pass in their midst provided the major sins are avoided.” -- H: Bukhari and Muslim. Narrator: Abu Hurairah.

“Increase blessings on me on Friday, because it is witnessed; angels witness it. And nobody sends blessings on me but it is presented to me till he is free from it.” Abu Darda’a said that he asked: and after death? The Prophet replied, “Indeed God has made unlawful for the earth that it should consume the bodies of the prophets”; so the Prophet of God is alive and is given provision. – H: Ibn Majah. N: Abu Darda’a.