Allah Almighty says: {And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 9]
1) It urges us to seek the bounty of Allah Almighty and the different types of sustenance. In transactions and dealings, a believer always heeds his Lord and recalls that He is constantly watching over him. This falls under remembrance of Allah Almighty.
2) When a person has offered the Friday prayer and then engages in buying and selling, it is more hoped that his transactions would be blessed, since he preceded them with an act of obedience to Allah Almighty.
3) Worship of Allah Almighty is a cause of success in attaining all goodness in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
1147/1 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The best day the sun has risen over is Friday: on it Adam was created, on it he was admitted into Paradise, and on it he was driven out of it.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Friday is the best of days. Out of His mercy, Allah Almighty has endowed Friday with this special merit, so that the seekers of the Hereafter can compete in winning rewards.
2) One of the merits of Friday is that the creation began in it, and it also saw the beginning of the trial of Adam entering Paradise and then leaving it.
1148/2 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “He who performs ablution properly and then comes to the Friday prayer and listens attentively and keeps silent, his sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven, with the addition of three more days; but he who touches pebbles (while listening to the sermon) has engaged in idle activity.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1149/3 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The five prayers, from Friday to Friday, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate sins committed between them, if major sins are avoided.” [Narrated by Muslim]
About idle activity, another Hadīth says: “Whoever engages in idle activity and steps between people’s necks, it will be a Zhuhr prayer for him (not a Friday prayer).” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd as reported by ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās] Ibn Wahb, one the subnarrators, said what it means: “His prayer is valid (as Zhuhr prayer), but he is deprived of the merit of the Friday prayer.” [Fat-h al-Bāri Sharh Sahīh al-Bukhāri]
1) The great reward and expiation of sins apply to one who performs ablution perfectly and listens attentively, not being distracted by anything from the sermon.
2) They encourage us to seek Allah’s mercy, as He has provided us with opportunities for expiation of sins. These include prayers, fasting, and hastening to perform righteous deeds.
It is deduced from the foregoing Hadīth that listening to the sermon is obligatory, for he who gets distracted from it by touching pebbles misses the reward of the Friday prayer. Then what about he who intentionally fails to listen to the sermon? A devoted believer would go to the Friday prayer early to witness the sermon from its beginning.
1150/4 - He and Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that they heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) speaking on his wooden pulpit, saying: “People must stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or else Allah will put a seal on their hearts, then they will be truly among the heedless.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) It issues a stern warning against neglecting the Friday prayer without a valid excuse. The heart of a person who does so will be sealed.
2) Commission of sins is a reason for deprivation of the light of worship. Allah Almighty punishes a heedless sinner by sealing his heart. So, let the believer beware of neglecting his religious duties.
1151/5 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If you come to attend the Friday prayer, take a bath.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1152/6 - Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Taking a bath on Friday is due upon every Muslim who has reached puberty.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The duty here denotes option (i.e. voluntary duty), like telling someone: Your right is a duty upon me. And Allah knows best.
1153/7 - Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever performs ablution on Friday has done something good, and whoever takes a bath has done what is better.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) Taking a bath on Friday for the Friday prayer is due upon those who are obligated to attend the prayer.
2) The Prophet’s instruction to take a bath on Friday shows how the Shariah cares for purification and cleanliness, especially when people gather in large numbers.
3) He who fails to take a bath on Friday has neglected something due on him, but his prayer is valid. The bath is not a requirement for the validity of prayer; rather, it is due upon those going to attend it.
1154/8 - Salmān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If a man takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, oils his hair or applies of his perfume, sets forth for the mosque, does not separate two people (to make a seat for himself), performs prayer as prescribed for him, remains silent when the Imām speaks, then his sins between that Friday and the following Friday will certainly be forgiven.”
1) It is recommended to purify oneself in a perfect manner on Friday. That is the Prophet’s guidance.
2) It is recommended to apply perfume on Friday. According to the Shariah etiquettes, a Muslim ought to smell good, especially when in a gathering.
3) The supererogatory prayer before the Friday prayer has no limit. A person may offer as many Rak‘ahs as he wishes, until the Imām begins the sermon.
1155/9 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever performs a ritual bath on Friday and then goes to the mosque in the first part of time (i.e. early), it is as if he sacrificed a camel; if he goes in the second part of time, it is as if he sacrificed a cow; if he goes in the third part of time, it is as if he sacrificed a horned ram; if he goes in the fourth part of time, it is as if he sacrificed a hen; and if he goes in the fifth part of time, it is as if he sacrificed an egg; and when the Imām comes out, the angels attend to listen to Dhikr.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
His words “a ritual bath” mean a bath like that taken to remove ritual impurity (Ghusl).
1) Rewards differ on Friday according to the time in which a person goes to the mosque. The earlier he attends, the greater his reward.
2) The bath on Friday is like a ritual bath (Ghusl), but it is recommended to delay it till shortly before going to the mosque.
1156/10 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) talked about Friday and said: “There is a time in it (meaning Friday) at which a Muslim, while he is standing in prayer and supplicating Allah, will be granted whatever he is asking for.” He gestured with his hand to indicate that this time is short. [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1157/11 - Abu Burdah ibn Abi Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: “Did you hear your father report something from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour on Friday?” I said: “Yes, I heard him say: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘It extends from the time the Imām sits down till the prayer is over.’” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) One of the merits of Friday is that it has a time in which supplications are readily answered.
2) The time in which supplications are readily answered on Friday is short and unspecified so that people would strive and supplicate a lot on this day in hope that their supplication coincides with this hour.
The authentic Hadīths on the hour during Friday in which supplications are readily answered indicate that it is the latter part of time after the ‘Asr (afternoon) prayer. The last Hadīth cited above says about it: “It extends from the time the Imām sits down till the prayer is over.” The scholars of Hadīth considered the attribution of this wording to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as inauthentic; rather, it is the statement of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father).
1158/12 - Aws ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Friday is one of your best days. So, invoke Allah’s blessings upon me in it a lot, for your invocations are presented to me.” [Narrated by Abu Dawūd, with an authentic chain of narration]
1) Invoking Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is among the recommended acts of worship to be performed often during the day and eve of Friday.
2) Invoking Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) brings a great reward. Indeed, we need to invoke Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet, so that we can win Allah’s blessings upon us.
1) When the believers invoke Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet, this means that they supplicate Allah to praise him among the highest company of angels, who are close to Him.
2) When a person wants to invoke Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet, he should choose one of the wordings occurring in the Qur’an or the Sunnah. These are good and sufficient. It is not permissible for him to use one of the wordings contrived by people which sometime have inappropriate meanings.
Indeed, all goodness lies in following the righteous predecessors; and all evil lies in the religious innovations introduced by those who came later.