Importance and Merits of Jumma Prayer (Friday prayers)

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Jumma day is a Blessed Day, a day on which Hazrath Adam alayhis 'salam was born and so the Blessed day is know as Eid-ul-Momineen.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala honoured Islam there with and gave glory to the Muslims. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says: when there is azan for the prayer on the Jumma day, run towards rememberence of ME and give up buy and sale. The Most Honourable Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has made compulsory on you on this day of mine and in this place of mine. The Most Honourable Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: if a man loses three Jumas without any excuse, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala puts a seal in his mind. In another narration : He throws Islam on his back.

There are seven conditions for a salaat to be corrected.

1-Niyyat (intention)
2-Tahrima (To say Allah Akbar)
3-Qiyam (Standing)
4-Qiraat (Recitation of Quran by mouth gently)
5-Ruku (To bow)
6-Sajda (Prostration)
7-Qai'da-e- Akhira (Last sitting)

NIYYAT (intention) is made while saying the takbir at the beggining. It is permissible to make niyyat before that, too.

(I) To make niyyat for salaat means to intend in the heart to perform a particular Salaat - Its name, time, qibla, to wish to follow the imam (when performing salaat in jama'at) etc. Such as saying, "I pray two rakat (or as many required for that time) Fard (if its Fard or say Sunnat if its Sunnat or say Wajib if its Wajib or Say Nafil if its Nafil) of Fajr (or whichever Salaat it is) for Allah Ta'ala and facing towards the Ka'aba."

(ii) Knowledge only, that is, knowing what is to be done will not be niyyat.

(iii) The niyyat made after the takbir of beginning is not correct and that salaat is not acceptable.

(iv) When making niyyat for prayers that are fard or wajib, it is necessary to know which fard or wajib they are. For example, it is necessary to know the name of the fard and to say for instance, "To perform today's early afternoon prayer (Zuhr)," or, the time's fard." When performing the salaat of Eid or witr, it is necessary to think of its being wajib and its name.

(v) It is good (mustahab) but not necessary to make niyyat for the number of rak'ats (cycles).

(vi) When performing a sunnat the niyyat "To perform salaat will suffice."

(vii) When beginning to worship, saying orally only is not called niyyat. Worships done without niyyat are not acceptable in all four Madhhabs (Hanfi, Shaafi, Maliki and Hambali). Thus niyyat is done from the heart.

TAHRIMA
means to say "Allahu Akbar"

When beginning salaat it is Fard to say Tahrima. No other word to replace it is acceptable. If the takbir is said too long, like AAllah (with AA instead of one A) in the beginning or Akbaar (with aa instead of one a) at the end, salaat will not be accepted. If 'Takbir' is said before the Imam, salaat will not have started.

QIYAM means to stand.

(I) When standing, the two feet must be four finger's width apart from each other.

(ii) In Fards,Wajibs and in the sunnat of Fajr salaat Qiyam is Fard. It means a person who is healthy but performs the above mentioned salaat while sitting, is not acceptable, He must perform all of the mentioned Salaats with qiyam for his salaat to be accepted.

(iii) He who is too ill to stand should perform salaat sitting, and if too ill to sit he should lie down on his back and performs it with his head (by moving,nodding his head,etc,). A pillow must be put under his head so that his face will be towards the qibla instead of towards the sky. He bends his knees, so that he will not stretch his legs towards the qibla.

(iii) As qirat is wajib to recite Surah Fatiha and to also recite a sura or three ayats in every rak'at of sunnats and of witr prayer and in the first two rak'ats of the fard.

(iv) In the fard (prayers of salaat that are obligatory), it is wajib to say the Fatiha and the other sura at the two first rak'ats. Additionally, it is wajib to say Surah Fatiha before the sura. Furthermore, it is wajib to say the fatiha once in every rak'at. If one of these five wajibs is forgotten, it is necessary to make sajda-e-sahw.

(v) In the third and the fourth rak'ats of the fard, it is sunnat for the Imam as well as for a person who performs salaat individually to say the Fatiha. [Ibni Abidin shami, p 343].

(vi) A settled (resident) person who follows a traveling one stands up when the imam makes the salam after the second rak'at,and performs two more rak'ats,but he does not make the qirat. That is, he does not say the Fatiha or the other sura. He does not say any prayer as if he were praying salaat behind the imam.

(vii) In every prayer of salaat except Friday prayer and Eid prayer, it is sunnat for the imam that the sura he says in the first rak'at (after the Fatiha) be twice as long as the one he says in the second rak'at.

(viii) It is makruh to say a sura in the second rak'at three ayats longer than the sura said in the first rak'at.It is always wajib to read the suras or ayats from the Qur'an.

(xi) A person who is too ill to stand, or feels dizzy or has a headache or toothache or pain in some other part of his body or can not control wind or bleeding when he stands should perform salaat sitting.

QIRAT: Means to read (recite) by mouth gently. Reading gently means to read only as loud as can hear yourself. (I) The recitation is called Jahri, that is, loud if its heard by people who stand on each side of the recitor. (ii) It is fard to say an ayat (verse) of the Quran while in Qiyam (standing) in every Rakat and it must be in the order as they are written in the Quran. For example one cannot recite Surah Naas in first rakaat and Surah Ikhlas in second.

RUKU: After the sura you bend for Ruku whilst saying takbir. (I) In ruku men open their fingers and put them on their knees. They keep their back and head leveled in ruku. Also the arms and legs must be straight and then you say, "Subhana Rabbiyel Azeem" at least thrice. (ii) If the imam raises his head before you have said it three times you must raise your head too.  You must not wait to complete the recitation thrice. In Ruku women do not open their fingers, they do not keep their head and back level, nor their arms and legs straight.

It is sunnat, for the imam as well as a person who is performing salaat alone, to say 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah' while straightening up from Ruku. The Jama'at does not say it. Right after saying it (if praying alone) or upon hearing the imam recite it (if with jama'at), you must say 'Rab'bana lakal hamd', and stand upright. Then, saying takbir (Allahu Akbar) start to kneel down for the Sajdah. First place the right knee and then the left knee, followed by the right and then left hand on the floor. Finally, the nose and the forehead bones are placed put on ground.

SAJDAH
(prostration)

(i) In Sajdah, fingers must be closed (no gap in between fingers), pointing towards the qibla in line with the ears, and the head must be between hands. It is fard to put the forehead on something clean, such a clean stone, clean ground, clean wood or clean cloth and it is wajib to put the nose down too. It is not permissible to put only the nose on the ground without a good excuse. It is makruh to put only the forehead on the ground. Thr nose should be pressured enough so that the bone of nose feel the ground, its very important to keep in account when perfoming salat on a soft carpet.

(ii) In sajda, you say, 'Subhana Rabbiyal A'la' at least thrice.

(iii) It is fard to put two feet or at least one finger of any foot on the ground. If both the feet are not placed on ground, salaat will be annulled and not be accepted.

(iv) It is sunnat to bend the toes and turn them towards the qibla. (v) Men must keep their arms and thighs away from their abdomen.

(vi) Sajda must be done on the ground on condition that you will press on them until you feel their hardness, that is until your forehead cannot move downward any more. Same applies for the nose. Special precaution is required on this issue when peroforming salat on a carpet.

(vii) It is written in 'Halabi': "When going into sajda it is Makruh-e-Tehrimi to pull up the skirts of your loose long robe or your trousers, and it is Makruh-e-Tehrimi to fold them before beginning salaat. It is Makruh-e-Tehrimi to perform salaat with folded sleeves, cuffs or skirt." Special attention is needed on this issue for the people of India and Pakistan who wear Shalwar and Kurta. If pulled or folded one must repeat the Salat.

(viii) It is Makruh to perform salaat with a bare head because of laziness or without realizing the importance of performing salaat with a covered head. For, not to cover one's head means to disobey the ayat: "Take your ornamented clothes and cover yourself for salaat!"
(xi) It is sunnat to wrap a turban (Imama) around the head whether in white or black color as Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam used these colours or any other color.

(x) Allama Ibne Abidin Shami Rehmatullahi Ta'ala Alaih said, "Direction towards qibla is fard for salaat. That is, salaat is performed by turning towards the direction of the Ka'aba. Salaat is performed for Allah. Sajda is done for Allah Ta'ala only, not for the Ka'aba. One who makes sajdah for the Ka'aba becomes a disbeliever."

QAI'DA-I-AKHIRA:
Means sitting in the last rak'at. it is fard to sit as long as it takes to say the Athiyyat, "Atthayyato Lillahe Wassalawato Wat Tayyebato Assalamu Alaika Ayyohan Nabiyo Wa Rehmatullahe Wa Barakatoh Assalamu Alaina Wa Ala Ibadillahis Sualaiheen Ashadu An La ilaah illal Laho Wa Ashadu Anna Mohammadan Abdohoo Wa Rasooloohoo" When sitting, men put their left foot flat on the ground with it toes pointing towards the right. They sit on this foot. The right foot should be upright, with the toes touching the ground and bent and pointing towards the qibla.

NOTE 1: Women sit by Tawarruk. That is, they sit with their buttocks on the ground. Their thighs should be close to each other. Their feet should jut out from the right.

NOTE 2: When you reach at Ashadu An La raise your index finger of your right hand upward facing about 45 degrees by closing the fist, and drop it back and spread the hand to its original position at illal Laho.

KHUROOJ BI SUN'EEHI:
To signify the completion of prayer by word or action. It means to finish out prayer by saying or doing something. Salaat is completed by saying, "Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah" First by moving head towards right and saying it, then towards left and saying it.

PRAYER AFTER THE SALAAT:

(i) It is mustahab (good) for the imam to turn right or left or towards the jama'at.

(ii) It is stated in a hadith, 'If a person says, "Astaghfirullah Al'azim-il-llazi La ilaha illa Huw-al-hayy-ul-qayyuma Wa Atubu ilayh", after every prayer of salaat, all his sins will be forgiven.

(iii) Imam and the followers raise their hands as high as their chest and pray (Dua) for themselves and for all muslims. A hadith declares, 'Prayers (Dua) sent after the five daily fard will be accepted.' (Tirmidhi). But the prayers (Dua) must be done with a vigilant heart. Not with fingers turned towards the qibla, arms not opened apart in the right-left direction, arms too close to each other, too far forward etc.

(iv) While saying Dua, the fact is that it is mustahab (good) to say salaat and salaam upon RasoolAllah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam),

(v) After making your Prayers (Dua), it is sunnat to rub the hands gently on the face.


The Most Honourable Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: Hazrath Gibriel alayhis 'salam came to me with a clean mirror in his hand and said: This is Juma. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has made it obligatory on you, so that it may be a festival for you and after you for your followers. I Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said : what good there is for us in it? He said: You have got an suspicious time in it. If a man seeks anything to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala at this time, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has promised that He will give it to him. If he deprived of that, many aditional things are given to him in that connection. If anyone wants to save himself from any evil on that day, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala saves him from a greater calamity or a like calamity which has been decreed on him. Jumma day is the best day to us and we shall call it in the Resurrection day as the day of grace. I Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam asked him: what object is there in the calling it as the day of grace? He said: Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has made a valley in the paradise made of white musk. When the Jumma day comes, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala descends on His Throne in Illyyin and sheds His Lusture and they look on towards His august face. The Most Honourable Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: The sun rose for the first time on the best Jumma day and Hazrat Adam alayhis 'salam was created on that day. He entered Paradise first on that day and he was thrown in to this world on that day and his pensance was accepted on that day. He Died on this day and Resurrection will take place on this day. This day is a day of blessing of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. The heavens and the angels have been given names on this day.

There is Hadis-e-shareef that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala will release six lacs of men from Hell on this day. The Most Honourable Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: when the Jumma day is safe, all the days remain safe. He Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said: If a man dies on the Jumma day or night, the rewards of one martyrdom are written fOR him and the punishment of grave is forgiven.

By the Grace of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala i was also given life(born) on this earth is This Day, and i pray to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala that TO make us More close to the Righteous path with His Most Righteous Men as such i be prepared for This Day. Ameem Ya Rabul Alameen.

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