Why Friday Is So Special in Islam?

Today we are going to talk about Jumu’ah (Friday). The day of Jumu’ah is considered very unique and special in Islam. We do not treat this day like any other day; for us Muslims, it is like a festival. In other words, the day of Jumu’ah is nothing less than a festival for us, and it is special because many events occurred on this day that many people might not be aware of. Allah Himself has ordained this day as sacred for Muslims. So, in this article today, we are going to talk about all these things and understand the secret behind this day and why all Muslims gather in the mosque to perform an act of worship that has been specifically designated only for this day.

Before The Spread Of Islam

Before the spread of Islam, apart from the idol worshippers in Arabia, there were Jews and Christians who had their own days to which they gave great importance. For example, the Jews give more importance to Saturday, while the Christians give importance to Sunday. Even though Islam did not follow these traditions, it followed a distinct system. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that Allah has ordained the day of Jumu’ah for this Ummah.

“O believers! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, then proceed diligently to the remembrance of Allah and leave off your business. That is best for you, if only you knew.” — Surah Al-Jumu’ah (62:9-10)

From this, we learn that Allah Himself ordained the day of Jumu’ah. It was not random; rather, it was divinely chosen.

The First Jumu’ah Of Islam

The first Jumu’ah prayer of Islam was not led by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but by one of his close and special companions, whom the Prophet himself sent to Yathrib (Madinah) so that he could provide religious training to the people there. His name was Mus’ab ibn Umayr (رضي الله عنه). Acting upon the command of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he led the first Jumu’ah prayer in Madinah. He gathered all the people and led the prayer at the house of an Ansar named As’ad Ibn Zurarah (رضي الله عنه).

This was because, at that time in Makkah, the Quraysh had banned any form of worship, and there were death threats, making it difficult to offer the Jumu’ah prayer. However, in Madinah, Mus’ab ibn Umayr (رضي الله عنه) led the first Jumu’ah prayer of Islam. When he first went to Madinah, within just a few weeks, around 40 people had reverted to Islam.

The fundamental and important role of Jumu’ah is that on this day, all those who were Muslim would gather in one place and worship Allah. This was a weekly routine where people would gather and worship together.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also led his first Jumu’ah prayer while he was migrating from Makkah to Madinah. Before entering Madinah, in a valley called Wadi al-Ranuna, he delivered his first Jumu’ah Khutba (sermon) and led the Jumu’ah prayer. Today, that place is known as Masjid al-Jumu’ah because a mosque was built on that very spot. After offering Jumu’ah there, he entered Madinah. At the time the Prophet ﷺ delivered the Khutba and led the prayer, there were 100 or more Muslims present with him.

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Why Is Jumu’ah Important In Islam?

Jumu’ah holds immense importance because many significant events took place on this day, and others will take place in the future, which sets this day apart from others. On this day, Allah created Adam (عليه السلام). On this same day, Adam (عليه السلام) entered Paradise. And it was on a Friday that Allah sent Adam (عليه السلام) to Earth. Furthermore, the death of Adam (عليه السلام) also occurred on a Friday.

Moving forward from the beginning of the world—though I mentioned Allah sent Adam (عليه السلام) on a Friday—did you know that the Day of Judgement will also take place on a Friday? There are many other events that occurred on Jumu’ah, such as the Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which was also on a Friday. The greatest proof of why Jumu’ah is special is that Allah mentioned it Himself in the Quran; in fact, you will find an individual chapter in the Quran named Surah Al-Jumu’ah.

On the day of Jumu’ah, all Muslims gather in one place, and advice and knowledge are spread. The day of Jumu’ah unites all us Muslims and demonstrates that no matter who you are—rich or poor, white or black—it makes no difference. We are all equal before Allah, and He never discriminates among His servants.

The day of Jumu’ah is very important because Allah Himself has commanded us to stop all business on this day and prepare for worship. One of the most special aspects of this day is that between Asr and Maghrib, there is a particular phase where if a servant prays to his God and asks for something, Allah accepts his prayer, and it will surely be fulfilled. Although the specific moment is not known, that phase occurs between Asr and Maghrib, so we should ask our God for whatever we desire during that time.

Conclusion

I hope that through this article, you were able to learn something new today and understand why Jumu’ah holds such great importance. Basically, to put it briefly, on one hand, many events have occurred on the day of Jumu’ah that make it more sacred than other days. On the other hand, we see that Allah Himself stated in the Quran that the day of Jumu’ah is special. We also know from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that he considered Jumu’ah sacred.

So, ultimately, what is the purpose and importance of Jumu’ah? In simple language, the most important part of Jumu’ah is that it unites all Muslims. Everyone gathers in one place and gains knowledge; there are discussions about religion and many words of advice. Therefore, the importance of Jumu’ah is vast—it is not just about waking up in the morning, performing Ghusl, and returning after offering two Rakat of Jumu’ah prayer. Rather, the entire day of Jumu’ah is sacred.

Another point is that performing Ghusl on the day of Jumu’ah is Sunnah Mu’akkadah, so it is better to perform Ghusl before going to the prayer. And as I mentioned before, in the interval between Asr and Maghrib, there is a phase where Allah does not reject the prayer made by His servant. I hope you enjoyed today’s article and learned something new about Jumu’ah. That was it for today; we will meet in our next article. Until then, take care of yourself and your family. May Allah forgive all our sins and accept our supplications. Ameen.