The virtue of Friday

It should be noted that the entire life of a Muslim is worship of Allah; there is no special day for worship, for the Muslim is worshipping Allah all the time. But there is a day which Allah has made special for this ummah (nation), the nation of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and which Allah has favoured above all the other days of the week. That day is Friday. There are a number of hadeeths which speak of the virtue of this day, including the following:

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “We (Muslims) are the last (of the nations) but (we will be) the foremost on the Day of Resurrection,  although the former nations were given their scriptures before us and we were given ours after them. And this (Friday) is the day concerning which they disputed. So Allah guided us (to it), tomorrow (i.e., Saturday) is for the Jews and the day after (i.e., Sunday) is for the Christians.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Jumu’ah, 847).

It was also narrated (by al-Bukhaari) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam was created, on this day he entered Paradise and on this day he was expelled from it.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Jumu’ah, 1410) 

It was narrated that Taariq ibn Shihaab said: “A Jewish man said to ‘Umar, ‘O Commander of the faithful, if this aayah – ‘This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion’ [al-Maa'idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning] – had been revealed to us, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “I know on which day this aayah was revealed; it was revealed on the Day of ‘Arafaah, which was a Friday.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Al-I’tisaam bi’l-Kitaab wa’l-Sunnah, 6726). 

Among the hadeeth which explain the reward for this day is that which was narrated by Abu Hurayrah, which says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Each of the five daily prayers and from one Jumu’ah prayer to the next is an expiation for the time in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin.”  (al-Tahaarah, 342). 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘When Friday comes, at each door of the mosque there are angels who write down the first ones to come to the mosque. Then when the imaam sits down they close their books and come to listen to the sermon. The one who comes early (for Friday prayer) is like who sacrificed a camel, then those who come after him (in order of their coming) are like one who sacrificed a cow, then one who sacrificed a horned ram, then one who sacrificed a chicken, then like one who offered an egg.” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Jumu’ah, 1416). 

It was also narrated in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “One of the best of your days is Friday. On it Adam was created and on it he died. On it the Trumpet will be blown and on it all creatures will perish (prior to the Resurrection on the Last Day). So send many blessings upon me on that day, for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “How will our blessings be shown to you when your body will have become dust?” He said, “Allah has forbidden the earth to consume our [Prophets’] bodies.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa’i; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, no. 695). 

It was narrated in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever makes his wife do ghusl and does ghusl himself [i.e., has intercourse] on Friday and goes out early, walking not riding, and comes close to the imaam and listens [to the sermon] without interrupting, will have for each step he takes a reward equal to that of fasting and praying at night for one year.”

(Narrated by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, no. 687) 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “On this day there is an hour when no Muslim slave stands and prays and asks Allah for something, but Allah will give it to him,” and he gestured with his hand to indicate that whatever he asks for, is as nothing to Allah. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Jumu’ah, 883) 

It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Seek the hour in which there is hope that prayers will be answered, on Friday after ‘Asr (mid-afternoon) prayer, until the sun goes down.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, no. 700). 

And Allah knows best.