A Day To Refocus

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Friday is not like any other day. It is a day to help us refocus and do much good. This day should remind us of the Day of Judgment where everything will be spread out for us to see. We should have great concern for this. As Muslims we live for the next life. We will, one day, sooner than we think, have to move on to our next life, our eternal abodes (Paradise or Hell), with nothing except our deeds, leaving behind everything we love and cherish.

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ ﴿٨

That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.

(Qur'an Zalzala 99:6-8)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Friday is the best of days. It was on this day that Prophet Adam, Allah give him peace, was created, it was on this day that he was granted entry into Paradise, it was on this day that he was removed from Paradise (which became the cause for man's existence in this universe, and which is a great blessing), and the Day of Resurrection will also take place on this day." (Sahih Muslim)

As Muslims we should look forward to this day and prepare for it as if it is going to be Eid.

On one Friday, the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: "O Muslims! Allah Ta'ala has made this day a day of eid. So have a bath on this day, whoever has perfume should apply it, and use the miswaak." (Ibn Majah)

Every Muslim should make preparations for Jumu'ah from Thursday. After the 'Asr prayer of Thursday, he should make a lot of istighfaar. The pious people of the past have stated that the person to receive the most benefit on Friday will be that person who waits for it and who makes preparations for it from Thursday. The most unfortunate person will be he who does not even know as to when Friday will fall, so much so that he will ask the people in the morning as to which day this is.

On this day, one should perform the major ritual purification (ghusl)--wash the body from head to toe thoroughly and completely. After making ghusl, a person should wear the best clothing that he possesses, and put on perfume (men only), if he has it. He should also clip his nails.

One should try to go to the masjid very early for the Friday prayer. The earlier a person goes, the more reward he will receive.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "On the day of Jumu'ah, the angels stand at the entrance of that masjid in which Jumu'ah salaat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the masjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continue doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah, the one who followed him will get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the khutbah commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the khutbah." (Bukhari and Muslim)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩﴾ فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّـهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ وَإِذَا رَأَوْا تِجَارَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا انفَضُّوا إِلَيْهَا وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا ۚ قُلْ مَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهْوِ وَمِنَ التِّجَارَةِ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ ﴿١١

O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. 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. But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers."

(Qur'an Juma'a 62:9-11)

One should try not to miss reciting Surah Kahf either before the Friday prayer or after it. There is a lot of reward in reciting it. Also there are many lessons to be learned from the stories in this surah.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The person who recites Surah Kahf on Fridays, a nur will appear for him from below the arsh as high as the skies. This light will help him in the darkness of the Day of Resurrection. And all the sins which he may have committed from the last Friday till this Friday will be forgiven." The scholars have written that this Hadith refers to minor sins because major sins are not forgiven without making sincere repentance.

May Allah bless your Friday. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam