Every Friday I goto Friday prayer alhamdulillah, but I have been seeing something that I feel is so important and we don’t talk about it. We all already know that Friday is the most important day of the week, there are numerous hadith about this and some are below.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah and Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah led those who came before us away from Friday. The Jews had Saturday, and the Christians had Sunday. Then Allaah brought us and Allaah guided us to Friday. So there is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and thus they will follow us on the Day of Resurrection. We are the last of the people of this world but we will be the first on the Day of Resurrection, and we will be dealt with before all others.” (Muslim)
It was narrated from Aws ibn Aws that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of your days is Friday. On that day Adam (peace be upon him) was created; on that day he died; on that day the Trumpet will be blown and on that day all of creation will swoon. So send a great deal of blessings upon me, for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, how will our blessings upon you be shown to you when you have turned to dust?” He said, “Allaah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets, peace be upon them.” (Abu Dawood; Classed as saheeh by Ibn al-Qayyim in his comments on Sunan Abi Dawood, 4/273; and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 925.)
It was narrated that Abu Lubaabah ibn ‘Abd al-Mundhir said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Friday is the master of days, and the greatest of them before Allaah. It is greater before Allaah than the day of al-Adha and the day of al-Fitr. It has five characteristics: on this day Allaah created Adam, on it He sent Adam down to the earth, on it Allaah caused Adam to die, on it there is a time when a person does not ask Allaah for anything but He gives it to him, so long as he does not ask for anything haraam, and on it the Hour will begin. There is no angel who is close to Allaah, no heaven, no earth, no wind, no mountain and no sea that does not fear Friday.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah; 1084; Classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 2279)
Some years ago, when I had started working at a university, I was asked by my manager to go troubleshoot a desktop computer in the university president’s office. I went along with my manager and once we entered the office, for some reason we were on our best behavior, Not to make any slight mistake or say something improper. This somehow kicked in and it was due to the fact that the office was of the president and the president was the President of the university. He was the top of the top in the management, him having issue with his computer was a problem for everyone in IT. This could have been similar to anyone where the person could be the president of a company I might have worked for or the director of my division. I realized that when I went to see someone higher up or some customer (who for some reason controlled the company’s main contract) or a customer visiting the office or going for an interview, we are expected to dress up and be on our best behavior, be presentable (which could mean that you have you have the proper attire, suit with tie, , hair nicely done, no foul breath, mouth wash used, mustache trimmed and beard nicely kept and even your nails are dealt accordingly, so you don’t seem like a person out of a jungle).
There is a hadith about cleanliness being half of the Iman (faith).
Narrated Abû Mâlik Al-Hârith bin Âsim Al-Ash’ari: Allah’s Messenger said, “Cleanliness is half of Faith; the utterance of Allah (Al-hamdu lillah – all praise belongs to Allah) fills the scales of good actions; the utterance of Allah (Glory be to Allah and all praise belongs to Allah) fills the space between the heavens and the earth, and Salât (prayer) is light; and charity is the proof of Faith; and endurance is a light, and the Qur’ân is a plea in your favour or against you. Every person begins the morning ready to strike a deal with his soul as a stake; he either ransoms it or puts it into perdition.” (Muslim)
Now what does this got to do with Friday prayer. Well it has to do something with Salat in general. When we pray, we are infront of Allah. Who is Allah, he is the lord of the worlds, the creator of everything, the owner of our souls and owner of everything between heavens and earth. He is all in all of everything, much more than a president of a university, director of a company, CEO of multi billion dollar company, bigger and important than anything and everything.
So when we go infront of the almight to pray, to beg and to ask for forgiveness, we are usually dressed up like bums. We are not at our best behavior or even presentable, we are wearing dirty clothes, pajamas, sagging pants, long shorts that are not long enough, smelling bad or of smoking, sometimes i have seen people just come out of bed and show up at the moque, sometimes jeans, Tshirt combination, gym clothes or just anything casual that you wouldn’t wear to work at all. Well I can understand people do this at home but for Friday it is a different story. I usually see people on Friday enjoying Casual Fridays at work, I can understand wearing business clothes all week might seem like a burden and casual Friday is an escape from those superficial clothing.
Lets see what we are actually doing, we are dressing up every day for this duniya, to make up points at work, impress the bosses, abide by the dress policy or just because you see customers or are expected to wear those clothes. On Friday we take a step back cuz the expected fact is that Friday is the casual day but while trying to enjoy the life in duniya we end up forgetting that Friday is the best day of the week, like Eid everyweek for us. If we put a little bit effort and think of the day when it is the best day of the week, you are going to be in presence of other Muslims, be closest to Allah during sajda, then you should dress up accordingly. Don’t show up at the mosque like it is a basket ball match or your going for a BBQ.
“O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumu‘ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu‘ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if you did but know!” (Al-Jumu’ah 62:9)
Tomorrow if you are told that you are going to meet the president of the country, I doubt anyone would show up in jeans or jogging bottoms and a Tshirt. Why do we then think differently for Allah, when Allah is much more important for us than anyone else. Just remember that we need him and he doesn’t need us.
It is only Shaitan (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliya’ [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger, Muhammad pbuh)]; so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers. (Surah 3/Ayah 175)
There is a hadith also but cant find it in Tirmidhi for now
Ibn Hibban narrated “Whoever will seek to please Allah by displeasing men, Allah (The Glorified and The Exalted) will make him independent of the help and favour of men and He Himself will become sufficient unto him, and whoever will seek to please men by displeasing Allah, Allah (The Glorified and The Exalted) will give him in the charge of men. And peace (be with you)!” (Tirmidhi)