10 Ahadith about Friday

Friday has many unique features and virtues that Allah swt has bestowed upon this day and not others. 

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah and Hudhayfah (may Allah swt be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah swt (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “Allah swt led those who came before us away from Friday. The Jews had Saturday, and the Christians had Sunday. Then Allah swt brought us and Allah swt 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)

1. Abu Hurairah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created; on it he was made to enter Paradise; on it he was expelled from it; and the [last] hour (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) will take place on no day other than Friday.” (Muslim).

2. Abu Hurairah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The five [daily prescribed] Prayers, and Friday [prayer] to the [next] Friday [prayer], and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided.” (Muslim).

3. Abu Hurairah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said while talking about Friday,

“There is a time on it (i.e. Friday) at which Allah grants the request of any Muslim servant who, at this time, happens to be asking Allah for something while standing in Prayer” And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to indicate that this period of time is very short. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

4. Abu Sa`id A-Khudri (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on the night of Friday, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (i.e., the Ka`bah).” (Al-Daarimi).

5. Aws ibn Aws (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Among the best of your days is Friday. So, pray to Allah frequently on it to bless me, for such supplications of you will be presented to me.” (Abu Dawud).

6. Salman (may Allah swt be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“If a man takes bath on Friday, cleans himself as much as he can, oils his hair, applies perfume available in his house, sets forth for the mosque, does not separate two people (to make a seat for himself), performs as many Prayers as written [by Allah] for him, remains silent when the Imam speaks, his sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari).

7. Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) reported:

We heard the Messenger of Allah saying (while delivering Khutbah on his wooden pulpit), “Either some people stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless.” (Muslim).

8. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If you say to your companion: Listen attentively on a Friday when the Imam is delivering the Khutbah, then you have engaged in idle talk.” (Muslim).

9. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “The best prayer before Allah swt is Fajr prayer on Friday in congregation.”(Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Eemaan).

10. It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no Muslim who dies during the day of Friday or the night of Friday but Allah swt will protect him from the trial of the grave.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Itikaaf: Virtues, Purpose and Benefits

We praise Allah and send blessings and salutations upon His Noble Messenger Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam , his companions and those who follow him.

It used to be the general practice of the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam to perform Itikaaf in the Holy month of Ramadhan. At times he Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam  used to remain in the masjid for the whole month and in his final year, he Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam was in Itikaaf for twenty days. Because He  Sallalahu Alayhe wasallamusually secluded himself in the masjid for the last ten days of Ramadhan, the scholars consider it ‘sunnah muakkadah’ to perform Itikaaf for that period.

Ibn Abbas Radhiallahu Anhu relates that the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam said, "The person performing Itikaaf remains free from sins and he is indeed given the same reward as those who do good deeds (in spite of not having done these deeds). (Ibn Majah).

This hadith mentions two great benefits of Itikaaf. The first is that the person performing Itikaaf avoids sins. The world around us is full of temptations and more often than not one falls into them. To commit sins in this blessed month is indeed a great injustice to ourselves. Through remaining secluded in the masjid, one completely avoids the temptation of doing a sin.

Another benefit is that when one is secluded in the masjid, one is apparently at a disadvantage by not being able to perform certain good deeds like joining in funeral prayers, attending burials, visiting the sick, etc. But according to this hadith, one is rewarded for even those deeds which he could not perform as a result of his Itikaaf. May Allah make it possible for us to fully benefit from Itikaaf.

Purpose:

Mankind has been created to worship Allah. Islam has designated many forms of worship for the fulfilment of this aim. Itikaaf enjoys kind of superiority over other methods of worship because it encompasses many other forms of worship within itself.

Benefits Of Itikaaf

Itikaaf makes it easy to perform salat with full devotion because the mutakif breaks all ties with the outside world and is in a state of tranquillity, where he is free from everything that diverts him from Allah’s remembrance. This leaves him to focus his mind solely towards Allah’s obedience and happiness.

More voluntary prayers will be performed by a mutakif because his aim is to worship Allah swt and to build up a close tie with Him and the best way of achieving this is by performing salat.

Another benefit of Itikaaf is that the mutakif can perform his prayer in the first row. It is very easy for him to derive the full benefit of offering prayer in this row. 

Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu Anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam said, "Had the people known the reward of azaan and the first row, they would most certainly draw lots (to decide who should give the azaan and stand in the first row). (Bukhari).

The mutakif gains the reward of waiting for salat. 

The Prophet Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam said, "You will be regarded as performing salat while you are waiting for salat and the angels supplicate saying, ‘O Allah forgive him and have mercy on him as long as he does not leave his prayer place or break wind." (Bukhari).

One benefit of Itikaaf is that it makes a person accustomed to staying in the masjid for a long period and creates an attachment between him and the masajid. 

The Prophet Sallalahu Alayhe wasallam said, "From amongst the seven whom Allah will give shade to on the day when there will be no shade except His shade, will be that person whose heart was attached to the masjid." (Bukhari)

It becomes easy to perform the Tahajjud prayer. Normally, this is very difficult for a person because Satan tries hard to stop a person from offering this prayer and deprive him of its great reward.