The Book of Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)

Sa‘id ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Makhzumi informed us; he said: Sufyan narrated to us, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A‘raj, from Abu Hurayrah; and Ibn Tawus, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “We are the last, yet the foremost. They were given the Scripture before us, and it was given to us after them. This is the day that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, prescribed for them, but they differed about it; Allah, Mighty and Majestic, guided us to it”—meaning Friday. “So people follow us in this: the Jews have it tomorrow, and the Christians the day after tomorrow.”

Muhammad ibn Ma‘mar informed us; he said: Habban narrated to us; he said: Aban narrated to us; he said: Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated to us, from al-Hadrami ibn Lahik, from Zayd, from Abu Sallam, from al-Hakam ibn Minā’, who heard Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar relate that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said while standing on the wooden steps of his pulpit: “People must stop abandoning Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and they will surely be among the heedless.”

Mahmud ibn Ghaylan informed me; he said: al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us; he said: al-Mufaddal ibn Fadalah narrated to me, from ‘Ayyash ibn ‘Abbas, from Bukayr ibn al-Ashajj, from Nafi‘, from Ibn ‘Umar, from Hafsah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Going to the Friday prayer is obligatory for everyone who has reached puberty.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abdullah informed us, from Yunus, from al-Zuhri, who said: ‘Abd al-Rahman al-A‘raj narrated to us that he heard Abu Hurayrah say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On it Adam (peace be upon him) was created, on it he was admitted to Paradise, and on it he was taken out of it.”

Ishaq ibn Mansur informed us; he said: Husayn al-Ju‘fi narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jabir, from Abu al-Ash‘ath al-San‘ani, from Aws ibn Aws, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “Among your best days is Friday. On it Adam (peace be upon him) was created, on it he died, and on it will be the blowing of the Trumpet and the Blast. So send abundant blessings upon me, for your blessings are presented to me.” They said, “Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings be presented to you when you have decayed”—that is, they said, “when you have perished”? He said: “Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets (peace be upon them).”

Muhammad ibn Salamah informed us; he said: Ibn Wahb narrated to us, from ‘Amr ibn al-Harith, that Sa‘id ibn Abi Hilal and Bukayr ibn al-Ashajj narrated to him, from Abu Bakr ibn al-Munkadir, from ‘Amr ibn Sulaym, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘id, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Bathing on Friday is obligatory for everyone who has reached puberty; use the tooth-stick and apply as much perfume as you can.” However, Bukayr did not mention ‘Abd al-Rahman, and regarding perfume he said, “even if it is women’s perfume.”

Qutaybah narrated to us, from Malik, from Nafi‘, from Ibn ‘Umar, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When one of you comes for Friday prayer, let him bathe.”

Qutaybah narrated to us, from Malik, from Safwan ibn Sulaym, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Bathing on Friday is obligatory for everyone who has reached puberty.”

Humayd ibn Mas‘adah informed us; he said: Bishr narrated to us; he said: Dawud ibn Abi Hind narrated to us, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every Muslim man must bathe one day in every seven days, and that day is Friday.”

Mahmud ibn Khalid narrated to us, from al-Walid, who said: ‘Abdullah ibn al-‘Ala’ told us that he heard al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr say that they discussed bathing on Friday in the presence of ‘A’ishah. She said: “People used to live in al-‘Aliyah and come for Friday prayer dusty and grimy. When the breeze reached them, their odors spread and bothered people. This was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said, ‘Why do they not bathe?’”

Abu al-Ash‘ath narrated to us, from Yazid ibn Zuray‘, who said: Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever performs ablution on Friday, that is fine and good; but whoever bathes, bathing is better.” Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman said: Al-Hasan’s report from Samurah was transmitted in writing. Al-Hasan heard nothing directly from Samurah except the hadith about the ‘aqiqah. Allah, Exalted is He, knows best.

‘Amr ibn Mansur and Harun ibn Muhammad ibn Bakkar ibn Bilal informed us—the wording is his. They said: Abu Mushir narrated to us; he said: Sa‘id ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz narrated to us, from Yahya ibn al-Harith, from Abu al-Ash‘ath al-San‘ani, from Aws ibn Aws, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “Whoever washes and bathes, sets out early and arrives early, comes close to the imam, and does not engage in idle talk will have, for every step, the reward of a year’s deeds—fasting and standing in prayer.”

Qutaybah narrated to us, from Malik, from Nafi‘, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab saw a fine garment and said, “Messenger of Allah, why not buy this and wear it on Friday and when delegations come to visit you?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Only someone who has no share in the Hereafter wears this.” Then a similar garment came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he gave ‘Umar a garment from it. ‘Umar said, “Messenger of Allah, you have clothed me in it, even though you said what you said about ‘Utarid’s garment.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I did not give it to you so that you would wear it.” So ‘Umar gave it to a brother of his who was a polytheist in Makkah.

Harun ibn ‘Abdullah informed me; he said: al-Hasan ibn Sawwar narrated to us; he said: al-Layth narrated to us; he said: Khalid narrated to us, from Sa‘id, from Abu Bakr ibn al-Munkadir, that ‘Amr ibn Sulaym informed him, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘id, from his father, from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “Bathing on Friday is required of everyone who has reached puberty, along with using the tooth-stick and applying as much perfume as he can.”

‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id ibn Kathir informed me; he said: al-Walid narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jabir, who heard Abu al-Ash‘ath tell him that he had heard Aws ibn Aws, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever performs ghusl on Friday and washes, sets out early and arrives early, walks rather than riding, comes close to the imam, listens attentively and does not engage in idle talk will have the reward of a year’s deeds for every step.”

Nasr ibn ‘Ali ibn Nasr narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-A‘la, who said: Ma‘mar narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from al-Aghar Abu ‘Abdullah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When Friday comes, the angels sit at the doors of the mosque and record those who come for Friday prayer. When the imam comes out, the angels roll up the scrolls.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then said: “One who comes early to Friday prayer is like one who offers a camel; then like one who offers a cow; then like one who offers a sheep; then like one who offers a duck; then like one who offers a chicken; then like one who offers an egg.”