Prohibitions on the Day of Friday
The Shariah has prohibited the believers from engaging in several actions on the day of Friday, the details of which are as follows:
Fasting only on the day of Friday is prohibited.
Its evidence is the following hadith:
عن محمد ابن عباد قال: سألت جابر بن عبد الله رضي الله عنهما وهو يطوف بالبيت ، أنهى رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم عن صيام يوم الجمعة؟ فقال: نعم ورب هذا البيت»
“Hazrat Muhammad bin Ubaad (RA) narrates that Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) was performing Tawaf of the Holy Kaaba. At that moment, I asked, ‘Is it true that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) forbade fasting on Friday?’ He said: By the Lord of this House, indeed the Prophet (PBUH) forbade it.”
Yes! However, if someone fasts on Friday along with Thursday or Saturday, then there is no harm. Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
لا يصم أحدكم يوم الجمعة إلا أن يصوم قبله أو يصوم بعده»
“None of you should fast on Friday alone, except that he fasts a day before it (Thursday) or a day after it (Saturday).”
If someone’s fast is on a fixed date and that day happens to be Friday, then there is no harm. For example, the fast of Arafah, i.e., 9th Dhu al-Hijjah, falls on Friday. In this regard, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
. . . . . . ولا تخصوا يوم الجمعة بصيام من بين الأيام ، إلا أن يكون فى صوم يصومه أحدكم»
“Do not make Friday a day specifically for fasting among the ordinary days, except if a prescribed fast falls on Friday.”
If one intends to fast only on Friday, then even after fasting, one should break the fast.
عن جويرية رضي الله عنها أن النبى صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم دخل عليها يوم الجمعة وهى صائمة ، فقال: أصمت أمس؟ قالت: لا . قال: تريدين أن تصومي غدا؟ قالت: لا . قال: فأفطري»
“The Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Juwayriya (RA), narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came to her on Friday while she was fasting. He asked: Did you fast yesterday? She said: No. He asked: Will you fast tomorrow? She said: No. He said: Then break your fast.”
It is also religiously prohibited to arrange nawafil (voluntary prayers) etc. only on the night of Friday (the night before Friday).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
لا تختصوا ليلة الجمعة بقيام من بين الليالي . . .»
“Do not make the night of Friday special among the other nights for nawafil and the like.”
With the second call to Friday prayer, trade and buying and selling become forbidden for every person upon whom Friday prayer is obligatory.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ . . .﴾»
“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. . .”
And if worldly affairs completely distract a person from attending the Friday prayer, then the matter goes beyond forbidden and disliked acts and becomes a wing of faith, and these few worldly coins become a barrier of hypocrisy that deprives a person of the blessing of faith. Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
ألا ! هل عسى أحدكم أن يتخذ الصبة من الغنم على رأس ميل أو ميلين ، فيتعذر عليه الكللأ فيرتفع ، ثم تجيء الجمعة فلا يجيء ولا يشهدها ، وتجيء الجمعة فلا يشهدها ، وتجيء الجمعة فلا يشهدها ، حتى يطبع على قلبه»
Similar words are found in Musnad Ahmad 434/5 and Musnad Abi Ya’la 140/4 Hadith 2198.
All three hadiths are weak to some extent but together they reach the level of Hasan (good), therefore Allama Nasiruddin al-Albani declared it Hasan in his verification of Ibn Majah.
“Listen carefully! Perhaps one of you keeps a flock of goats one or two miles away from the city, then out of necessity to graze them, he goes even further. When Friday comes, he neither reaches the city nor attends the Friday prayer. Then the second Friday comes, and still he does not attend the Friday prayer. Then the third Friday comes, and still he does not attend the Friday prayer. Eventually, a seal of hypocrisy will be placed on his heart.”
We seek refuge from Allah from such a day and ask for steadfastness and success on the straight path.
It is forbidden for worshippers to throw their necks forward while going ahead.
Doing this even before the sermon begins causes harm to others and is equivalent to interfering in their mention and worship, and after the sermon has started, it is an extremely distressing act. That is why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade it with great severity and strictness. Hazrat Abdullah bin Basar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was delivering the Friday sermon when a man was moving among the people, passing over their necks. The Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed him and said:
اجلس فقد آذيت»
Al-Albani has declared it authentic.
“Sit down, you have disturbed others.”
On another occasion, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that the reward for his portion was lost; he would only receive the reward of the Zuhr prayer. He said:
من لغا وتخطى رقاب الناس كانت له ظهرا»
Al-Albani has graded it as Hasan.
“Whoever spoke frivolously and passed over people’s necks, his Friday prayer has become Zuhr.” (Meaning he will only receive the reward of the Zuhr prayer.)
When you reach the mosque, sit wherever there is space; it is forbidden to unnecessarily get stuck between two people and force them to give up their place or to move aside.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
من اغتسل يوم الجمعة وتطهر بما استطاع من طهر ، ثم ادهن ، أو مس من طيب ، ثم راح ، فلم يفرق بين اثنين ، فصلى ما كتب له ، ثم إذا خرج الإمام أنصت غفر له ما بينه وبين الجمعة الأخرى»
“Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as possible, then applies oil or perfume, and then goes out for the Friday prayer, should not forcefully insert himself between two people. Whoever prays if possible, and when the Imam comes, remains silent, then his forgiveness is granted from this day until the next Friday.”
It is strictly forbidden to make someone get up from their place and sit yourself because the mosque is the house of Allah, meant for worship of Allah. Whoever comes first will find their place; no one can monopolize it.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا يقيم الرجل الرجل من مقعده ثم يجلس فيه ، ولكن تفسحوا وتوسعوا »
“No person should lift another from his place and sit there himself, but rather make space for others and sit openly.”
In another hadith, Hazrat Jabir رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا يقيمن أحدكم أخاه يوم الجمعة ثم ليخالف إلى مقعده فيقعد فيه ، ولكن يقول : افسحوا »
“None of you should ever lift his brother on the day of Jumu’ah so that he himself may go and sit in his place, but rather say, ‘Make space.'”
It was the habit of Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما that if someone made space for him, he would absolutely not sit in that place.
It is also prohibited to form separate circles for teaching or remembrance before the Jumu’ah prayer
Because Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade:
◈ Buying and selling in the mosque.
◈ Announcing lost items in the mosque.
◈ Reciting poetry in the mosque.
◈ Sitting in circles before the prayer on Friday.
When the preacher ascends the pulpit on Friday, all kinds of work, talking, and playing with hands or clothes are forbidden, as all of this nullifies the reward.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
يحضر الجمعة ثلاثة نفر : رجل حضرها يلغو ، وهو حظه منها ، ورجل حضرها يدعو ، فهو رجل دعا الله عز وجل ، إن شاء أعطاه وإن شاء منعه ، ورجل حضرها بانصات وسكوت ، ولم يتخط رقبة مسلم ، ولم يوذ أحدا ، فهي كفارة إلى الجمعة التى تليها وزيادة ثلاثة أيام ، وذلك بأن الله عز وجل يقول :
﴿مَن جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا﴾ »
Allama Albani has graded this hadith as Hasan.
“Three types of people come to the Friday prayer: one person comes and engages in idle movement, that is all he gains. Another person comes and prays; this person has supplicated to Allah the Exalted, and if He wills, He will grant him, and if He wills, He will withhold. And the third person comes with calmness and silence, neither turning his neck towards any Muslim nor causing harm to anyone. This act will serve as expiation for him from this Friday until the next Friday and three additional days. This is because Allah’s command is: Whoever brings a good deed will receive ten times its reward.
Speaking oneself is wrong in any case, and if someone is speaking by mistake, telling him to be silent is also wrong. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا قلت لصاحبك يوم الجمعة أنصت والإمام يخطب فقد لغوت »
“On Friday, during the Khutbah, if you say even to the person next to you ‘Be silent,’ then you have spoken idle words.”
A beautiful incident from the time of the Prophet perfectly illustrates this reality. Hazrat Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه narrates that on Friday I entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was delivering the Khutbah. I sat near Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka’b رضي الله عنه. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم recited Surah Bara’ah. I wanted to ask Hazrat Ubayy when this Surah was revealed, but he stared at me and gave no answer. After a short while, I repeated my question; he again stared at me and gave no answer. I waited a little longer and asked for the third time; he again stared at me and gave no answer. When the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم finished the prayer, I said to Hazrat Ubayy: I asked you something, you did not answer, and you kept staring at me. Hazrat Ubayy said: You gained nothing from the prayer except idle movement. I went to the presence of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah! I was sitting near Hazrat Ubayy when you recited Surah Bara’ah. I asked him when this Surah was revealed, but he kept staring at me and did not answer. Later, Hazrat Ubayy said that I gained nothing from my prayer except idle movement. After hearing this, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: “Ubayy has spoken the truth.”
Allama Albani has graded this hadith as Sahih.
Playing with the body, clothes, or the rows or carpets spread in the mosque is also prohibited because the purpose is that a person listens to the Khutbah with full attention, not to pass time.
Yes! However, if the name of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم is mentioned in the Khutbah, then sending blessings (Durood Sharif) is necessary. Similarly, responding to greetings or sneezes is also correct.
It is also prohibited to sit with legs folded and cloth wrapped around them while listening to the Friday sermon,
The reason is that if someone has tied a lungi, dhoti, or sheet, in case of falling, it will become disheveled, or at the very least, it will cause sleepiness, and it is quite possible that ablution may also be broken. Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade sitting in such a manner with cloth wrapped around the legs. Hazrat Sahl bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from his father:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن الحبوة يوم الجمعة والإمام يخطب »
“On the day of Friday, when the Imam is delivering the sermon, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade sitting with knees raised and cloth tied around the calves and waist.”
It is forbidden to eat or use something that causes harm to ordinary people.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
من أكل من هذه البقلة : الثوم والبصل والكراث فلا يقربن فى مساجدنا ، فإن الملائكة تتأذى مما يتأذى منه بنو آدم»
“Whoever has eaten ثوم» (garlic), onion, or leek type vegetables should not come to our mosques because whatever causes harm or discomfort to people also causes discomfort to the angels.”
Consider carefully that if it is prohibited to come to the mosque after consuming these lawful and pure things, then how is it acceptable to come to the mosque after using cigarettes, black snuff (used in the nose), green snuff (used near the gums), or other similar foul-smelling, wrong, and unlawful substances? It should be noted that a large group of scholars have declared cigarettes to be forbidden (haram), and from a medical perspective, it is also a harmful and impure substance.
If there is bad breath, it is better to clean it with a tooth powder, miswak, or toothpaste, or else pray at home like disabled persons, women, or children instead of coming to the mosque.
