Surah Al-Jumu'a (62) — Ayah 10

(Ayah 10) ➊ { فَاِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلٰوةُ فَانْتَشِرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ …:} Here is a question: In the verse, it is commanded that after finishing the Friday prayer, spread out in the land and seek Allah’s bounty. So, is it necessary to leave the mosque after the prayer, and is engaging in business also necessary, or can one rest at home as well? The answer is that although the basic principle is that whatever is commanded becomes obligatory, if there is an indication, then a command can also be for recommendation or for clarification of permissibility. Here, after the call to prayer, selling was prohibited, and now the limit of this prohibition has been clarified—that this prohibition is only until the prayer is completed. After that, selling is permitted, and you have the choice to leave the mosque and engage in business. However, if someone stays in the mosque or goes home and does not engage in business, there is no harm. This is just like Allah prohibited hunting in the state of ihram, as He said: « لَا تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْدَ وَ اَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ » [ المائدۃ : ۹۵ ] “Do not kill game while you are in the state of ihram.” Then He said: « وَ اِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوْا » [ المائدۃ : ۲ ] “And when you come out of ihram, then hunt.” Here, the command to hunt does not mean that hunting becomes obligatory for the one who has come out of ihram, but rather it means that after coming out of ihram, hunting is permitted.

➋ { وَ ابْتَغُوْا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللّٰهِ :} By Allah’s bounty here is meant seeking livelihood, i.e., just as for the Jews, hunting was prohibited for the entire day of Sabbath, there is no such restriction upon you. Only from the call to prayer until the completion of the prayer, everything except attending the sermon and prayer is prohibited. After that, you may earn your livelihood in any lawful way you can.

➌ {وَ اذْكُرُوا اللّٰهَ كَثِيْرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ :} That is, even while being occupied in seeking livelihood, do not become heedless of Allah’s remembrance, but continue to remember Him abundantly. Allah’s remembrance is done with the heart, with the tongue, and by performing every action while remembering Allah and according to His command. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Ahzab (41, 42).

10. 1. This refers to business and trade. That is, after finishing the Friday prayer, you may engage in your respective businesses and worldly occupations. The purpose is to clarify that there is no need to keep businesses closed on the day of Friday. It is only necessary to do so at the time of prayer.

10. Then when the prayer is finished, disperse in the land [15] and seek the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often so that you may succeed.

[15] This is permission, not a command, meaning that if after the Friday prayer you remain seated in the mosque and continue to remember Allah, that is also good; if you wish to leave, you are permitted as well. And if after the Friday prayer you wish to engage in business or work, that too is completely allowed. However, it is necessary that whatever work you do, you should always keep the remembrance of Allah in your heart, and if possible, remember Allah verbally as well. This remembrance will prevent you from falling into sins. From this verse, it is understood that even on the day of Friday, there is no need for us to take the whole day off from work. What is necessary is that on Friday, whoever is obligated to attend the Friday prayer should perform ghusl on time, use miswak, wear clean clothes, apply oil and perfume, and then reach the mosque before the Friday sermon begins, in fact, before the adhan of the sermon. And listen to the sermon with great attention. However, if one must take a day off from business during the week, Muslims should do so on Friday. As is made clear by the following hadith: Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "We are the last of the nations in this world, but on the Day of Resurrection we will be the foremost. The matter is only that the Book of Allah was given to the Jews and Christians before us. Friday was also appointed for them (for worship), but they differed regarding it, and Allah guided us to this day. Thus, all people came after us. The day of the Jews is tomorrow (Saturday), and the day of the Christians is the day after tomorrow (Sunday)." [بخاري۔ كتاب الجمعه۔ باب فرض الجمعة]