SectionSunnahs and etiquettes of Friday with evidence
First: Ghusl, siwak, perfume, and wearing one's best clothes
It is prescribed for the one going to Friday prayer to perform ghusl, use the siwak, apply perfume, and wear from the best of his permissible clothes.
From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Ghusl on Friday is upon every mature person, and siwak, and he should apply whatever perfume he is able."
Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the wording is Muslim's.
Ghusl on Friday is a confirmed Sunnah according to the majority of scholars, while a group held it to be obligatory based on the apparent wording of the hadiths. The Muslim should not neglect it, especially if he needs to remove sweat or odor. Whoever has an odor that harms worshipers must remove the harm, and ghusl is even more emphasized for him.
Applying perfume when going out to Friday prayer is prescribed for men. As for a woman, if she attends the mosque, she must not go out perfumed, because the prohibition of her going out to the mosque after applying incense or perfume is established.
The time for Friday ghusl begins from Fajr on Friday according to the majority of scholars, and it is better for it to be close to the time of leaving so that the effect of cleanliness remains.
Second: Coming early to Friday prayer
Coming early to Friday prayer is among its greatest Sunnahs, and the levels of reward differ according to how early one comes.
From Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever performs ghusl on Friday like ghusl for janabah, then goes in the first hour, it is as though he offered a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour, it is as though he offered a cow. Whoever goes in the third hour, it is as though he offered a horned ram. Whoever goes in the fourth hour, it is as though he offered a chicken. Whoever goes in the fifth hour, it is as though he offered an egg. Then when the imam comes out, the angels come to listen to the remembrance."
Agreed upon.
These hours are not necessarily sixty-minute hours. Rather, they are portions of the time of early arrival before the imam comes out. One of the strongest views is that the time from sunrise until the imam comes out is divided into five parts. It was also said that they begin from Fajr. The practical point is that the Muslim should hasten and should not consider his usual arrival shortly before the khatib ascends as early arrival.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"When it is Friday, angels stand at every door of the mosque writing down the first and then the next. When the imam sits, they fold up the scrolls and come to listen to the remembrance."
Narrated by Muslim.
Third: Walking to the mosque, coming close to the imam, and listening
It is recommended for the Muslim to walk to Friday prayer if that is easy for him without hardship, to come with calmness and dignity, to come close to the imam without harming people, then to listen to the khutbah and avoid idle speech.
From Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever causes washing and washes on Friday, comes early and arrives early, walks and does not ride, comes close to the imam, listens and does not engage in idle speech, will have for every step the reward of a year's deeds: its fasting and standing in prayer."
Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah, and graded hasan or authentic by a group of scholars.
The commentators differed about the meaning of "causes washing and washes". It was said that it means he washes his head and performs ghusl, and other explanations were mentioned. The intended point is that the hadith gathers a number of great deeds of Friday: ghusl, coming early, walking, coming close, listening, and leaving idle speech.
Fourth: Not separating two people and avoiding stepping over necks
Among the etiquettes of Friday is that the Muslim should not separate between two people and should not step over people's necks to reach the front after arriving late. Rather, he sits wherever the gathering ends for him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"No man performs ghusl on Friday, purifies himself as much as he is able, applies oil from his oil or touches perfume from his house, then goes out and does not separate between two people, then prays what is written for him, then listens when the imam speaks, except that he will be forgiven for what is between that Friday and the next."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw a man stepping over people's necks on Friday while he was delivering the khutbah, so he said to him:
"Sit, for you have harmed people and arrived late."
Narrated by Ahmad with this wording, and the basis of the hadith is with Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i with the wording: "Sit, for you have harmed people", and it was authenticated by scholars. The meaning of "arrived late" is that he delayed.
The Muslim should not make someone get up from a place he reached first so that he can sit there, because the one who arrived first has more right to it.
Fifth: Praying what is easy before the khutbah and greeting the mosque
Friday prayer has no fixed regular Sunnah before it with a specific number, but whoever comes early may pray whatever is easy before the imam comes out.
Whoever enters the mosque while the imam is delivering the khutbah prays two brief rak'ahs, then sits and listens.
From Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him:
"Sulaik al-Ghatafani came on Friday while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was delivering the khutbah, and he sat. He said to him: O Sulaik, stand and pray two rak'ahs, and make them brief."
Narrated by Muslim.
Sixth: Listening to the khutbah and leaving idle speech
When the khatib begins the khutbah, listening becomes obligatory, and speech, fidgeting, the phone, and everything that distracts from listening must be left.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"If you say to your companion on Friday, 'Listen,' while the imam is delivering the khutbah, you have engaged in idle speech."
Agreed upon.
And he, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever touches the pebbles has engaged in idle speech."
Narrated by Muslim.
If telling someone to be quiet is counted as idle speech, then ordinary conversation, messages, browsing, and filming are even more deserving of prohibition. An urgent necessity that cannot be delayed is excepted, and it is also permissible to address the khatib or answer him for a recognized need, because similar cases are established in the Sunnah.
If sleepiness overcomes the worshiper, he should move from his place to another place if possible without harming people or stepping over them. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"If one of you becomes sleepy on Friday, let him move from that place of his."
Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, and al-Tirmidhi said: hasan sahih.
Seventh: Prayer after Friday prayer
The Sunnah is established to pray two or four rak'ahs after Friday prayer.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"When one of you prays Friday prayer, let him pray four after it."
Narrated by Muslim.
It is established from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not pray after Friday prayer until he left, then he would pray two rak'ahs in his house."
Agreed upon.
Whoever prays two or four rak'ahs has acted upon an established Sunnah. Some scholars chose that he prays four if he prays in the mosque, and two if he prays at home, and the matter is broad.
Eighth: Reciting Surah al-Kahf
It is recommended to recite Surah al-Kahf on Friday. Hadiths are reported about that whose chains strengthen one another, and the basis of it is established from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him.
Among the most famous reports is:
"Whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on Friday, light will shine for him between the two Fridays."
Narrated by al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi, and graded hasan or authentic by a group of scholars.
The time for reciting it is broad, from sunset on Thursday, which is the beginning of Friday night, until sunset on Friday. The reported virtue is connected to recitation. Listening to it is a beneficial act of worship, but it is not called recitation for someone who is able to recite.
Ninth: Reciting Surah al-Sajdah and Surah al-Insan in Fajr on Friday
It is Sunnah for the imam in Fajr on Friday to recite the whole of Surah al-Sajdah in the first rak'ah and the whole of Surah al-Insan in the second rak'ah.
From Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both:
"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to recite in Fajr prayer on Friday: {Alif Lam Mim. The revelation} al-Sajdah, and {Has there come upon man a period of time}."
Narrated by Muslim.
The intended act is reciting the two surahs because of what they contain of mention of creation and resurrection. The prostration alone is not the intended purpose, so it is not legislated to deliberately recite verses of prostration from another surah while believing that the intended point is merely prostration.
Tenth: Reciting the surahs reported in Friday prayer
It is established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to recite Surah al-Jumu'ah and Surah al-Munafiqun in Friday prayer, and it is also established that he used to recite Surah al-A'la and Surah al-Ghashiyah.
These are two established Sunnahs for the imam. He may vary between them sometimes, and he is not required to recite them every Friday.
Eleventh: Sending abundant blessings upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him
Among the greatest deeds prescribed on Friday is sending abundant prayers and peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Indeed, among the best of your days is Friday, so send abundant prayers upon me on it, for your prayers are presented to me."
Narrated by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad, and authenticated by a group of scholars.
Arabic wording of the main reminder:
فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فِيهِ؛ فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَيَّ.
There is no required specific number or invented formula for that. Rather, the Muslim sends blessings upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the legislated wordings without committing to an unestablished group form.
Twelfth: Making abundant du'a and seeking the hour of response
On Friday there is an hour in which du'a is hoped to be accepted.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Indeed, on Friday there is an hour; no Muslim coincides with it while asking Allah for good except that He gives it to him."
Narrated by Muslim.
The strongest well-known views regarding its timing are two:
- It is from the time the imam sits on the minbar until the Friday prayer ends.
- It is the last hour after Asr until sunset, and this is a strong view indicated by hadiths and reports.
The Muslim should therefore take advantage of both times and also make abundant du'a throughout Friday, for Allah's bounty is vast.
