meaning of gumua

[chadiga]

Salamu aleikum to all
I have a question to Friday. in Sura al gumua,the word "gumua"  is jused for a special prayer. Of course, as it is associated with the Friday, even if it means only meeting.
We see that the Christianity  the day "Sunday"(day of the sun) erroneously  as the day of the meeting was accepted.however by the Jews, it is clearly the Sabbath, Sebt in Arabic. But back to my question. Quran was the first-  Gumua as general meeting-, or the name  Friday as Yaum al gumua? It is important to know because we might otherwise have free any day of the week to accept as Yaum al Gumua.
Does the Koran evidence that this community prayer will be held once weekly (this only, if  Gumua not  mean absolutely Friday ) otherwise would be open to the possibility of this community to hold prayer once a month, or yearly?
It all depends on the Friday. Was the name gumua as Fridayin  the time of the Prophet already in use as a Friday or later invented ahaadeeth were to hold the meeting on Friday prayer?
Funnily enough, there is in the magic-literature, an indication that Friday is also sacred, especially to do magic, you should wash or bath and perfume, and then a ram to slaughter under a tree, and call upon the gods. Then to prepare the meal with the victim and ask them what they wanted ....( source book of spells from the Middle Ages)
(i will not seek excuse again for my English, now must be clear that chadiga she speaks originally German and her English is a self-made English...)salam thank you for your help

[Joseph Islam]

Salamun Alaikum Chadiga,

You ask a good question.

God asks believers to follow the best meaning from the Quran.

039:018
"Those who listen to the Word (the Quran) and follow the best meaning in it: those are the ones whom God has guided and those are the one's endowed with understanding"

Believers are also expected to rely on clear proof.

From the Quran, I personally understand the 'Jumu'ati' in 62:9 in Arabic as a proper noun (Friday). Therefore, this was a well known day in the Arabic language in which people congregated for prayer and seems to be clearly indicated by the Arabic (Yaum al-Jumu'ati).

I also know of no proof that 'Jumu'a' (Friday) was a later invention based on Ahadith.

I don't read it as a verb as in 'ijtama'a' which would be an assembling or of a gathering together of people. So the word 'Jumu'a' is best understood as a proper noun and with the 'Yaum' as a prefix, to me, it clearly denotes a well known day of the week (i.e. Friday).

The fact that 'Jumu'a' is a well known day of the week is also well supported by the classical Arabic lexicons. I know of no convincing proof that would indicate to me that this day refers to another day or that it refers to any allocated day in which people congregate for prayer. To suggest an alternative understanding, there would have to be clear convincing proof as I'm sure you will appreciate.

Also, I find no cogent Quranic reason to challenge the current understanding of the term as it is used today.

I hope that helps.

Joseph.



UPDATE BY QM FORUM MODERATOR

12th March 2013

This thread is now closed and a direct link to this post is now available at the dedicated Q&A page.

http://quransmessage.com/articles/q&as%20FM3.htm

Thanks.