The Friday Prayer

[Mohammed]

Salaam All,
I wish to bring your kind attention here
The verse (62:9-10), commanding that
“If it was called to the Prayer from the Friday/gathering’s day, so hasten to Allah’s reminder...”
But what actually following by the people are against this, they are conducting a speech/religious speech and the content of the speech are usually from sources other than the Qur’an. How can we sit and listen for such things when Qur'an commanding us to hasten to perform the Prayer when the time is reached/ called. I feel it will be better if people want, they can conduct the speech either before the time starts for the Prayer or after the Prayer.
Thanks.

[Mohammed]

Dear All,

In this post I want to share some of my thoughts regarding Friday/gathering’s day.

From a Qur’anic point the calculation of time is, in terms of day (depending sun), month ( depending moon) and year (12 months). Nowhere had I found as Qur’an says a calculation of time in terms of week/a 7 day cycle. So the present day week system might be a human finding for ease of time calculation just like man found devices like clocks and watches for measuring time. Therefore I interpret the verses 62:9-11 speaks about the day on which people/ancient Arabs used to gather for selling their commodities like food, garments etc. and this may be once in a month or twice, thrice or days with one day interval (~15 days per month) etc. So the verses reminds the importance of keeping The Prayer (Swalah) on time even in these busy business days, may be because of the ardent human desire towards the temporal earthy earnings. From this we can understand the significance of keeping The Prayers on time in normal days.

Thank you

[Athman]

Wa aleikum as salaam Br. Mohammed,

You shared:

I wish to bring your kind attention here
The verse (62:9-10), commanding that
“If it was called to the Prayer from the Friday/gathering’s day, so hasten to Allah’s reminder...”
But what actually following by the people are against this, they are conducting a speech/religious speech and the content of the speech are usually from sources other than the Qur’an. How can we sit and listen for such things when Qur'an commanding us to hasten to ‘perform the Prayer when the time is reached/ called.’ I feel it will be better if people want, they can conduct the speech either before the time starts for the Prayer or after the Prayer.

I hope the following excerpt from a thread [1] below, by Br. Joseph, goes some way to address your underlying question.

“Salamun Alaikum.

Whenever we approach the Quran for guidance, believers should attempt to take the best meaning from what they hear (39:18) and then implement the best course of action to the best of their abilities (64:16).

It is not the intention of the Quran to prescribe specific ritual pedantics for the Friday congregation (Jummah). That a tradition has developed which includes a 'Khutba', where religious and political matters of a community are discussed is not out of kilter with the emphasis laid by the Quran to 'congregate' on a particular day (Friday in this case), by leaving one's trade (wadharul -bay'(a)). 

It is useful to note the Arabic word 'Jummah' inherently means to collect or gather, to unite, to assemble, to resolve or decide upon a matter or agree upon an opinion. Therefore, a day of the week that was known as 'Jummah' and with which the Quran was familiar, has strong implications that this day was a well known day of the week for the Arabs where the community met to congregate.

Despite the ritualised content with questionable value we find in today's 'Khutbah', this does not undermine the need for an appropriate sermon(Khutbah) from a Quranic perspective, certainly if religious and political matters are to be discussed. This is clearly within the scope of the Quranic verses and the Arabic terms used (62:9).

Furthermore, today's community need not be considered in a restrictive 7th century Arabian context. Today's community of Muslims are billion + and part of a world-wide brotherhood with today's communication methods owing to technology. Therefore 'community' issues should not only be considered at a local level, but should also focus on a global level as well. 

Therefore in light of the Quran, a believer's participation in the 'Jummah' is clearly prescribed and arguably 'obligatory'. This would include participation of any sermons / discussions that the congregation undertakes.

062:009
"O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of God, and leave off business: That is best for you if you but knew!"

I hope that helps, God willing.
Joseph.”


You respectfully share:

From a Qur’anic point the calculation of time is, in terms of day (depending sun), month ( depending moon) and year (12 months). Nowhere had I found as Qur’an says a calculation of time in terms of week/a 7 day cycle. So the present day week system might be a human finding for ease of time calculation just like man found devices like clocks and watches for measuring time. Therefore I interpret the verses 62:9-11 speaks about the day on which people/ancient Arabs used to gather for selling their commodities like food, garments etc. and this may be once in a month or twice, thrice or days with one day interval (~15 days per month) etc. So the verses reminds the importance of keeping The Prayer (Swalah) on time even in these busy business days, may be because of the ardent human desire towards the temporal earthy earnings. From this we can understand the significance of keeping The Prayers on time in normal days.


From my humble perspective, I agree with your view that it could possibly be out of the ardent desire by man that there arose a need to have some extra standard frame of time reference in terms of weeks apart from the day, month and year system which the Qur’an basically and outrightly recognizes. However, on the other hand, I find it not of the Qur’an’s intention to debase or somehow ignore some popular pre-existing time system, with week as another time construct, rather, it indirectly acknowledges a well-known (proper noun) special day in the week known as Yaum al Jumu’ah for the believers to Congregate for prayers, as explained by Br. Joseph in the thread [2] below, hence some indirect appreciation for the pre-existing week scheme, at the time of its revelation .

Hopefully that helps God willing.


Regards,

Athman.


References:

[1]. Is the Friday Khutbah Obligatory?

http://quransmessage.com/forum/index.php?topic=335.0


[2]. meaning of gumua

http://quransmessage.com/forum/index.php?topic=199.0