Is the order to refrain from trade at the time of Jummah similar to the Sabbath?

[Shahmatt]

I was pondering over verse 7:163 about the people who broke the Sabbath to fish and who were subsequently punished for this transgression.

According to Google, the Sabbath is a day on which trade and work is to be abstained from. From my understanding this is to be strictly observed by believers. I do not know the Quranic definition so please correct me if I am wrong on this.

In 62:9 God calls believers to abstain from trade and assemble for prayer. The wording used for this verse is somewhat variable, for example:

Translation by Monotheist Group: "O you who believe, if the contact-method is called to on the day of assembly, then you shall hasten towards the remembrance of God, and cease all selling. This is better for you, if you only knew."

The use of the word 'shall' suggests a strong command to leave off trade and assemble for prayer.

, and yet the translation by...

Mohamed Sarwar: "Believers, on Friday when the call for prayer is made, try to attend prayer (remembering God) and leave off all business. This would be better for you if only you knew it."

...which sounds more like a recommendation.

Most translations do not use 'shall' or 'try', which implies to me that the order to assemble is a command, but the latter "This would be better for you if only you knew it" suggests that, like the giving of charity, it devolves to a status of being a strong recommendation.

So my question is this: Is this command to abstain from trade, though shorter in time period, similar to the command to observe the Sabbath?

In some places I have lived I have observed many Muslim traders continue business during Jummah prayers with reduced staff perhaps, and those who remain pray the noon (zuhar) prayers instead. Do these people wrong themselves through a misunderstanding of the Quranic command to assemble for prayer?

[ilker]

Salamun alaykum,

Dear Shahmatt, honestly i don't have any clear answers for your topic question. However i would like to express my thoughts about another point you've made in your post.

(FYI: These are my "personal" feelings and thoughts about the subject, my understanding from the Quran. I will try to explain them with my limited knowledge of English, Alhamdulillah and inshaAllah...)

We often think that a "suggestion" or "recommendation" from Allah(swt) is less obligatory than His "commands" or "orders". I don't think it has a sound basis according to Quran. The one who gives recommendation here, is not one of our close friends or family etc... The one and only God, the creator of us and everything around us... When I look at similar ayat which sound like "recommendation" I always see something we "must" adhere to. I don't think it would be appropriate to see a recommendation from Allah(swt) and act like we have a better idea than that so we are free to ignore them just because it doesn't sound like an order. We often ignore a suggestion because we think we have a better option. This is not the case with Allah (swt).

A few examples:

"Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe." (4:46)

"You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious." (3:110)

"Were it to obey and say what is just, and when a matter is resolved on, it were best for them if they were true to Allah." (47:21)

I don't think "giving charity" is only a strong recommendation, I think it's an order.

"And spend [in the way of Allah ] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous.""(63:10)

"˹They are˺ those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good-doers." (3:134)

"Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (33:35)

Allah counts charitable people among those who keep faithful to Allah (swt)'s commands like "believe in One God, obey Him, be truthful, be patient, be humble, fast, guard your private parts etc...

Again I don't want to offend anyone, I just want to share some thoughts... Take care inshaAllah.

[Shahmatt]

Thank you for your insightful opinion. Much appreciated!

[niaz]

Salaam Shahmatt,

The difference I see is this ... on Friday ( يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ - day of Congregation), we take a break from trade/work to observe الصَّلوةُ (the contact prayer) and commemorate God, in congregation. When the contact prayer is done, we return to our trade/work [seek God's bounty]. So Friday is not a day we are expected to 'rest', it is a regular work day, and the congregational contact prayer is in the middle of the work day.

The Sabbath is abstaining from trade/work and rest for the whole calendar day (sundown to sundown) of Saturday (or يَوْمُ السَّبْتْ in arabic - the day of the Sabbath). For example, the fishermen in 7:163 should have abstained from fishing on that day. We do not spend the whole day in الصَّلوةُ (contact prayer).

Peace.

[Shahmatt]

@niaz

You've made an important distinction. Thank you kindly for your perspective.

[Aijaz]

Salam

I believe the the concept of 'Sabbath' has been distorted a lot by earlier groups, from the original 'Al-Sabt' which means 'Rest' in Al-Kitab.

The below link explores the Ayas related to Al-Sabt in Quran.

https://topicsfromquran.com/2017/12/22/al-sabt-and-companions-of-the-al-sabt-rest/

Aijaz

[w3bcrowf3r]

I was pondering over verse 7:163 about the people who broke the Sabbath to fish and who were subsequently punished for this transgression.

According to Google, the Sabbath is a day on which trade and work is to be abstained from. From my understanding this is to be strictly observed by believers. I do not know the Quranic definition so please correct me if I am wrong on this.

In 62:9 God calls believers to abstain from trade and assemble for prayer. The wording used for this verse is somewhat variable, for example:

Translation by Monotheist Group: "O you who believe, if the contact-method is called to on the day of assembly, then you shall hasten towards the remembrance of God, and cease all selling. This is better for you, if you only knew."

The use of the word 'shall' suggests a strong command to leave off trade and assemble for prayer.

, and yet the translation by...

Mohamed Sarwar: "Believers, on Friday when the call for prayer is made, try to attend prayer (remembering God) and leave off all business. This would be better for you if only you knew it."

...which sounds more like a recommendation.

Most translations do not use 'shall' or 'try', which implies to me that the order to assemble is a command, but the latter "This would be better for you if only you knew it" suggests that, like the giving of charity, it devolves to a status of being a strong recommendation.

So my question is this: Is this command to abstain from trade, though shorter in time period, similar to the command to observe the Sabbath?

In some places I have lived I have observed many Muslim traders continue business during Jummah prayers with reduced staff perhaps, and those who remain pray the noon (zuhar) prayers instead. Do these people wrong themselves through a misunderstanding of the Quranic command to assemble for prayer?

It might even be the Sabbath on which the day of gathering was. After reading the Torah and the Gospel it's easy to conclude that the day of gathering was on Sabbath for those who believe in those Scriptures.

The Arabs changed the name of the day which we now call friday/djumuha probably to fit their sectarian agenda. All Arabic names of the days are numbers, except friday.

The main goal of this day is to study the Scripture. A day of rest. Similarly to the example of the Sabbath. If you read the Torah/Gospel you will understand that the 7th day of the week is a day of rest, which you don't want to work on but wich you focus on rest and God in.