Dear Muslims!
Allah the Almighty (SWT) states in the verse I have recited at the beginning of my khutbah, “O you who have believed! When [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu‘ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.”[i] The believers devoted to this verse of our Lord (SWT) get ready for the Friday prayer by suspending all worldly businesses.
It is because Friday is an exceptional day for our weekly revival. It is the name of standing before our Lord (SWT) after distancing ourselves from all worldly concerns. It is the time to reaffirm our bond of devotion to Allah (SWT) and to pray to Him, knowing that prayers are not rejected on this day.
Dear Muslims!
It is a serious sin to skip Friday prayer when there is no valid religious reason. The Messenger of Allah (saw) cautions us against this by saying: “Whoever does not establish Friday prayer three times because he does not care about it, Allah sets a seal on his heart.”[ii]
Therefore, let us take advantage of the merits and abundance of divine blessings of Friday, the best day on which the sun rises. [iii] Let us make Friday a chance to remember Allah together, worship Him (SWT), and deepen our brotherly ties. Let us acquaint our children with Friday prayer and welcome our youth to the peacefulness of Friday. Let us run to mosques on Fridays with all our family members just as it was in the ‘Asr al-Sa‘adah. I would like to conclude this Friday’s khutbah with our beloved Prophet’s (saw) following hadith: “He who performed ablution well then came to Friday prayer, listened (to the khutbah), would be forgiven all (his sins) between that time and the next Friday.”[iv]
[i] Jumu‘ah, 62/9.
[ii] Ibn Majah, Iqamat, 93.
[iii] Muslim, Jumu‘ah, 18.
[iv] Muslim, Jumu‘ah, 27.
FRIDAY KHUTBA OF TOKYO CAMİİ “SALAT AL-JUMU‘AH (FRIDAY PRAYER): MUSLIMS’ WEEKLY GATHERING“.(PDF)