My beloved brothers & Sisters in Islam,
We have been bestowed by Allah (SWT) in these days with a great month. One of the four sacred months in which Allah (SWT) has ordered us to glorify and follow his religion and path with more effort than we are used to in the rest of the days. Allah (SWT) says in Suraat At-Tawbah:
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them.
And it was narrated in Sahih AlBukhari and Sahih Muslim that prophet Muhammad () has said:
إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا مِنْهَا، أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلاَثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ، ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ
Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession; Dhul-Qa’da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar which stands between Jumad (ath-thani) and Sha’ban.”
And the verb Rajab actually linguistically means to glorify. So this month was called Rajab because it was glorified. And the way it was narrated by prophet Muhammad () was Rajab Mudar, which was named after an old Arabian tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month so much more than the rest of the tribes.
So this month was greatly glorified by all of the Arabian tribes in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. In Rajab and the rest of the sacred months, the Arabs used to stop any wars and revenge actions during these months, out of glory for Allah.
And unfortunately if you look at many muslim followers of prophet Muhammad (), you’ll find that they don’t have any respect to this glorified month and some of them even don’t know it started almost a week ago.
It is the duty of us muslims to know the virtues and true value of this blessed month. Because glorifying this month is part of our religion and our faith.
That’s why Allah () said in the end of the verses we mentioned:
فَلا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ
so do not wrong yourselves during them.
The prophet’s companion Abdullah ibn Abbas () said in the interpretation of this verse that do not wrong yourselves during them means do not do wrong in all of these twelve months and with more priority, do not do wrong in the four sacred ones out of respect for Allah () who glorified and chose these months. That’s why sins in these four months are more severely punished for than in other months as well as the good deeds are more rewarded for during these four months than in other months.
It was narrated by Qatada, one of the Tabe’een:
Injustice in the sacred month is a greater sin than injustice in others, although injustice is great in any case, but Allah () magnifies what he wants.
Allah has chosen certain selections from his creation; he chose from the angles messengers and from mankind prophets, and chose from the land mosques and chose from the months Ramadan and the sacred months and chose from the days the Gumaa and chose from the nights Laylat Al-Kadr. So glorify what Allah () has chosen himself.
Dear brothers in Islam,
In order for us to glorify this holy month Rajab, one of the main issues to consider is staying away from do wrong to our own selves. And there is no greater way of wronging ourselves than by committing sins and bad deeds. This is because sins in anytime and no matter how small they are, are a burden to us and a reason of our doom and misfortune in life.
Allah () says:
وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ
And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.
So sins are the reasons of all disasters that we find in our daily lives and could be the reason of our doom in the hereafter. So in the sacred months, the effect of these sins is magnified because it includes an extra sin which is disregarding, neglecting and underestimating the value of these blessed months which Allah () has chosen and glorified.
Therefore, dear brothers, it is the duty of us muslims to stay away from sins as much as possible during this holy month to avoid angering our Lord (). First we should stay away from the greatest sin of all, which is Shirk, or associating partners with Allah, and stay away from doing any deeds for anyone’s sake except for the sake of Allah (). Then we should stay away of injustice and oppressing our muslim brothers or insulting them or talking bad words behind their backs. Then we should stay away from doing injustice to our own selves by all kinds of small sins that people no longer care about. These small sins which pile up on our hearts and prohibit us from getting closer to our Lord, and if these small sins spread in your life and you don’t make Tawbah from them, they can be the reason of your doom.
The prophet () said:
إيَّاكُمْ وَمُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ؛ فَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُ مُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ كَقَوْمٍ نَزَلُوا فِي بَطْنِ وَادٍ ، فَجَاءَ ذَا بِعُودٍ ، وَجَاءَ ذَا بِعُودٍ حَتَّى أَنْضَجُوا خُبْزَتَهُمْ ، وَإِنَّ مُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ مَتَى يُؤْخَذْ بِهَا صَاحِبُهَا تُهْلِكْهُ
Beware of the evil deeds that are regarded as insignificant.
The parable of these evil deeds is a group of people who stayed in a valley, then one of them brought a stick, and another one brought another stick until they made a huge fire.
And these insignificant deeds if Allah () accounts you for, then they will doom you.
Dear brothers in Islam,
Just like the sins are magnified in these holy days, the good deeds are also magnified in them. So if you want to get closer to your Lord, this is the right time to do it, if you want to make Tawbah from any sin, this is the right time to do it.
So the wise musims would increase their good deeds during this month, and increase your share of the voluntary deeds that were reported on behalf of prophet Muhammad (), increase your share of the Sunnan including Salah, Zakat and Seyam, reading the Qur’an, and all other ways you can worship Allah () with. And while increasing the Sunnan don’t forget to deliver your obligatory deeds first, pray the 5 prayers in time and in Gamaa and in the mosque if you can. Pray Salaat Al Fajr in the mosque in the Gamaa and so on.
So dear brothers, return to Allah and get closer to him and glorify what Allah () glorifies so that you can live in peace in this life and the hereafter.
Second Khutbah
Dear Brothers in Islam,
Following the same principle in glorifying this holy month of Rajjab, we should also glorify this holy day which is the Gumaa.
That is because Allah () has glorified this holy day and has made it a weekly feast for us.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْجُمُعَةِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَنَا فَكَانَ لِلْيَهُودِ يَوْمُ السَّبْتِ وَكَانَ لِلنَّصَارَى يَوْمُ الأَحَدِ فَجَاءَ اللَّهُ بِنَا فَهَدَانَا اللَّهُ لِيَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ
It was Friday from which Allah diverted those who were before us. For the Jews (the day set aside for prayer) was Sabt (Saturday), and for the Christians it was Sunday. And Allah turned towards us and guided us to Friday (as the day of prayer) for us.
And he also said ():
” إِنَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهِ خُلِقَ آدَمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَفِيهِ قُبِضَ وَفِيهِ النَّفْخَةُ وَفِيهِ الصَّعْقَةُ فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَىَّ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَىَّ ” . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَكَيْفَ تُعْرَضُ صَلاَتُنَا عَلَيْكَ وَقَدْ أَرَمْتَ أَىْ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ بَلِيتَ . قَالَ ” إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ ” .
“One of the best of your days is Friday. On this day, Adam was created and on this day he died, on this day the Trumpet will be blown, and on this day all creatures will swoon. So send a great deal of salah upon me on this day, for your salah will be presented to me.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), how will our salah be presented to you when you have decomposed (after death)?” He said: “Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets, peace be upon them.”
And he also said ():
إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ سَيِّدُ الأَيَّامِ وَأَعْظَمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الأَضْحَى وَيَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ فِيهِ خَمْسُ خِلاَلٍ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ آدَمَ وَأَهْبَطَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ آدَمَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَفِيهِ تَوَفَّى اللَّهُ آدَمَ وَفِيهِ سَاعَةٌ لاَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ فِيهَا الْعَبْدُ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ مَا لَمْ يَسْأَلْ حَرَامًا وَفِيهِ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ مَا مِنْ مَلَكٍ مُقَرَّبٍ وَلاَ سَمَاءٍ وَلاَ أَرْضٍ وَلاَ رِيَاحٍ وَلاَ جِبَالٍ وَلاَ بَحْرٍ إِلاَّ وَهُنَّ يُشْفِقْنَ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ ” .
‘Friday is the chief of days, the greatest day before Allah. It is greater before Allah then the Day of Adha and the Day of Fitr. It has five characteristics: On it Allah created Adam; on it Allah sent down Adam to this earth; on it there is a time during which a person does not ask Allah for anything but He will give it to him, so long as he does not ask for anything that is forbidden; on it the Hour will begin. There is no angel who is close to Allah, no heaven, no earth, no wind, no mountain, and no sea that does not fear Friday.’”
This holy day Allah () has made it a feast for us, and bestowed on us countless blessings in this day.
In this day, you can get all your small sins forgiven by Allah ().
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ الصَّلاَةُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ مَا لَمْ تُغْشَ الْكَبَائِرُ ” .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed.
The Fajr prayer of youm AlGumaa is the best prayer of the week and the most beloved by Allah ().
The prophet () said:
أفضل الصلوات عند الله صلاة الصبح يوم الجمعة في جماعة
The best prayer for Allah is the prayer of the Subh in youm Al Gumaa in a Gamaa.
In this holy day if you die as a believer, then Allah () would protect you from the trials of the grave.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوتُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ إِلاَّ وَقَاهُ اللَّهُ فِتْنَةَ الْقَبْرِ
The Messenger of Allah said: “No Muslim dies on the day of Friday, nor the night of Friday, except that Allah protects him from the trials of the grave.”
So dear brothers,
All of what has been said is enough proof on the holiness and sacredness of this day and it is our duty that we glorify this day as well.
And because of this Allah () has ordered us to consider this holy day as a feast and ordered us with the following as narrated that prophet Muhammad () said:
مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَغَسَّلَ وَبَكَّرَ وَابْتَكَرَ وَدَنَا وَاسْتَمَعَ وَأَنْصَتَ كَانَ لَهُ بِكُلِّ خَطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا أَجْرُ سَنَةٍ صِيَامُهَا وَقِيَامُهَا ”
‘Whoever performs Ghusl on Friday, and bathes completely, and goes early, arriving early, gets close and listens and is silent, there will be for him in every step he take the reward of a year of fasting and standing (in prayer).'”
And he also said ():
مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَأَحْسَنَ غُسْلَهُ وَتَطَهَّرَ فَأَحْسَنَ طُهُورَهُ وَلَبِسَ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ ثِيَابِهِ وَمَسَّ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ طِيبِ أَهْلِهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْجُمُعَةَ وَلَمْ يَلْغُ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقْ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى ”
“Whoever takes a bath on a Friday and does it well, and purifies himself and does it well, and puts on his best clothes, and puts on whatever Allah decrees for him of the perfume of his family, then comes to the mosque and does not engage in idle talk or separate (pushing between) two people; he will be forgiven for (his sins) between that day and the previous Friday.”
And as for those who don’t glorify this day and don’t care about it and don’t even come to Salat Al Gumaa, then the prophet () said about those:
رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ مَنْ تَرَكَ ثَلاَثَ جُمَعٍ تَهَاوُنًا بِهَا طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ ” .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who leaves the Friday prayer (continuously) for three Friday on account of slackness, Allah will print a stamp on his heart.
So dear brothers in Islam,
It is foolish after hearing all of these virtues of youm Al Gumaa to treat it as any other day of the week. In our home countries we usually have this day as part of the weekend so it’s easy to perform all of these preparations for Salaat AlGumaa. However, due to our circumstances of living in this non-muslim society, we tend to forget the sacredness and greatness of this holy day. But as the prophet Muhammad said:
فَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ، وَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ ”
If I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.”
So if you can’t do all the preparations and make Ghusl and come early to the mosque for Slaat Al Gumaa because of your work or study, so at least make sure to come before the Imam starts the Khutba and try even to make Ghusl at the night and try to get your share from this sacred and holy day and try to give it a priority in your calendar just like you can make it to all your other meetings and classes on time.
And to close, one last remark about Slaat Al Gumaa should be mentioned which is regarding the people who come after the Imam starts el prayer itself.
It was reported that prophet Muhammad () said:
مَنْ أَدْرَكَ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ رَكْعَةً فَلْيُصَلِّ إِلَيْهَا أُخْرَى ” .
“Whoever catches one Rak’ah of Friday, let him add another Rak’ah to it.”
So for you to pray Salat AlGumaa, you should attend with the Imam at least one Rak’ah and for one Rak’ah to be accounted for you, you should enter the Slaat before the Imam finishes the Rukou’.
So if you catch the Rukou’ with the Imam then you complete your prayer after the Imam makes Slam after Tashahhod.
But if you miss the Rukou’ with the Imam of the 2nd rak’aa, then you have missed Saaat Al Gumaa and you should pray it as a Duhr.
So if you come to the mosque and find the Imam is in the last Sugoud or in the Tashahood then you should pray as if it is a Duhr and not as a Gumaa. This is what the majority of the scholars has approved and you can research this issue if you want.
So dear brothers in Islam,
Try to make it in time for Salat Al Gumaa, make it as a feast for yourself and your family and teach your children this concept. Glorify this day because Allah () has glorified it and glorify this holy month of Rajab because Allah () has also glorified it. And do not be a fool and lose all the opportunities that you can get from this month. Otherwise if you are faced by death the only thing you will wish for then is to go back and do any kind of good deed.
Allah () says in the Qur’an:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ (99) لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّا ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
(99) Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back
( 100 ) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
