Friday Sermons to Educate Muslims on the Issues of Social Importance and Radical Elements
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
9 April
2021
The
importance of Friday for Muslims can be gauged from the fact that the Islamic
world celebrates it like an Eid. All the customs of taking bath, wearing the
best possible clothes, using perfumes and visiting the graveyards of relatives
and friends is maintained. On Fridays, Muslims congregate in the mosques on the
time of Zuhr, for Friday prayers.
Photo courtesy/Kolkata Duroos
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Like Eids,
on Fridays also Imam delivers Khutbah from the pulpit of the mosque. As per the
Islamic custom, specific addresses in the Arabic language are delivered to the
faithful and they have to listen to it with all their attention. Every kind of
movement during the Khutbah, even offering Namaz is prohibited. The importance
of Friday and Friday prayer is authenticated by the following Ayat of Surah Al-Jama’ah:
O believers! When the call to prayer is made on
Friday, then proceed ˹diligently˺ to the remembrance of Allah and leave off ˹your˺ business. That is best for you, if
only you knew.
Surah
Al-Jumu'ah - 62:9 - Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
And the
following Ahadees authenticate the importance of Friday Khutbah, which is
considered a part of the Friday prayer:
“Because when the Imam comes out (to deliver
Khutbah), the angles come to listen to the Dhikr.” [Bukhari]
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ’We
(Muslims) are the last (to come) but (will be) the foremost on the Day of
Resurrection, though the former nations were given the Scriptures before us.
Then, this was their day (i.e. Friday) that was prescribed for them, but they
differed about it. So Allah gave us the guidance for it (Friday) and all the
other people are behind us in this respect: the Jews’ (holy day is) tomorrow
and the Christians’ is the day after tomorrow’. [Bukhari and Muslim]
Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said:
“The best day on which the sun has risen is
Friday; on it Adam was created and on it he was made to enter Paradise.
Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) said:
“The five [daily prescribed] Prayers, and
Friday [prayer] to the [next] Friday [prayer], and Ramadan to the next Ramadan,
is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are
avoided.” (Muslim)
Aws ibn Aws
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) said:
“Among the best of your days is Friday. So,
pray to Allah frequently on it to bless me, for such supplications of you will
be presented to me.” (Abu Dawud)
The Arabic
word ‘Al-Juma’ah’ means ‘the day of the congregation’. Muslims take this
day as a special day chosen by God, a day dedicated to worship. Friday sermons
are generally, religious and are delivered to the believers as a Zikr of
Allah, His Prophets and Islam describing historical happenings of the religion.
Friday
Sermon and the Issues of Social Importance
Mosques
every Friday are full so much so that on the Last Friday of Ramazan Muslims
have to offer prayers on the rooftops and roads linking to the mosques. So
these are special days, no doubt.
Friday
sermons can be used to spread the message of civil nature important for the
believers to know, from the pulpit of the mosques. Various countries around the
world, such as the USA, UK, UAE, Malaysia and Jordan are using Friday sermons
to teach the Namazis about the issues and solutions of civil nature.
Friday
sermons, especially in the Muslim minority countries should be used to deliver
sermons to communicate with the attendees of Friday prayer on the prevailing
social and civil issues. Almost every country has some type of Islamic
associations, which can be used to distribute Friday sermons of the same kind.
For example, they should be taught about gender equality, Family Planning,
Covid vaccination, the importance of education and love for nations, etc. as
various countries are practising.
The mosque
pulpit is a powerful platform to communicate on the issues of public concerns
promoting peace and harmony in the country along with religious ideologies,
themes and guidelines for the collective awakening of the masses. If
conservative Imams are unable to do this they can be trained for communication.
Friday
Sermons and Radical Extremists
Islamic
world in general and Muslims, in particular, have been the targets of
Islamophobes and Islam haters for decades. Radical and extremist Muslims have
been used by the powers that be, for their benefit. And these misguided Muslims
have used mosque pulpits to spread poison in Muslim society.
It will be
no exaggeration to say that mosques have been used by radicals and extremists,
both religious and political, for spreading hatred and misunderstanding between
communities and nations by selecting and propagating certain parts of the
verses and Ahadees which suits their evil intention while hiding the actual
context and historical background of the concerned Ayats and Ahadees.
We, the
Muslims all over the world where mosques are being used by radical clerics must
come forward and use the Friday sermons for educating our brethren the real
Quran and Ahadees so that they could identify the enemies within themselves.
And
Allah knows the best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/friday-sermons-educate-muslims-issues/d/124671
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