Sura al-Jumu'a: Difference between revisions

Sura al-Jumu'a is the 62nd sura of the Qur'an. It is a Madani sura located in the 28th juz' thereof. It is called “al-Jumu'a” (Friday) because it states the ruling of the Friday Prayer. The sura is concerned with the importance of the Friday Prayer, commanding Muslims to avoid sales and purchases during the Friday Prayer.

Well-known verses of the sura include its fifth verse concerning those who carry (or are entrusted with) the Torah, and the ninth verse concerning the ruling of the Friday Prayer. About the virtues of those who recite the sura, it is said that people who recite the sura on eves of Fridays will be forgiven the sins they committed between the two Fridays.

===Naming===

The sura is called “al-Jumu'a” or “al-Jum'a” (Friday), because it states the ruling of the Friday Prayer and practices thereafter.

Sura al-Jumu'a is a Madani sura of the Qur'an. In the order of revelation, it is the 109th sura revealed to the Prophet. In the present order of compilation, it is the 62nd sura located in the 28th juz' of the Qur'an.

===Number of Verses and Other Features===

Sura al-Jumu'a has 11 verses, 177 words, and 768 letters. With regard to size, it is one of the Mufassilat suras (that is, suras with short and numerous verses) and one of the Musabbihat suras, that is, those opening with the exaltation (or tasbih) of God. The sura is also considered as one of the mumtahinat suras, because its content bears similarities to that of Sura al-Mumtahina.

According to 'Allama Tabataba'i, Sura al-Jumu'a encourages Muslims to care for the Friday Prayer and provide preparations for holding it, because it is one of the greatest rituals of God the celebration of which improves people’s conditions both in this world and the afterlife. Sura al-Jumu'a opens with the exaltation of God, stating that God has sent among Ummis (that is, the unlettered) a Messenger from themselves to purify them with good morals and teach them the Book (i.e. the Qur'an) and the wisdom.

In his exegesis of Sura al-Jumu'a, Mulla Sadra suggests that it encompasses the tenets of faith and mystical principles and truths, talking about knowledge of God, the reality of the origin (God) and the destination (resurrection), the quality of resurrection, sending the prophets, teaching, sending down the Book, and guiding the intellects.

Important themes of the last few verses of the sura include the quitting of the Friday Prayer, hasting to the remembrance of God, and blaming those who engaged in selling and buying when the Prophet (s) was delivering the sermon of the Friday Prayer.

Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari is quoted as saying that he was saying the Friday Prayer with the Prophet when a commercial caravan arrived in Medina, and people (who attended the Friday Prayer) were scattered towards the caravan. Only twelve people stayed with the Prophet, including Jabir. It was then that the verse, “But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing,” was revealed.  

On another account, people of Medina were in starvation and foods were highly expensive when Duhya b. Khalifa’s commercial caravan arrived in Medina. Performers of the Prayer rushed to him and a few people stayed. Then the above verse was revealed and the Prophet (s) said, “if all Muslims went there, they would suffer from the fire.” Those who stayed with the Prophet are said to include 'Ali b. Abi Talib, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Fatima, Salman, Abu Dharr, Miqdad, and Suhayb.

Well-known verses of the sura include the verse 5 of Sura al-Jumu'a which is a Quranic proverb concerning the Jews and the verse 9 regarding the ruling of the Friday Prayer.

The verse is a Quranic proverb concerning the Jews of the Prophet’s time who refused to convert to Islam notwithstanding explicit notes in their scripture regarding the prophethood of the Prophet of Islam. The verse describes them as non-practical scholars (those who do not act upon what they know). According to some hadiths, they claimed that they were not addressed by Muhammad’s religion. Thus, the Qur'an reminded them that they would not say so had they carefully read their scripture and acted upon it, because their scripture contains the good tidings of the emergence of the Prophet of Islam.

A number of Shiite and Sunni jurists have appealed to this verse as well as numerous hadiths in order to substantiate the obligation of the Friday Prayer. However, some of them reject the idea that the verse implies its obligation. To hold the Friday Prayer during the Occultation of the Infallible Imam is a matter of controversy among Shiite jurists; some of them take it to be forbidden, others take it to be an individual obligation (al-wajib al-ta'yini) and others take it to be an optional obligation (al-wajib al-takhyiri). According to jurists who do not consider the Friday Prayer to be an individual obligation during the Occultation of Imam al-Zaman, it is not forbidden for Muslims to engage in sales, purchases, or other transactions after the adhan of the Friday noon or during the Friday Prayer.

Verses 9-11 of Sura al-Jumu'a are known as jurisprudential verses (ayat al-ahkam).

==Virtues and Effects==

About the virtues of reciting Sura al-Jumu'a it is said that God rewards the reciter of the sura ten times greater than the number of those who attend the Friday Prayer and those who do not. Or if one recites the sura on eves of Fridays, that would be an expiation of one’s sins between the Two Fridays. There is also a hadith according to which it is mustahab to recite Sura al-Jumu'a and Sura al-Munafiqun in the Morning, Noon, and Afternoon prayers on Fridays. As to the effects of the sura, it is said to expel satanic temptations and fears.

Sura al-Jumu'a or parts thereof have been inscribed on tiles on religious-historical buildings. For example, there is an inscription of Sura al-Jumu'a with the calligraphy of 'Alirida 'Abbasi in the Shrine of Imam al-Rida, and the sura is inscribed in the Shrine of Fatima al-Ma'suma on the portico and dome of Shah 'Abbas II. It is also inscribed on tiles of Jamkaran Mosque, the Mausoleum of Imamzada Ishaq b. Musa, and the Tomb of the Four Prophets.