Sura al-Jumu'a: Difference between revisions

'''Sura al-Jumu'a''' is the sixty second [[sura]] of the [[Qur'an]]. It is a [[Madani]] sura located in the twenty eighth [[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 [[Muslim]]s to avoid sales and purchases during the Friday Prayer.

Sura al-Jumu'a has eleven 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]].

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 (s) are said to include [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]], [[al-Hasan (a)]], [[al-Husayn (a)]], [[Fatima (a)]], [[Salman]], [[Abu Dharr]], [[Miqdad]], and [[Suhayb]].

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 [[hadith]]s, 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]] [[jurist]]s 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-Mahdi (a)]], 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.

About the virtues of reciting Sura al-Jumu'a it is said that [[God]] [[reward]]s 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 prayer]]s 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 (a)]], and the sura is inscribed in the [[Shrine of Fatima al-Ma'suma (a)]] 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.

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