Al-Jumu'aa (ٱلْجُمُعَة)

Surah Al-Jumu'ah (الْجُمُعَة) is the 62nd chapter of the Quran, and its literal meaning is "Friday." It holds significance in Islam as Friday is considered a holy day. It is a day of assembly for all Muslims when they skip all worldly affairs and head to seek Allah Almighty's help and guidance. 

Surah Al-Jumu'ah consists of 11 verses (ayah) divided into 2 Ruku to deliver a clear and concise message to the believers about the importance of Friday prayers. This surah is located in the 28th Para of the Quran, with other smaller surahs that guide Muslims in their practical and social life. This surah was revealed in two parts. The first part was sent on the occasion of Khyber's victory, whereas the second part was revealed shortly after Prophet (ﷺ) migrated to Medina. This surah was completed after the migration. Hence, it is a Madni Surah. It is also an Al-Musabbihat surah, which begins with the glorification of God (Tasbeeh). 

٦٢ - ٱلْجُمُعَة

62 - Al-Jumu'aa

يُسَـبِّحُ لِلہِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِي الْاَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوْسِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَكِـيْمِ۝۱
Yusabbihu lillahi ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi almaliki alquddoosi alAAazeezi alhakeemi

English

Ahmed Ali

ALL THAT IS in the heavens and the earth sings the praises of God the King, the Holy, Omnipotent, the Wise.

1

ہُوَالَّذِيْ بَعَثَ فِي الْاُمِّيّٖنَ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْہُمْ يَتْلُوْا عَلَيْہِمْ اٰيٰتِہٖ وَيُزَكِّيْہِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُہُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَالْحِكْمَۃَ۝۰ۤ وَاِنْ كَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِيْ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيْنٍ۝۲ۙ
Huwa allathee baAAatha fee alommiyyeena rasoolan minhum yatloo AAalayhim ayatihi wayuzakkeehim wayuAAallimuhumu alkitaba waalhikmata wain kanoo min qablu lafee dalalin mubeenin

English

Ahmed Ali

It is He who raised among the gentiles an apostle from amongst them, who recites His revelations to them, reforms them and teaches them the Scripture and the Law, for before him they were clearly in error.

2

وَّاٰخَرِيْنَ مِنْہُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوْا بِہِمْ۝۰ۭ وَہُوَالْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ۝۳
Waakhareena minhum lamma yalhaqoo bihim wahuwa alAAazeezu alhakeemu

English

Ahmed Ali

And for others among them who have not joined them yet. He is all-mighty and all-wise.

3

ذٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللہِ يُؤْتِيْہِ مَنْ يَّشَاۗءُ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيْمِ۝۴
Thalika fadlu Allahi yuteehi man yashao waAllahu thoo alfadli alAAatheemi

English

Ahmed Ali

This is the bounty of God, He gives whosoever He please. God is master of great bounty.

4

مَثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرٰىۃَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوْہَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ اَسْفَارًا۝۰ۭ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اؘ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ لَا يَہْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِـمِيْنَ۝۵
Mathalu allatheena hummiloo alttawrata thumma lam yahmilooha kamathali alhimari yahmilu asfaran bisa mathalu alqawmi allatheena kaththaboo biayati Allahi waAllahu la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena

English

Ahmed Ali

The likeness of those who were charged with (the law of) the Torah which they did not observe, is that of a donkey who carries a load of books (oblivious of what they contain). How wretched the semblance of the people who deny the words of God! God does not show an unjust people the way.

5

قُلْ يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ ہَادُوْۗا اِنْ زَعَمْتُمْ اَنَّكُمْ اَوْلِيَاۗءُ لِلہِ مِنْ دُوْنِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِيْنَ۝۶
Qul ya ayyuha allatheena hadoo in zaAAamtum annakum awliyao lillahi min dooni alnnasi fatamannawoo almawta in kuntum sadiqeena

English

Ahmed Ali

Say: "O you Jews, if you claim that you are the favourites of God apart from all men, then wish for death, if you speak the truth.

6

وَلَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَہٗۗ اَبَدًۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ اَيْدِيْہِمْ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ عَلِيْمٌۢ بِالظّٰلِمِيْنَ۝۷
Wala yatamannawnahu abadan bima qaddamat aydeehim waAllahu AAaleemun bialththalimeena

English

Ahmed Ali

But they will never wish for death because of what they had done in the past, and God knows the sinners well.

7

قُلْ اِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِيْ تَفِرُّوْنَ مِنْہُ فَاِنَّہٗ مُلٰقِيْكُمْ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّوْنَ اِلٰى عٰلِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّہَادَۃِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ۝۸ۧ
Qul inna almawta allathee tafirroona minhu fainnahu mulaqeekum thumma turaddoona ila AAalimi alghaybi waalshshahadati fayunabbiokum bima kuntum taAAmaloona

English

Ahmed Ali

Tell them: "Death from which you run, will surely come to you. You will then be sent back to Him who knows the unknown and the known, who will tell you what you used to do.

8

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۗا اِذَا نُوْدِيَ لِلصَّلٰوۃِ مِنْ يَّوْمِ الْجُمُعَۃِ فَاسْعَوْا اِلٰى ذِكْرِ اللہِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ۝۰ۭ ذٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ۝۹
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha noodiya lilssalati min yawmi aljumuAAati faisAAaw ila thikri Allahi watharoo albayAAa thalikum khayrun lakum in kuntum taAAlamoona

English

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, when the call to prayer is made on the day of congregation, hasten to remember God, putting aside your business. This is better for you if you can understand.

9

فَاِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلٰوۃُ فَانْتَشِرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوْا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللہِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللہَ كَثِيْرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ۝۱۰
Faitha qudiyati alssalatu faintashiroo fee alardi waibtaghoo min fadli Allahi waothkuroo Allaha katheeran laAAallakum tuflihoona

English

Ahmed Ali

And when the service of prayer is over spread out in the land, and look for the bounty of God. and remember God a great deal that you may prosper.

10

Theme of Surah Al-Jumu’ah (الْجُمُعَة)

Surah Al-Jumu'ah (الْجُمُعَة) holds great significance as it addresses 2 different audiences: Jews and Muslims. In the first part of the Surah, Allah addresses jews for the one last time as they were rejecting the Prophet (ﷺ) and causing great trouble for him. Jews were guided through the "Torah," but they failed to uphold Allah's commands and rejected the revelations sent to them. They were in a delusion of being Allah's favorite and that He would never send punishments (Azaab) towards them. 

Allah says: "O you Jews, if you claim that you are the favorites of God apart from all men, then wish for death if you speak the truth. Quran - 62:6

In the last verses of the first part of the Surah, Allah confronts the Jews and says that if they were the favorite of Allah among all people, they would never fear death or the day of Judgment. This meant that they were fully aware of their deeds and they were conscious that they were going to face greater consequences in their Akhirah (life after death). 

Allah says, tell them: Death from which you run will surely come to you. You will then be sent back to Him who knows the unknown and the known, who will tell you what you used to do." Quran - 62:8

In the second part of the surah, which was revealed after the migration, Allah warned Muslims not to follow the sabbath of the Jews. He has emphasized the importance of Friday prayers and commanded Muslims to leave whatever work they are doing during this time. Be it trade or business, it all must stop and resume after the prayers are done. This part was sent when a trade caravan arrived at Medina during prayer time. People left Prophet (ﷺ)'s mosque and rushed back to trade. 

Allah says: "O you who believe, when the call to prayer is made on the day of congregation, hasten to remember God, putting aside your business. This is better for you if you can understand." Quran: 62:9

The Virtues and Benefits of Reciting Surah Al-Jumu'ah

Surah Al-Jumu'ah has special benefits when recited and understood, as reported by many hadiths. Reciting this surah on Friday is Sunnah, as our Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite it and Surah Al-Munafiqoon. 

It was narrated by Ibn 'Abbas that During the prayer on Friday, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite: "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Revelation" and: "Has there not been over man," and in Jumu'ah prayer, he would recite Al-Jumu'ah (62) and Al-Munafiqin (63) -.Sunan an-Nasa'i 1421

Our Prophet (ﷺ) has given significant importance to this surah and called it Al-Mufassal. Ad-Dahhak bin Qais asked An-Nu'man bin Bashir: "What did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) use to recite on Friday after Surat Al-Jumu'ah?" He said: "He used to recite: 'Has there come to you the narration of the overwhelming (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)?" - Sunan an-Nasa'i 1424

Thus, the virtues and blessings this surah holds have been clear by hadiths, and the Prophet's (ﷺ) life is a role model for us all. If we recite this surah, especially in Friday prayer, it will have great benefits in Akhirah. May Allah guide us all. 

Ibn Abi Rafi' said: Abu Hurairah led us in the Friday prayer and recited Surah Al-Jumu'ah and "When the hypocrites come to you" (63) in the last rak'ah. He said: I met Abu Hurairah when he finished the prayer and said to him: You recited the two surahs that 'Ali used to recite at Kufah. Abu Hurairah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reciting them on Friday. - Sunan Abi Dawud 1124.