Ask our children:
1. Which is the most important and best day of the week?
2. What should a Muslim do on the day of Jumu‘ah?
Now tell them the story:
Jameel was a boy who loved the weekends. He loved the weekends because there was no school, and no madrasah, so he could wake up late, eat waffles and pancakes for breakfast, and play with his friends all day.
One day, when Jameel was in madrasah, Moulana asked the class, “Children! Tell me, which is the best day of the week?” Jameel immediately put his hand up and shouted, “I know! Sunday is the best day! On Sundays, my father doesn’t go to work, so I get to spend time with him!”
Yusuf put his hand up next and said, “Saturday is the best day, because I play with my friends on Saturday!”
Muhammad put his hand up and said, “Nobody likes Monday – not even my parents! Monday is when the fun is over because we have to go back to school and my father has to go back to work!”
After listening to their answers, Moulana said, “The correct answer is that Friday – the day of Jumu‘ah – is the best day. Friday is the special day for a Muslim.”
Moulana then explained and said, “The special day of the Christians is Sunday, and the special day of the Jews is Saturday. We live in a non-Muslim country. This means that the people in charge of our country are not Muslim. That is why they made Saturday and Sunday, the special day of the Jews and Christians, into holidays. However, we are Muslims. We must love the day of Jumu‘ah the most. Even though it is not a holiday from school and madrasah, we must make it the most special day of the week.”
Jameel was very interested in what Moulana said, and he wanted to know more. He raised his hand again and asked, “Moulana! Please tell us more about the day of Friday and how special it is!”
Moulana said, “Ok! There are many special things about the day of Friday. It was on a Friday that Allah Ta‘ala created our father, Nabi Aadam (‘alaihis salaam). It was also on Friday that Allah Ta‘ala sent Nabi Aadam and Sayyidah Hawwaa (‘alaihimas salaam) to the earth, and it was on Friday that Nabi Aadam (‘alaihis salaam) passed away. Also, did you know that the Day of Qiyaamah will take place on a Friday?”
Naseer raised his hand next and asked, “Moulana, is it true that on Friday, du‘aas are accepted?” Moulana replied, “Yes, on the day of Friday, there is a special time when a person’s du‘aas are accepted. That is why you must make du‘aa on Friday, especially between ‘asr and maghrib, as this is an extra special time.”
Then, Moulana asked the students, “Tell me, children, what should we do on the day of Jumu‘ah?”
The children gave different answers. They said:
We should wear our best clothing
We should wear ‘itr
We should bath and trim our nails
Men and the big boys should go to the masjid early for Jumu‘ah
We should read Surah Kahf
We should recite extra durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)
After the students had mentioned everything, one student said, “Moulana! Isn’t it also important to eat dholl and rice on Jumu‘ah? That’s what we eat at my house, every single Friday!” Moulana laughed and said, “No! That has nothing to do with Jumu‘ah! Some people eat that on Friday because they enjoy it. In fact, in most places around the world, people eat other things on the day of Jumu‘ah.”
The next Friday, Jameel and his friends, Naseer, Muhammad and Yusuf, were very excited. They woke up early, had a bath, trimmed their nails and cleaned their teeth with a miswaak. They opened their cupboards, found the best kurtas they had and even wore turbans over their topis. Finally, before coming to the masjid, they wore some ‘itr.
They came to the masjid early, opened the Quraan Majeed, and recited Surah Kahf. Thereafter, they took their tasbeehs and recited durood shareef until the bayaan started.
After the bayaan, they listened to the khutbah and performed the Jumu‘ah Salaah. Thereafter, they went home and enjoyed lunch with their families.
That Friday was the best Friday ever! They had practiced the sunnats of Jumu‘ah, and had shown importance to this great day. They knew that Allah Ta‘ala was happy with them, and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was also happy with the durood that they were sending as a present for him.
Jameel and his friends decided that in future, they would always respect and love the day of Jumu‘ah, and would always practise all the sunnats of Jumu‘ah.
Lessons:
1. The day of Friday, known in Islam as the day of Jumu‘ah, is the best and most important day for a Muslim. A Muslim must always love the day of Jumu‘ah the most.
2. There are many sunnats that we should practise on the day of Jumu‘ah. Some of them are:
a. We should wear our best clothing
b. We should wear ‘itr
c. We should bath and trim our nails
d. Men and the big boys should go to the masjid early for Jumu‘ah
e. We should read Surah Kahf
f. We should recite extra durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
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