Overview - Surah 62: al-Jumu`ah (Friday)

The Surah talks about the negligence of Bani Israel in obeying the commands of Allah and becoming too much involved in worldly matters. They only carried the Books of Allah, but failed to follow these books.  Muslims are urged to observe the Friday prayer and should not get involved in business so much as to neglect the remembrance of Allah.

Sections:

1. Allah's favor upon Muslims that Allah sent His Prophet among them to teach them and to purify them.  Bani Israel neglected the commands of Allah.
2. Muslims are exhorted to observe the Friday prayers and always remember Allah.

The surah takes its name from the Ayat, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ "O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah..." [62:9].

There are 11 Ayat in this Surah.

The Surah talks about the negligence of Bani Israel in obeying the commands of Allah and becoming too much involved in worldly matters. They only carried the Books of Allah, but failed to follow these books.  Muslims are urged to observe the Friday prayer and should not get involved in business so much as to neglect the remembrance of Allah.

Sections:

1. Allah's favor upon Muslims that Allah sent His Prophet among them to teach them and to purify them.  Bani Israel neglected the commands of Allah.
2. Muslims are exhorted to observe the Friday prayers and always remember Allah.

The surah takes its name from the Ayat, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ "O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah..." [62:9].

There are 11 Ayat in this Surah.

As we have explained above, the two sections of this Surah were sent down in two different periods. That is why their themes as well as their audiences are different. Although there is a kind of harmony between them on account of which they have been put together in one Surah, yet we should understand their themes separately before we consider the question of their harmony.

The first section was sent down at a time when all Jewish efforts to obstruct the message of Islam during the past six years had failed. First, in Madīnah as many as three of their powerful tribes had done whatever they could to frustrate the mission of the Prophet, with the result that one of the tribes was completely exterminated and the other two were exiled. Then by deception and conspiracy they brought many of the Arab tribes together to advance on Madīnah, but in the Battle of the Trench they were all repulsed. After this, Khaiber had become their stronghold, where a large number of the Jews expelled from Madīnah also had taken refuge. At the time these verses were revealed, that too was taken without any extraordinary effort, and the Jews at their own request agreed to live there as tenants of the Muslims. After this final defeat, the Jewish power in Arabia came to an end. Then, Wad-il-Qura, Fadak Taima’, Tabuk, all surrendered one after the other, so much so that all Arabian Jews became subdued to the same Islam which they were not prepared to tolerate before. This was the occasion when God Almighty once again addressed them in this Surah, and probably this was the last and final address that was directed to them in the Qur’an. In this they have been reminded of three things:

1. “You refused to believe in this Messenger only because he was born among a people whom you contemptuously call the “gentiles.” You were under the false delusion that the Messenger must necessarily belong to your own community. You seemed to have been convinced that anyone who claimed to be a prophet from outside your community, must be an impostor for this position had been reserved for your race, and a messenger could never be raised among the “gentiles." But among the same gentiles God has raised a Messenger who is reciting His Book in front of your very eyes, is purifying souls, and showing the Right Way to the people whose misdeeds are well known to you. This is God’s bounty, which He may bestow on anyone He may please. You have no monopoly over it so that He may bestow it over whomever you may please and may withhold it from whomever you may desire it to be withheld.”

2. “You had been made bearers of the Torah, but you did not understand your responsibility for it nor discharged it as you should have. You are like the donkey which is loaded with books, and which does not know what burden it is bearing. Rather you are worse than the donkey, for the donkey is devoid of sense, but you are intelligent. You not only evade your responsibility of being bearers of God’s book, but you do not even hesitate to deny God’s revelations deliberately. Yet, you are under the delusion that you are God’s favourites and the blessing of apostleship has been reserved for you alone. More than that, you seem to entertain the notion that whether you fulfill the demands of God’s message or not, God in any case is bound not to make any other than you the bearer of His message.”

3. “If you really were God’s favourites and you were sure of having a place of honour and high rank reserved with Him, you would not have feared death so much as to prefer a life of disgrace to death. It is only because of this fear of death that you have suffered humiliation after humiliation during the past few years. This condition is by itself a proof that you are fully conscious of your misdeeds, and your conscience is aware that if you die with these misdeeds, you will meet with a greater disgrace before God in the Hereafter than in this world.”

This is the subject matter of the first section. The second section that was sent down many years later, was appended to this Surah because in it God has bestowed Friday on the Muslims as against the Sabbath of the Jews, and God wanted to warn the Muslims not to treat their Friday as the Jews had treated their Sabbath. This section was sent down on an occasion when a trade caravan arrived in Madīnah right at the time of the Friday congregational service and hearing its clamor and drum the audience, except for 12 men, left the Prophet’s Mosque and rushed out to the caravan, although the Prophet at that time was delivering the Sermon. Thereupon it was enjoined that after the call is sounded for the Friday Prayer all trade and business and other occupations become forbidden. The believers should then suspend every kind of transaction and hasten to the remembrance of God. However, when the Prayer is over, they have the right to disperse in the land to resume their normal occupations. This section could be made an independent Surah in view of the commandments that it contains about the congregational service on Friday, and could also be included in some other Surah, but instead, it has been included here particularly in the verses in which the Jews have been warned of the causes of their evil end. Its wisdom in our opinion is the same as we have explained above.

As we have explained above, the two sections of this Surah were sent down in two different periods. That is why their themes as well as their audiences are different. Although there is a kind of harmony between them on account of which they have been put together in one Surah, yet we should understand their themes separately before we consider the question of their harmony.

The first section was sent down at a time when all Jewish efforts to obstruct the message of Islam during the past six years had failed. First, in Madīnah as many as three of their powerful tribes had done whatever they could to frustrate the mission of the Prophet, with the result that one of the tribes was completely exterminated and the other two were exiled. Then by deception and conspiracy they brought many of the Arab tribes together to advance on Madīnah, but in the Battle of the Trench they were all repulsed. After this, Khaiber had become their stronghold, where a large number of the Jews expelled from Madīnah also had taken refuge. At the time these verses were revealed, that too was taken without any extraordinary effort, and the Jews at their own request agreed to live there as tenants of the Muslims. After this final defeat, the Jewish power in Arabia came to an end. Then, Wad-il-Qura, Fadak Taima’, Tabuk, all surrendered one after the other, so much so that all Arabian Jews became subdued to the same Islam which they were not prepared to tolerate before. This was the occasion when God Almighty once again addressed them in this Surah, and probably this was the last and final address that was directed to them in the Qur’an. In this they have been reminded of three things:

1. “You refused to believe in this Messenger only because he was born among a people whom you contemptuously call the “gentiles.” You were under the false delusion that the Messenger must necessarily belong to your own community. You seemed to have been convinced that anyone who claimed to be a prophet from outside your community, must be an impostor for this position had been reserved for your race, and a messenger could never be raised among the “gentiles." But among the same gentiles God has raised a Messenger who is reciting His Book in front of your very eyes, is purifying souls, and showing the Right Way to the people whose misdeeds are well known to you. This is God’s bounty, which He may bestow on anyone He may please. You have no monopoly over it so that He may bestow it over whomever you may please and may withhold it from whomever you may desire it to be withheld.”

2. “You had been made bearers of the Torah, but you did not understand your responsibility for it nor discharged it as you should have. You are like the donkey which is loaded with books, and which does not know what burden it is bearing. Rather you are worse than the donkey, for the donkey is devoid of sense, but you are intelligent. You not only evade your responsibility of being bearers of God’s book, but you do not even hesitate to deny God’s revelations deliberately. Yet, you are under the delusion that you are God’s favourites and the blessing of apostleship has been reserved for you alone. More than that, you seem to entertain the notion that whether you fulfill the demands of God’s message or not, God in any case is bound not to make any other than you the bearer of His message.”

3. “If you really were God’s favourites and you were sure of having a place of honour and high rank reserved with Him, you would not have feared death so much as to prefer a life of disgrace to death. It is only because of this fear of death that you have suffered humiliation after humiliation during the past few years. This condition is by itself a proof that you are fully conscious of your misdeeds, and your conscience is aware that if you die with these misdeeds, you will meet with a greater disgrace before God in the Hereafter than in this world.”

This is the subject matter of the first section. The second section that was sent down many years later, was appended to this Surah because in it God has bestowed Friday on the Muslims as against the Sabbath of the Jews, and God wanted to warn the Muslims not to treat their Friday as the Jews had treated their Sabbath. This section was sent down on an occasion when a trade caravan arrived in Madīnah right at the time of the Friday congregational service and hearing its clamor and drum the audience, except for 12 men, left the Prophet’s Mosque and rushed out to the caravan, although the Prophet at that time was delivering the Sermon. Thereupon it was enjoined that after the call is sounded for the Friday Prayer all trade and business and other occupations become forbidden. The believers should then suspend every kind of transaction and hasten to the remembrance of God. However, when the Prayer is over, they have the right to disperse in the land to resume their normal occupations. This section could be made an independent Surah in view of the commandments that it contains about the congregational service on Friday, and could also be included in some other Surah, but instead, it has been included here particularly in the verses in which the Jews have been warned of the causes of their evil end. Its wisdom in our opinion is the same as we have explained above.

• Both the first Ayat of Surah as-Saff [61] and Surah al-Jumuah [62] end with names of Allah, al-Azeez al-Hakeem.
• Both Surah as-Saff [61] and al-Jumu'ah [62] mention the Jews.
• Surah Saff [61:6] mentions the prophecy of the Prophet Muhammd to be sent after Jesus and Surah al-Jumuah [62:2] mentions the sending of the Prophet Muhammad.
• There is a connection between the beginning of Surah as-Saff [61], al-Jum'uah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63]. In Surah as-Saff, Allah speaks of those who say that which they do not do. In the following Surah, this concept is mentioned again in the example of Jewish scholars who are like donkeys contradicting and not benefiting from the knowledge they are carrying. Then this is again followed by the next Surah, which begins with the statements of the Hypocrites who are saying they testify to the truth, whereas in reality they are liars. All three being examples of contradictions between word and deed.
• In Ayat 9 and 10 of both Surah al-Jumu'ah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63] - we are told not be distracted from the Dhikr [remembrance] of Allah by wealth.

• Both the first Ayat of Surah as-Saff [61] and Surah al-Jumuah [62] end with names of Allah, al-Azeez al-Hakeem.
• Both Surah as-Saff [61] and al-Jumu'ah [62] mention the Jews.
• Surah Saff [61:6] mentions the prophecy of the Prophet Muhammd to be sent after Jesus and Surah al-Jumuah [62:2] mentions the sending of the Prophet Muhammad.
• There is a connection between the beginning of Surah as-Saff [61], al-Jum'uah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63]. In Surah as-Saff, Allah speaks of those who say that which they do not do. In the following Surah, this concept is mentioned again in the example of Jewish scholars who are like donkeys contradicting and not benefiting from the knowledge they are carrying. Then this is again followed by the next Surah, which begins with the statements of the Hypocrites who are saying they testify to the truth, whereas in reality they are liars. All three being examples of contradictions between word and deed.
• In Ayat 9 and 10 of both Surah al-Jumu'ah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63] - we are told not be distracted from the Dhikr [remembrance] of Allah by wealth.

• The Prophet would recite this Surah in the prayer of Jumuah. Ibn Abbas reports that, وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ سُورَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ "....He used to recite in Jumu'a prayer Surahs Jumu'a and al-Munafiqin." Sahih Muslim  
• The Prophet said, "The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created. on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. And the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday." Sahih Muslim

• The Prophet would recite this Surah in the prayer of Jumuah. Ibn Abbas reports that, وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ سُورَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ "....He used to recite in Jumu'a prayer Surahs Jumu'a and al-Munafiqin." Sahih Muslim  
• The Prophet said, "The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created. on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. And the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday." Sahih Muslim

This is the only Surah of the Qur'an with the word Jumu'ah [Friday].

This is the only Surah of the Qur'an with the word Jumu'ah [Friday].

• Allah has appointed Muhammad (pbuh) as His Rasool.
• Allah rebutted the claim of Jews to be the favorites of God to the exclusion of others.
• Commandment relating to the obligation of 'Friday Prayers.'
• مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا "The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]...." (62:5). Included in the implications of this Ayat is the one who reads the Qur'an, not understanding it nor acting upon it.

• Allah has appointed Muhammad (pbuh) as His Rasool.
• Allah rebutted the claim of Jews to be the favorites of God to the exclusion of others.
• Commandment relating to the obligation of 'Friday Prayers.'
• مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا "The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]...." (62:5). Included in the implications of this Ayat is the one who reads the Qur'an, not understanding it nor acting upon it.

• Surah 62. Al-Jumu'ah - Saad al Ghamidi   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO-7WPFR7m8&index=62&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
• Surah 62. Al-Jumu'ah Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTZ557P7kbc&index=62&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM​
• Surah 62. Al-Jumu'ah Muhammad Al Luhaydan  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l660CAOs0oQ&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=62​
• Surah 62. Al-Jumu'ah  Muhammad Minshawi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOyX0ZEzcBg&index=62&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG