Fit Friday, Let's Make Some Lasting Family Traditions

As Salaamu Alaikunna and good morning sisters! Alhumdulilah we have reached another Friday and this is our day. Let's make the most of it and start making some lasting family traditions. We have so few years with our children trust me they pass by so quickly, before you know it our children are out of our homes and constant care and supervision. For all of you who have young adult children you can relate with me here. You never stop missing them or wanting them around, so cherish the time you have to make lasting impressions on them, so that when they are older they still want to be around you as well. It starts when they are younger giving them a knowledge of Islam and showing them a love of Islam and of course plenty of Duaat. So today insha Allah we will go over some ways that we can celebrate Friday together as a family.

The Virtues and Sunnnat of Jummah
Hadhrat Ali Ibn Abu Taalib (RA) narrated: on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah: When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needsand prevent them from the Friday prayer. The angels come early in the morning, sit at the door of the mosque, and record that so-and-so came at the first hour, and so-and-so came at the second hour until the imam comes out (for preaching). When a man sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), where he remains silent and does not interrupt, he will receive a double reward. If he stays away, sits in a place where he cannot listen (to the sermon), silent, and does not interrupt, he will receive the reward only once. If he sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), and he does not remain silent, he will have the burden of it. If anyone says to his companion sitting besides him to be silent (while the imam is preaching), he is guilty of idle talk. Anyone who interrupts (during the sermon) will receive nothing (no reward) on that Friday. Then he (the narrator) says in the end of this tradition: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) say so. (Abu Dawood 1046)

1. Jummah preparations should begin on Thursday such as clipping the nails, removing of the hair etc (Ihya aul-Uloom, vol. 1, page 161)

2. To have a bath (Ghusl) (Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

On one Friday, Rasulallah said: "O Muslims! Allah Ta'ala has made this day a day of Eid. So have a bath on this day, whoever has perfume should apply it, and use the Miswaak.“ (Ibn Majah)

3. To use Miswaak (Ibid)

4. To use Attar (Perfume) (Ibid)

5. To wear nice clothes (Abu Dawood, Chapter of Ghusl on the day of Jummah)

6. To proceed early as possible to the Masjid for Jummah

Rasulallah (Pbuh) said: "On the day of Jummah, the angels stand at the entrance of that Masjid in which Jummah salaat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the Masjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continue doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah; the one who followed him will get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah.
Once the khutbah commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the khutbah. “ (Bukhari and Muslim)

7. To walk to the Masjid if possible for every step is a reward of a years Nafl Fast (Tirmidhi)

8. One should listen very attentively to the khutba even if one does not understand. One should not speak or even warn another to keep quite while the khutba is in progress.

9. To try to sit as close as possible to the Imaam. (Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi)

10. If the Saffs (rows) are already filled, one should not jump over the shoulders of the musallies in order to get to the front. (Abu Dawood)

11. One should not fiddle with clothes or fingers but listen attentively (Ibn Majah)

12. When Rasulallah (Pbuh) name is mentioned in the khutba then it is permissible to recite durood in the heart only without the movement of the lips or tongue.


13. Between the two khutba’s one should make dua. It is permissible to make dua without raising hands or moving the lips (I.e. dua should be made in the heart only without the movement of the lips or the tongue) (Aadaab -E - Zindagee)

14. To read: Surah Al A’ala (Sura no 87) in the first rakaat of Jummah Salah and Surah Gaathia (Surah no 88) in the second rakaat. (Bukhari)

15. Related by Hakim and Bayhaqi, from Abu Sa`id “Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays.” (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al- Habir)

16. Rasulallah (Pbuh) is reported to have said, “Recite Durood upon me in abundance on the day of Jummah since they are presented to me.” (Ibn Majah)

17 . Making abundant dua on Jummah

Rasulallah (Pbuh) said: "There is such an hour on Friday that if any Muslim makes dua in it, his dua will definitely be accepted.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

18 . Reciting Durood 80 times after Asr:

According to a Hadith recorded in Tabarani on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) : Abu Hurraira (RA) reports that the Holy Prophet (Pbuh) said: “Whoever recites the following Durood eighty times immediately after Asr Salaat on Friday, before standing up from his place, Allah will forgive eighty years of sins and grant him the reward equivalent to eighty years of worship.”

Allahumma salli alaa muhammadinin nabiyyil ummiyyi wa-ala aalihi wasallim tasleema

O Allah bless Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet, and his family and grant them best of peace. (Jame Sagheer)

19. Abu Hurraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said: The five daily prayers, and from one Jummah to the next, are an expiation for whatever sins come in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin. (Muslim, 233)

20. It was narrated from Abu Hurraira that the Prophet (Pbuh) said: Whoever does Ghusl then comes to Jummah, and prays as much as Allah decrees for him, then listens attentively until the khutbah is over, then prays with him (the imam), will be forgiven for (his sins) between that and the next Jummah and three more days. (Muslim, 857)

Al-Nawawi (Ra) said:

The scholars said that what is meant by his being forgiven between the two Jummah and three more days is that a good deed is worth ten like it, so he will be rewarded with ten rewards for each of the good deeds that he did on Friday. Some of our companions said: What is meant by what is between the two Jummah is from Jummah prayer and the khutbah until the same time on the following Friday, so that it will be seven days, no more and no less, then three days are added making ten in all.

21. Coming early to Jummah brings a great reward.

Abu Hurraira (Ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said: “Whoever does Ghusl on Friday like Ghusl for janaabah, then goes to the prayer (in the first hour, i.e., early), it is as if he sacrificed a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour, it is as if he sacrificed a cow; whoever goes in the third hour, it is as if he sacrificed a horned ram; whoever goes in the fourth hour, it is as if he sacrificed a hen; and whoever goes in the fifth hour it is as if he offered an egg. When the imam comes out, the angels come to listen to the khutbah.”
(Bukhari, 814 and Muslim, 850)

22. If a person walks to Jummah prayer, for every step he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyaam for one year.

It was narrated from Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said: Whoever does Ghusl on Friday and causes (his wife) to do Ghusl, and sets out early, and comes close to the imam and listens and keeps quiet, for every step he takes he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyaam for one year.” (al-Tirmidhi, 496)

Ibn al-Qayyim (Ra) said in Zaad al-Maâ’aad, 1/285:

May Allah give us the ability to act upon all of these virtuous deeds and Sunnah of Rasulallah (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam). Ameen

For many of us women we are not going to the masajid every Friday and even when we do, we can still and should have some traditions at home with our children and husbands. Friday is our Eid and we should celebrate it, in a manner that will Insha Allah be both beneficial to our families and pleasing to Allah. As wives and mommies we are so important in raising this foundation of good in our homes so there are a few things we can do.

Read Quran with your Children

Insha Allah this gives them a love of Allah's book and it also creates a feeling of love between the family.  Insha Allah we can set an example for our children and when they are older they will remember that this is something good to do.





Have Family Dinner

Insha Allah this is something we do already we eat together as a family, however on Friday make the day a little more festive. Plan a nice meal, it doesn't have to be big, but maybe we can make the house nice and use the nice dinner ware. Just make it an enjoyable, special experience. It will be something that insha Allah when our children are grown up they remember and love to do with you. SO they will want to keep this tradition and always come to mom and dads house, even when they have their own families.


Play Games Together

This can be any type of permissible game, such as Islamic trivia (you can make the questions according to your child's knowledge) this is fun and it creates love and also is a great way of increasing your child's knowledge and insha Allah Iman. Board games are also fun, such as scrabble Jr. and things like that. This creates a family bond and the children look forward to their Eid. 





Let's start some family traditions with our children, teach them the virtues and etiquettes of Friday according to the Quran and Sunnah. Show them love for our religion and family. Insha Allah they will grow up knowing that every week for the Muslim is a holiday. Please enjoy your day with your families, and May Allah give you the good of this day, this world and the here after. Ameen

Any sisters who would like to share some of their family traditions for Friday please share them with us so that we may all draw benefit from each other.