The New Nation - Internet Edition

Today is the last Friday of the Holy Ramzan. It is called 'Jumatul wida'. This means 'departing Juma'. The Musallies will join the Juma congregation and will bid farewell to this month of patience and self-restraint.

The Holy Quran imposes obligation of the Friday prayer in the following verse. "O ye who believe, when the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is best for you if ye but knew ; and when the prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the bounty of Allah and celebrate the praise of Allah often that ye may prosper.' (62:9-10)

The Friday prayer is obligatory for every adult and free Muslim. It applies to all groups who live together. Even who live in the smallest hamlet, has the obligation to perform this prayer.

Rasulullah performed it constantly. He said, "He who stays away from it should be consumed by fire." He said, "Let people desist and refrain from neglecting the Friday prayers else Allah will make their hearts inaccessible and they will be among those who are ignored."

(Muslim) "He who deliberately neglects the Friday prayers, Allah will make a mark on his heart." (Abu Daud).

Rasulullah (Sm) in his sermon on the Day when the Friday prayer was made obligatory, said, "Let it be known that Allah has prescribed the Friday prayer for you on this spot, in this Day, in this month, in this year, until the Day of judgement. Whoever neglects it during or after my lifetime ever though he has an Iman, who abstains and strays from the right path, who disdains and rejects Allah's Ordinance, may Allah grant him no reunification. Neither will his affairs be blessed. There shall be no prayer for him, no almsgiving, no pilgrimage, no fast. There will be no righteousness in him until he repentst. " (Ibne Maza)

The importance of Zuma prayer, specially in the departing hours of Ramzan thus bears added significance.

-Abdul Muqit Chowdhury