The Merits of Friday and The Merit of Reading Surat Al Kahf on this Day
Question:
I wanted to know if one can read surah al-kahf anytime during Friday or does one have to finish reading it before the juma'a prayer? And also, if I can't attend juma'a, can I still read the surah and get the same blessings (other than the blessings of reading a part of the Qur'an)?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam,
It is recommended to recite Surat al-Kahf completely the night before Friday, and it is also recommended to do so Friday itself, before Maghrib time. Ibn Abidin said, �And it is best to do so early on Friday, in order to rush to the good and to avoid forgetting. � [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, �Bab al-Jumu`ah�]
The evidence for it being recommended includes the hadith related by Hakim and Bayhaqi, from Abu Sa`id (Allah be pleased with him), �Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays.� [Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al-Habir]
It is mentioned in Heavenly Ornaments by Imam al-Tahanawi:
The Virtues of Jumu'ah
1. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "Friday is the best of days. It was on this day that Hadrat Aadam alayhis salaam was created, it was on this day that he was granted entry into jannah, it was on this day that he was removed from jannah (which became the cause for man's existence in this universe, and which is a great blessing), and the day of resurrection will also take place on this day. " (Sahih Muslim)
2. It is related from Imam Ahmad rahmatullahialayh that he said that in certain aspects the rank of the night of jumu'ah is even higher than Laylatul Qadr One of the reasons for this is that it was on this night that Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) appeared in the womb of his mother Rasulullah's (Allah bless him & give him peace) appearance in this world was a cause of so much good and blessings both in this world and in the hereafter that they cannot be enumerated. (Ash'atulLama'aat)
3. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "There is such an hour on Friday that if any Muslim makes dua in it, his dua will definitely be accepted." (Bukhari, Muslim) The ulama have differed in specifying that hour which has been mentioned in the Hadith . Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi rahmatullahialayh has mentioned 40 different opinions in his book Sharh Sifrus Sa'aadah . However, from among all these opinions he has given preference to two opinions: (1) That time is from the commencement of the khutbah till the end of the salaat, (2) That time is towards the end of the day. A big group of ulama have given preference to this second opinion and there are many Ahadith which support this opinion. Shaykh Dehlawi rahmatullahialayh says that this narration is correct that Hadrat Fatimah radiallahuanha used to order her maid on Fridays to inform her when the day is about to end so that she could occupy herself in making zikr and duas. (Ash'atulLama'aat)
4 . Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "Of all the days, Friday is the most virtuous. It is on this day that the trumpet will be blown. Send abundant durood (saying peace be upon him -- Allahumma salli 'ala sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim, etc. -- on Fridays because they are presented to me on that day. " The Sahabah radiallahu anhum asked: "O Rasulullah! How will they be presented to you when even your bones will not be present after your death?" Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) replied: "Allah Ta'ala has made the earth haraam upon the prophets forever. " (Abu Daud)
5. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "The word "shaahid" refers to Friday. There is no day more virtuous than Friday. There is such an hour in this day that no Muslim will make dua in it except that his dua will be accepted. And he does not seek protection from anything except that Allah Ta'ala will grant him protection." (Tirmidhi) The word "shaahid" appears in Surah Burooj. Allah Ta'ala has taken an oath of that day. He says in the Quran:
"By the sky in which there are constellations. By the promised day (of judgement).
By the day that witnesses (Friday), and the day that is witnessed (day of Arafah). "
6. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "Friday is the "mother" of all days and the most virtuous in the sight of Allah Ta'ala. In the sight of Allah Ta'ala it has more greatness than Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Ad'haa. " (Ibn Majah)
7. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "The Muslim who passes away on the night or during the day of Friday, Allah Ta'ala saves him from the punishment of the grave. " (Tirmidhi)
8. Once Hadrat Ibne Abbas radiallahu anhu recited the following verse: "This day, I have completed your religion for you." A Jew was sitting near him. On hearing this verse being recited he remarked: "If this verse was revealed to us, we would have celebrated that day as a day of eid (feast)." Ibne Abbas radiallahu anhu replied: "This verse was revealed on two eids, i.e. on the day of jumu'ah and the day of Arafah. (day just before Eid-ul Adha)." In other words, what is the need for us to make that day into a day of eid when it was already a day of two eids?
9. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to say that the night of jumu'ah is a lustrous night, and the day of jumu'ah is a lustrous day. (Mishkaat)
10. On one Friday, Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) 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)
Source:
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=782&CATE=3
Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:26 am