Islam- Friday Prayer at the Mosque (Jamuaah)
Friday prayer at the mosque, more commonly referred to as Jamuaah, is a congressional prayer for Muslims. Every Friday, men must pray at a mosque together as on obligation outlined by Muhammad in the Hadith ‘Friday prayer in congregation is a necessary duty for every Muslim’. Jamuaah is the idea of ‘Sahada’, submitting to Allah through one of the 5 pillars of Islamic faith, Salat, which means prayer. Jamuaah is considered the most important prayer of Salat and is a fixed requirement.
Friday prayer at the mosque occurs on Fridays, generally at noon as Friday is the day God ordered in the Qur’an. Muhammad explains that Friday is ‘The best day on which the sun rises. On this day, Adam was created; on this day he entered paradise for the first time and on this day he was expelled from it. On this day the hour will be established.’ Friday is considered a day of worship, supplication and redemption.
Jamuaah usually occurs within the Mosque, but if the mosque is unable to be attended by an adherent, it will occur at any place where a group of Muslims can be found; Jamuaah must always be participated in with communal submission. Jamuaah is led by the Imam who delivers two sermons.
Jamuaah is compulsory in the eyes of Allah and the prophet Muhammad is a vital step on the path to paradise. For post-pubescent men, Jamuaah must be attended without excuse. For women, Jamuaah is not compulsory, although it is regarded as beneficial. Soldiers, pre-pubescent boys, travellers and the sick are also excused from Friday prayer at the Mosque.
Jamuaah demonstrates many key Islamic beliefs, as it is the will and wish of Allah. Jamuaah is apart of Salat, a prayer that requires participation from an adherent in order to serve Allah, experience his oneness and holiness and gain a place with Allah in paradise. Jamuaah further demonstrates key Islamic beliefs, as it is a call to greater Jihad, meaning to struggle in order to make Allahs world better. If an adherent is seen sacrificing their own luxuries and struggling in order to serve Allah’s will, they are seen as living out the key Islamic belief of serving Allah. Jamuaah is also a call to experience the Umma (the Islamic community). Both Allah and Muhammad state throughout the Qur’an and Hadith that the Umma is of crucial importance in every aspect of an adherents life, that the individual should strive to ensure the wellbeing of the entire Umma. Finally, Jamuaah expresses key Islamic beliefs as it is through Jamuaah that an adherent can gain eventual access to paradise, demonstrating the belief that through good, merciful and sacrificial acts, one creates their own path to paradise after death.
Friday prayer at the mosque provides great significance for both the individual and the community. For the individual, Jamuaah not only provides inner peace through a closer relationship with Allah, but also provides the individual with access to paradise for an eternal afterlife. For the individual, Jamuaah is also a time to be freed of sin and past wrongs in the site of Allah and be rewarded with hasanat (righteous merits). If an adherent is seen listening attentively throughout the Jamuaah service and performing righteous deeds throughout their daily acts, they are secured a place in eventual paradise. An individual also gains a deeper understanding of their religious beliefs and is exposed to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with his Umma.
For the community, Jamuaah provides the opportunity to experience the greatness of the Umma and is a time for each person within the community to strengthen their relationship with God. Each person within the community experiences a greater understanding of Islam, has the opportunity to have their prayers answered and gain a greater understanding of the Shari’ah (Islamic law) so that they may strive to be better people whilst serving the will of Allah, creating a more peaceful and stable religion for all.