Salat-ul-Jumu

1
Salat-ul-Jumuah

• A weekly festival or Friday Prayers

2
Lesson objectives

• To be able to explain why Muslims attend the
  mosque on Fridays
• To identify how meeting regularly strengthens the
  Muslim community
• To explain what the khutbah is and why it is
  important

3
So why Friday?

• O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to
  prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten
  earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave
  off business (and traffic) that is best for you
  if ye but knew! (Surah 629-10)
• Because the Quran says so and it is the word of
  Allah.

4
So what happens?

• It is not a day of rest. Business may continue as
  usual on Friday, as there is no religious reason
  against this.
• In Muslim countries, the weekend is Thursday and
  Friday, or Friday and Saturday.
• All Muslim males should attend prayers at the
  mosque.
• The prayers are led by the Imam (leader) who
  knows the Quran and is well respected.

5
How do Muslims observe Friday prayers?

• At the start there is time for personal prayers
  (dua)
• Then follows the khutbah (sermon) which is read
  in the language of the community
• The Imam then leads two rakah fard (compulsory
  prayers).
• At the end Muslims can make dua if they wish.

6
An Imam
7
Ask the Imam Imagine you are advising people in
your community at the Friday prayers. A man comes
to you with the following problem

• Yusuf Dergoub works on the London Underground -
  he's one of the electricians who keeps the entire
  network going - or at least tries to keep it
  going. A young man, he's got a small
  Islamic-style beard and sometimes dresses in
  fairly traditional Moroccan/Arabic clothes.
• He's angry because he feels some people now look
  on him as a terrorist suspect. Unsurprisingly,
  while he wants to talk, he is reluctant to be
  photographed. The media have damaged the position
  of Muslims in British society, he feels.
• Since the bombings journalists have come and gone
  from outside Al-Manaar and many of the
  congregation feel depressed with the way they
  have been treated. Many other mosques around
  Britain feel the same way.
• "The media sometimes says the things it wants to
  say but blacks out the things that it does not
  want to talk about," says Yusuf.
• "I'm British and was born in the East End within
  sound of the Bow Bells. But the way the media
  portray me I'm made out to be something
  different. All I am trying to do is follow
  something that I believe to be true."

8
Tasks

• List 3 ways in which this Muslims life has been
  affected by extremists from their faith.
• Imagine you are an editor of a magazine and you
  have received this letter write a response to try
  to encourage this young man and suggest ways of
  dealing with the problem.
• Complete the ask the imam tasks.

9
Why might Friday prayers be good for a Muslim?

• How do you feel when you get together with
  friends or family?
• It creates a sense of unity and community
  (ummah). All Muslims are striving for one thing
  paradise with Allah.
• What things do you do when you meet up with
  people?
• Muslims can offer each other support and discuss
  everyday problems and get advice. As they stand
  side by side in prayer they see each other as
  equals.

10
Exam preparation

• Explain the importance of Salat-ul-jumuah
  prayers on Friday (25 marks).
• It is important to show the examiner that you
  understand this is the weekly gathering of male
  Muslims at the mosque for prayers.
• Not a day of rest.
• A sermon is delivered by the imam.
• After the prayers have been said there is a
  discussion of topical issues.
• Keywords to include khutbah, ummah, unity,
  Quran, Day of Assembly.