what should muslims do on friday?

Question

Friday bath, Muslims & cleanliness!
http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15052002/1505200245.htm



“Excuse me, Sir. I was told that you are a Muslim? ” “Well in that case, I would like to know, how do you people manage with only one bath a week? he asked.

Possibly less out of ignorance and more to vilify me, he continued in the same vein. ”I understand that you people take bath only on Jumma, that is Fridays?”

Ignoring the clear sarcasm in his tone, I said, “Yes you may be right..” I paused. “It is true that Muslims do take bath on Fridays, but they also take bath on the eve of their festivals. They also bath after burying their dead. The Muslim males take bath every time they ejaculate for any reason. Muslim females also take bath at the end of their menses. Muslim couples take bath after having sex. This is over and above the daily routine bath one undertakes as a matter of habit.”

“Do you know gentleman,” I continued, ”Muslims wash their genitals after passing urine? Do you also know that prior to each prayer five times a day, Muslims perform what is known as Ablution (Wudu), whereby they wash off all those parts of the body which are exposed to environmental pollution?”

Is it out of sheer ignorance or systematic vilification campaign, one cannot decide for sure, but giving the benefit of doubt to all our friends who are not only awfully ignorant about Muslims and Islam but are also vulnerable to disinformation campaigns, we would like to give them a brief idea of the concept and practice of cleanliness in Islam.

The importance of cleanliness in Islam can be gauged from this simple fact that most of the Books of Ahadith (Prophet’s deeds and sayings) and also the Books of Fiqh (Sharia) start with a chapter on Taharah that is cleanliness. (In fact the meaning and spirit behind the concept of Taharah is much beyond the superficiality of the conventional cleanliness). This particular chapter starts with the classification of water and goes on to describe how water gets impure or polluted, modes and methods of purification of water and host of other topics. This chapter ends with a concluding topic of ‘how Muslims should bath their dead?’

Muslims go much beyond the superficial and cosmetic concept of ‘Manicure & Pedicure’ imported from the West. They do not believe in the technology which combines toilet papers with odor-masking perfumes.

Muslim males are required to get circumcised so that even faint traces of urine are not entrapped in the foreskin of the genitals. The fruit of such a clean practice is borne out by the results of studies carried out by Prof. Schot of Australia, in the African AIDS belt, where to his surprise he discovered that the occurrence of this fatal disease was least among those who practiced circumcision. Dr. Advani of Tata Cancer Research Institute, Mumbai, also confirmed that Muslim women constitute the least percentage among the victims of vaginal cancer. The observation, he said, can only be explained by the fact that their males are circumcised.

Muslims are duty bound to shave off their armpits and pubic hair as a matter of routine practice. The males are also instructed to trim their moustaches in order to keep them clear of oral intakes. Our beloved Prophet strictly prohibited his followers to consume onion and garlic (indicating thereby any foul smelling consumable including cigarettes) before going to any congregational prayer in mosques, lest they offend fellow companions praying next to them. Brushing of teeth ( once in a day ) is very recent development of near past. Muslims are known to use Miswak, the herbal brush for the past 1400 years, five times a day prior to each ablution, as recommended by their Prophet.

Cleanliness is inbuilt in Islamic Sharia, as prerequisite to every form and mode of worship. Be it the recital of the holy Qur’an, offering of the five daily prayers, fasting or the Hajj. In fact a Muslim cannot offer his obligatory prayers with unclean body, clothes or using dirty premises. The Holy Qur’an instructs the faithful to ”keep their clothes clean” (74:4). They are also made to imbibe this very message that “Allah loves those who are clean.” (2:222). In fact to what length and breadth, Islam goes on to take care of its followers in respect of personal hygiene, can be exemplified by the afore-mentioned verse whereby Muslims are categorically prohibited to have sex with their mates during menses.

Well at this juncture someone may start feeling that Islam prescribes much more stringent code of cleanliness than they ever thought. They are not wrong. But they are not fully correct too! The emphasis in Islam is more on the cleanliness of the inner-self, that is heart, mind and soul. The external cleaning process and rituals in reality are the preparatory ground work to achieve the more important task and that is cleanliness of the inner-self, which is the ultimate goal of the religion.

- Moin Don ([e-mail])

Answer 1

MashaAllah what a great read! Jazakallah Kheir!

I especially loved your last sentence. SubhaanAllah in Islam, everything that we are required to do, is beneficial for us in this dunya as well as the hereafter.

Answer 2

It would be great if all offices got off at noon on every Friday and begin a longer weekend for one and all and work one hour extra in the rest of the week. This will not only allow Muslims to go for Friday prayers, but for Jewish folks to prepare for Sabbath, and the rest of the folks could enjoy a longer weekend. Working from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day with a one hour lunch break or getting off at 5:30 PM with a half hour lunch may work for most people. On Fridays one can work for four hours and work nine hours each day on four days of the week. Four and half day week, with two and half day off will suit everyone!! One more hour a day may not be that bad if you begin work half an hour early and end half hour later.

Answer 3

Dear the writer, I must appreciate your matter. And I must tell you one story of rather a fact.

I was in my school when one of the Teacher had a habit.. NOTE a Habit to every year pick up Muslim students up and Tease them that they dont take baths on regular days. Moreover when it was a Friday the Situation would go to worst.

He did what was simply ask pointingly a Muslim student to get up and make a nuisance in front of the whole class blaming him to take Baths only on Festivals(Eids).

I hope you would understand how humiliating it was for all of the Muslim students that were present in the class.

I would just like to pray that Allah saves our world form these ignorant minds that have shits in their heads.

Answer 4

Alhamdullilah, thank you so much for your advises on cleanliness, brother. It really refreshes my lessons on Islamic Studies again. I just try to read a lot of selawat on Fridays, at times I forgot making the dzikir and nothing else.

Answer 5

I honestly love nothing more than an educated, intelligent, and open-minded Muslim who sets the record strait for the ignorance of others' beliefs.

Muslim's are the cleanest people on earth. Not only on ourselves of course, but also our homes are clean and well kept especially since it's impure to have dogs as pets. We are also clean in the way we dress ourselves and our children too.

Thank you for clarifying our "cleanliness" to some peoples ignorant way of thinking.

Salaam.

Answer 6

thank you very very much for that very informative lesson..you not only helped non-muslims to understand the significance and wisdom of cleanliness in islam but also made sure that we muslims are aware of the fact too..at least,,now i'm ready to face anyone who asks me about muslims bathing only on Friday.. : ).Thank you once agin..Jaza'aka Allah Khair..

Answer 7

Salat for Friday evening

Regarding the prayer for Friday eve the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: If one recites two rakat prayers and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Tawheed 70 times and after the prayer recites Astaghfirullaah 70 times, then by the One Who has sent me with truth anyone who performs this act and does Isteghfar then even if he supplicates for my whole nation the Almighty would accept his supplication and would enter the whole nation in Paradise.

Prayer for Friday 1

It is related from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) that one who recites this day eight-rakat prayer in the forenoon the Almighty elevates him a thousand levels in Paradise.

The prayer for Friday is four rakats. In each rakat after Surah Hamd recite Ayatul Kursi 15 times and after the prayers recite Astaghfirullaah 70 times and Laa hawla wala Quwwata illa billa 50 times.

Prayer for Friday 2

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that one who recites four rakats prayer on Friday and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Mulk and Surah Ha Mim the Almighty would admit him into Paradise and would accept his intercession for his family members and keep him safe from the squeeze of the grave and the punishment of Qiyamat.

The narrator asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) regarding the time of these prayers. He (s.a.w.s.) replied: After sunrise and before noon. That is in between the two.

We should know that all these prayers for the days of the week are narrated from Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and he has quoted from his forefathers.

Answer 8

I appreciate the lesson in Islam. I think we all need to be more aware of our differences, especially during these times. However, I still can't help but notice that even in this paragraph ,obviously written by a muslim, it still carries an undertone of condescendence and self-righteousness.

In order to ask one to tolerate your religeon, you in turn need to practice the same towards others, less you risk sounding a hypocrite.

Answer 9

i cant find word to just describe how much its great to read this.im happy about it.and well i know im proud that im a mulsima but now u just remind me to thank GOD for everything.l7madellah 3anjad.
peace.and again its great.nice work. :-))))))))))))))))))))))

Answer 10

Good one.