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الجمعة Al-Jumu'ah

The Congregation, Friday 11 verses · Madinah

Topics 2
  1. Guidance is God’s Grace
  2. Get Your Priorities Right

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Guidance is God’s Grace

62:1

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْمَلِكِ ٱلْقُدُّوسِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ ۝١

Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth glorify and praise Allāh in their own way. They praise the God who is the King, the Most Holy, the Mighty, and the Wise.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:2

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلْأُمِّيِّۧنَ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ۝٢

He is the One who raised among the people of Mecca a Messenger from among themselves. The role of the Prophet consists of three things: • he recites to them His (Allāh’s) verses revealed to him; • he purifies them spiritually; • and teaches them the Book (i.e., the Qur’ān) and wisdom (i.e., his teachings). While the people of Mecca before Muḥammad were indeed in clear error.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Raising the Prophet Muḥammad among such people is a sign of Allāh’s power and grace.
This was the fulfillment of Prophet Ibrāhim’s prayer as mentioned in 2:129.

62:3

وَءَاخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا۟ بِهِمْ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ۝٣

And there are others —unborn or uninformed— from among them who have not yet joined them. And He, God, is the Mighty, the Wise.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:4

ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ۝٤

This guidance through Muḥammad is a grace of Allāh that He grants to whomsoever He pleases; Allāh is the Lord of mighty grace.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:5

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بَِٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٥

The parable of the Israelites who were charged with the Tawrāt but they did not observe it is like the parable of the ass that carries books on its back but can’t read or use them! Evil is the parable of the people who rejected the verses revealed by Allāh in the Torah, and surely Allāh does not guide the unjust people.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Then Allāh gives the example of a past nation that did not follow the Divine guidance:

62:6

قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوٓا۟ إِن زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ۝٦

O Muḥammad, say: “O you the Jews! If you claim that you are the friends of Allāh with the exclusion of other people, then invoke death upon yourselves if you are truthful.” (A friend of Allāh longs to meet the Lord and is sure of his place in Paradise; death is the only barrier between him and Paradise.)S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:7

وَلَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَهُۥٓ أَبَدًۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٧

But, O Muḥammad, be sure that they will never invoke it upon themselves because of the sins that their hands have sent ahead. They are not true friends of God because they have amassed sins. Allāh is well aware of sinful people.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:8

قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْمَوْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مُلَٰقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ۝٨

Say to them: “Verily, the death from which you are fleeing, that will surely meet you, and then you will be resurrected and sent back to Allāh, the Knower of the unseen and the seen, who shall then inform you of what you were doing in this world.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Get Your Priorities Right

62:9

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝٩

O you who believe! When the call is made for the prayer on the day of Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of Allāh and leave off trading and all other activities—that is better for you if you know the importance of this commandment.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Now Almighty Allāh turns to the Muslims and orders them to follow the guidance and not be like the nations that did not observe Allāh’s commandments.

62:10

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ۝١٠

Of course, when the Friday prayer has ended, then you may spread out in the vast earth and and seek from Allāh’s grace. But even in pursuit of worldly affairs, remember Allāh often so that you may hopefully prosper.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

62:11

وَإِذَا رَأَوْا۟ تِجَٰرَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا ٱنفَضُّوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَتَرَكُوكَ قَآئِمًۭا ۚ قُلْ مَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهْوِ وَمِنَ ٱلتِّجَٰرَةِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ ۝١١

And when they saw a trade caravan or entertainment that entailed it, they converged onto it and left you, O Muḥammad, standing on your pulpit! (Only 12 people were left in the mosque with the Prophet.) Say to them, “Whatever is with Allāh is better than the entertainment and the trade. Indeed Allāh is the Best of sustainers.”S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Then Allāh gives the example of some Muslims who had messed up their priorities. A trade caravan from Syria had entered the city of Medina right when the Prophet was delivering his Friday sermon. As usual, the caravan announced its arrival with drums and trumpets.