The prayer of the Gathering, Jumu‘ah, commonly called Juma.

Friday afternoon for Muslims is the time of the weekly congregational prayers, the Jumu‘ah, when the whole community gathers at the mosque for sermons and two rak‘at of prayer recited aloud. The Jumu‘ah, as part of the Pillar of Prayer, is obligatory for adult men and commendable for adult women. The sanctity of the Jumu‘ah is the reason for holding Dhikr on Thursday night: to prepare the body, heart and spirit for the experience of the universal community throughout the world and all time.

On Jumu‘ah we prepare for the Last Day, which according to Hadith will occur on a Friday. As such, there are additional Sunnah customs relating to the Friday prayers: to wear white as a reminder of the burial shroud; to make a full-body ablution in the morning, letting the body taste the nourishing water of the spirit. Also, men should wear a pleasing perfume or scent. There is much merit in arriving early to spend time in the mosque remembering God and supplicating Him.

At the Shadhiliyya Spiritual Retreat Center, Salih Cotten is our Friday Imam and khatib. Each of our visitors is invited to taste the spiritual pole of the week, the Jumu‘ah prayers.