1. For an explanation, see: Tafhim al-Qur'ān, vol. 5, along with the explanation of Surah al-Ḥadīd: 57: nn. 1-2 and Surah al-Ḥashr, 59: nn. 36, 37 and 41. These opening remarks bear a deep relevance to the theme taken up later in this Sūrah. Although the Jews of Arabia witnessed first hand the Prophet's illustrious life, excellent conduct and clear signs of his Messengership, and although the Torah included Prophet Moses' glad tidings about the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), which applied exclusively to him and nobody else, they refused to believe in him on the ground that they found it totally unacceptable to recognise anyone as a Messenger who was not of their own community and progeny. They openly proclaimed that they were only bound by what comes to their community. They were not at all prepared to accept any teaching which is brought to them by a non-Israelite Prophet even if it was from God. They are reproached for this misconduct in the verses which follow. That is why the beginning discourse opens with an introductory sentence. It is asserted that all that is in the heavens and earth extols the glory of God. The entire universe testifies that He is above and beyond those flaws and weaknesses which account for the Jewish misperception about their ethnic superiority. God is no one's relative. Favouritism is out of the question as far as He is concerned. He treats all His creatures with equality, justice, mercy and care. No particular race or community is His favourite, irrespective of the deeds of its members. He is not bound to favour only a particular group just as He has no hostility towards any ethnic group or community. If they are virtuous, there is no reason why He should deprive them of His favour. It is further affirmed that He is the Sovereign and there is no power on earth that can restrict His authority and power. All human beings are only His servants and created beings. Given this, they are not authorised to decide who should or should not be appointed as His Messenger; He can do whatever He likes without consulting them. The Qur'an further states that He is the Holy (al-Quddus) which means that He is extremely pure and far exalted above making any lapse or error in His judgement. Human judgements may have mistakes but His decrees are perfect and correct. Towards the end, two more Divine Attributes have been mentioned. One is that He is Almighty, i.e. no one can fight or overpower Him. The second attribute is that He is All-Wise, i.e. all His actions are marked by perfect wisdom, and His plans are so well- executed that no one in this world can hinder or frustrate them.

2. Here, the word ummī (Gentile) is used as a Jewish term and there is a subtle satire in it. One should recall that the Jews used to look down on the Arabs whom they disdainfully called Gentiles. These same Jews are now told that God, the Most Mighty and Most Wise, has raised His Messenger from the ranks of these contemptible Gentiles. Since this Messenger did not rise of his own accord but was raised by the Mighty and Wise Sovereign of the universe, the Jews would only harm themselves rather than the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) if they decide to clash with him.

It should be known that the word ummī features in the Qur'an at several places and in a variety of shades of meaning. It does not give the same meaning in every place in which it is mentioned. In fact, it conveys a different meaning, depending on the context. At places, it is used for those who do not have any revealed Scripture to follow, unlike the people of the Book. For example, it is said: "And ask the people of the Book as well as those who follow no heavenly Scripture: Have you also submitted (to Allah)" (Surah Al 'Imran, 3: 20).

Here, the word Gentiles means the Arab idolators. They have been declared as a separate group from the Jews and Christians. At other places, it is used for the illiterate people among the Jews and Christians who are ignorant of the Book as well as for those unfamiliar with Allah's

Books: "Among them are also the unlettered folk who do not know about the Scriptures but cherish baseless wishes and merely follow their conjectures" (Surah al-Baqarah, 2: 78). They say: "We will not be taken to task for whatever we may do to non-Jews (ummīs)" (Āl 'Imrān, 3: 75). This third meaning of ummi is implied in the verse under discussion as a typical Jewish term. Ummi is a synonym of the Hebrew word goyim which has been translated as Gentiles in the English Bible and refer to all non-Jewish or non-Israelites people.

However, this literal definition of the Jewish term cannot be understood only by this explanation. Initially, the Hebrew word goyim was used only with the meaning of a nation, but gradually it was used to refer only to themselves, meaning thereby that all other nations other than the Jews are uncivilized, irreligious, unclean and contemptible. So much so that the word surpassed the Greek hate term 'Barbarian', which was used for non-Greeks. In the Rabbinic literature, "goyim" are such contemptible people that they cannot even be considered human beings nor be made companions in a journey. Even if one of them is drowning, he is not to be rescued. The Jews believed that the promised Messiah will kill and destroy all the goyim Gentiles and burn them to annihilation (for a detailed commentary, see: Tafhīm al-Qur'ān, vol. 1, Surah Al 'Imran, 3: n. 64).

3. The characteristics of these four distinctive features of Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) have been mentioned in four places in the Qur'an and, in each instance, the circumstantial setting has a different objective. In verses 1-9 of Surah al-Baqarah, these features are recounted to tell the Arabs that, although they consider the Prophet's advent as a calamity and affliction for them, in fact it represents a great blessing because Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace and blessings be upon them) used to supplicate to God regarding their progeny. In verse 159 of Surah al-Baqarah, these features have been mentioned to exhort the Muslims to recognise the true worth of the Prophet so as to derive full benefit from the blessing which they had been granted in the form of his apostleship. His advent is indeed a Divine blessing for them. In verse 164 of Al 'Imrān, the Israelites and those of weak faith are told that God has done them a huge favour by raising His Messenger from amongst themselves and that they are too foolish not to appreciate this blessing. The same features are reiterated here for the fourth time in order to tell the Jews that the Prophet's mission is exactly what a Messenger is supposed to accomplish. He recites the Revelation of God whose language, subject matter, style and everything else about it testify that it is indeed from God. The Prophet purifies and reforms the lives of people, he cleanses their morals and manners, their dealings and deeds and he infuses in them excellent morals and manners. This mission had been accomplished by earlier Prophets as well. Furthermore, he does not rest content with rehearsing the Divine Signs but demonstrates them through his words, deeds, his own example as well as through the spirit and message of God's Book. He instructs them with such wisdom which is only imparted by Prophets who stand out for their character building and are recognised by the same traits. Yet, these Jews were so obstinate that they refused to believe in him or in his genuine Messengership and glorious achievements simply because God did not raise him from among themselves but from among those whom they call Gentiles (Ummi).

4. This is another proof of Prophet Muhammad's Messengership which has been presented to open the eyes of the Jews. These people had been living in Arabia for centuries and were thoroughly familiar with the religious, moral, social and cultural life of the Arabs. Referring to the state of their previous life, they are told; "you are eyewitnesses of the Revelation that has taken place in the life of this nation within a few years under the guidance and leadership of Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and you are fully aware of the condition in which these people were before embracing Islam. They have changed altogether after having entered the fold of Islam. They may also be easily distinguished from those who have not yet accepted Islam. Is the clear and manifest difference, which even a blind person can see, not enough to convince you that this revolution cannot be brought except by a Prophet?" Rather, the achievements of earlier Prophets have faded.

5. Prophet Muhammad's Messengership is not just confined to the Arabs. His Messengership is even for those communities and ethnic groups who are yet to join the believers and are going to be born in the future until the Last Day. The Qur'ānic account describes these as follows: "Those others who have not yet joined them" (verse 3). The word minhum (of them) in the original can carry two meanings: (1) "That those other people will be of the ummīs, i.e. the non-Israelite nations of the world"; and (2) "that there will be believers in Prophet Muḥammad's (peace and blessings be upon him) message from the whole of mankind until the Last Day. Later on, other Qur'ānic passages with the same declaration are mentioned in Surah al-An'ām, 6: 19; Surah al-Ar af, 7: 158; Sūrah al-Anbiyā', 21: 107; Surah al-Furqān, 25: 1 and Surah Sabā, 34: 28 (For further details, see: Tafhīm al-Qur'ān, vol. 4, commentary on Surah Saba', 34: 47).

6. That is, it is a manifestation of God's boundless power and wisdom that He has raised a great Prophet whose teachings are so revolutionary and contain such eternal and universal principles as can provide a sound basis for binding the whole of mankind into a single, unified community that is guided by those principles forever. A pretender would not be able to attain this position and rank no matter how hard he may try, not to speak of someone who hails from a backward people like the Arabs. Even the most intelligent and talented man from the most advanced nation in the world does not have the ability to revolutionize a nation so completely and then give such comprehensive principles to the world which all mankind may follow as one community and be able to run a universal and all-pervasive system stemming from of a single faith, culture and civilization that is valid forever. This is nothing but a miracle performed, thanks to God's absolute power. And on the basis of His wisdom, He selects a suitable Messenger from among any community He likes and, if this is resented by some, it makes no difference whatsoever.

7. This Qur'anic verse is open to two meanings, one general and one particular. In its general meaning, it means that those who were entrusted with the responsibility of acting on the Torah, and guiding fellow human beings accordingly, did not fulfil their responsibility nor did they discharge this duty as they should. In its particular sense, it conveys the idea that, being the bearers of the Torah, they should have been the first to join hands with Prophet Muhammad's message as the good news of his advent was clearly foretold in the Torah. However, instead of doing that, they were among the first to oppose him and, thus, they have failed to fulfil what the teachings of the Torah required of them.

8. They are like a donkey laden with books that does not realize what it is carrying. Going by the same analogy, these people are bearers of the Torah yet they fail to understand the purpose for which this book has been revealed and what it requires of them.

9. They are even worse than a donkey because the latter is devoid of understanding and it is therefore excusable. By contrast, the Jews are endowed with mental faculties, they learn and teach the Torah and are not unaware of its message. Yet, they deliberately violate its teachings and knowingly refuse to believe in the Prophet who, according to the Torah, is a perfectly genuine Messenger. They are guilty not of ignorance but of denying God's revelation deliberately and criminally.

10. It is worth noting that the Qur'ān does not address them by saying: "O Jews". Rather, it calls them: "O you who have become Judaised" or "O you who have adopted Judaism". What accounts for this is that the true faith revealed to the Prophet Moses (peace and blessings be upon him) and other messengers before and after him was none other than Islam itself. None of these Prophets was a Jew nor was Judaism born in their respective times, for Judaism appeared on the scene at a much later date. It is ascribed to the tribe which descended from Judah, Prophet Jacob's fourth son (peace and blessings be upon him). When the Jewish kingdom of Prophet Solomon (peace and blessings be upon him) broke into two, this tribe ruled over the Judaic state which came to be known as Judaea. The other Israelite tribes also established their separate state, known as Samaria. Later, not only did the Assyrians destroy Samaria but they also wiped out those Israelite tribes that founded this state. After that, only the descendants of Judah, besides those of Benjamin, survived and began to be called the "Jews" because of the predominance of the descendants of Judah. Judaism is the name of the framework of the doctrines, customs and religious rules and regulations which the rabbis and learned men of this race prepared, along many centuries and according to their own ideas, theories and trends. This superstructure emerged in the fourth century BC and was consolidated by the 5th century CE, but even this element has been corrupted. This is why they are addressed in many places in the Qur'ān as al-Ladhīna hādū "O you who have become Jews". Accordingly, the Qur'an addresses these people as those who have become Judaised for not all of them were of Israelite descent as there were also among them those who had embraced Judaism. Whenever the Qur'an addresses the Children of Israel, it uses the same appellation but when it wants to draw the attention of the followers of Judaism, it uses the expression: "O you who have become Jews."

11. Their claim has been described at various places in the Qur'an. For example, they insist that none will enter Paradise except the Jews (Surah al-Baqarah, 2: 11) and that the Hellfire will not touch them even if they are punished because their punishment will only last a few days (Surah al-Baqarah, 2: 80 and Al 'Imran, 3: 24). They also insist that they are God's sons and favourites (Surah al-Ma'idah, 5: 18). Some of these claims are also found in the books of Jewish literature. It is common knowledge that they call themselves God's chosen people and cherish the false notion that they have a special relationship with God, which other human groups or classes do not have.

12. This has been stated for the second time in the Qur'an, upon addressing the Jews. The Qur'an had told them earlier: First, in Surah al-Baqarah (94-96), "Say to them: 'If indeed the Abode of the Hereafter with God is exclusively reserved for you and not for the rest of mankind, then you should long for death if you are sincere in your claim.' But they are fully aware of what they have sent before them for the Hereafter. God is well-aware of the mentality of the transgressors. You will certainly find them most eager to cling on to life, indeed even more eager than the idolators - those who associate others with God in His divinity. Each one of them wishes to live a life of a thousand years but the bestowal of a long life can by no means remove them away from the Doom. For God is watching whatever they are doing" (Surah al-Baqarah, 2: 94-96). Now, the same thing has been reiterated here but in fact it is not a mere repetition. In Surah al-Baqarah, verses 94-96 were revealed at a time when the Muslims had not fought any battle against the Jews. In this Surah, however, the same truth is pressed home again when, after several battles, their power in Arabia had been finally and absolutely crushed. These battles and their resulting outcomes proved by experience and observation that the said power of the Jews

in Madinah and Khaybar was superior to that of the Muslims both in terms of numbers and resources. Furthermore, they also enjoyed the support of the Arab polytheists and Madīnan hypocrites who were bent on obliterating the Muslims. But in spite of this disparity, the Muslims overwhelmed the Jews mainly because the Muslims were the ones who were the least afraid to die in the cause of God. They were rather fond of it, and went to the battlefield fully prepared to attain martyrdom. This is because they had the conviction that they were fighting in the cause of God and that Paradise is for those who attain martyrdom in this cause. By contrast, the Jews were not prepared to fight or take any risks neither in the cause of God nor in that of their own community or even for their own selves, properties and honour. They just wanted to live in whatever way and this turned them into cowards.

13. In other words, their flight from death is not without a reason. Notwithstanding their tall claims, they are fully aware of how they are behaving towards God and His religion and what consequences can be expected for the misdeeds they are committing in this world. This is why they are afraid to appear at the court of God.

14. Three things are particularly noteworthy in this Qur'ānic statement. (1) It speaks of the call to prayer. (2) This announcement is specifically for the Jumu'ah prayer. (3) The Muslims are not merely asked to announce the Friday prayer and offer it in a particular manner. It is clear from both the style and context that the announcement of the prayer and the special prayer of Jumu'ah were already performed and practised. What the Muslims lacked is that they did not rush to offer the prayer when the call to prayer was made for Jumu'ah. Rather, they remained occupied with their worldly activities, business and trade transactions. Accordingly, God revealed this verse in order for them to realize and appreciate the importance of the call to this prayer and to exhort them to hasten to perform this religious duty. On studying all these three points deeply, a salient principle emerges which is that God gave some commands to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which are not revealed in the Qur'ān. However, these commands are as mandatory as those stated in the Qur'an itself. The same Adhān is announced in every mosque throughout the world for the five obligatory prayers. But its wording has not been stated anywhere in the Qur'ān nor was the method of calling people to the Prayer mentioned in it. The Adhān was prescribed by the Prophet and was endorsed at two places in the Qur'an, namely in verse 9 of Surah al-Jumuah and verse 58 of Surah al-Ma'idah. Likewise, the Qur'ān does not lay down the command for the prayer which the Muslims all over the world perform; it does not specify its time or manner. This was clarified by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The above Qur'ānic verse was revealed to emphasise the importance and mandatory nature of this prayer. This is an incontrovertible argument that anyone who claims that the Shari'ah commandments are only confined to those stated in the Qur'ān is guilty of denying not only the Sunnah but also the Qur'an itself.

Before we proceed further, let us understand a few following salient points about Jumu'ah (the Friday congregational Prayer).

1. Jumu'ah (Friday) is an Islamic term. In the pre-Islamic period, the Arabs called it yawm ‘arūbah and, as Islam declared it the day of the assembly of Muslims, it was re-named al-Jumu'ah. Although, according to the historians, Kab ibn Lu'ayy or Quṣayy ibn Kilāb, had also used the same term for the assembly of Quraysh (Fath al-Bārī), it did not, however, bring out any change in the ancient name of this day. The common Arabs continued to call it 'arūbah day. The real change took place when Islam gave it this new name.

2. Before Islam, the people of the Book were aware of the practice of devoting one day per week for worship as an emblem of a particular religious community. The Sabbath (Saturday) was earmarked for the Jews for this purpose because it was on a Saturday that God had delivered the Children of Israel from their bondage to the Pharaoh. In order to distinguish themselves from the Jews, the Christians declared Sunday as their distinctive emblem, although Prophet Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) did not command this nor is this mentioned anywhere in the Gospels. However, the Christians believe that, after sacrificing his life on the cross on Sunday, Prophet Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) had risen from the grave and ascended to heaven. For this consideration, later Christians ordained it as the day of their worship and then, in 321 C.E, the Roman empire proclaimed it as a public holiday by decree. Islam draws a line of distinction from the other two religious communities by fixing Jumu'ah as the day of its collective worship.

3. It emerges from the report related by 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbās and Abū Mas'ud al-Anṣārī that the Friday congregational Jumu'ah prayer had been enjoined on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah some time before his migration (hijrah). However, at that time, he could not act on this command because any collective worship was out of the question in Makkah. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a written instruction to the people who had already migrated to Madīnah to establish the Jumu'ah congregational prayer there. Mus‘ab ibn 'Umayr, the leader of the earliest Muhajirūn, offered the first Jumu'ah prayer in Madīnah along with twelve other Muslims (al- Tabarānī and al-Darāquṭnī). Ka'b ibn Malik and Ibn Sirin have reported that, even before this, the Anṣār of Madīnah had decided on their own initiative before receiving the Prophet's command, to perform a collective worship on one day in the week. For this purpose, they disregarded the Sabbath (Saturday), for it was for the Jews, and Sunday, for it was for the Christians, and instead chose Friday. It was As'ad ibn Zurārah who led the first Jumu'ah prayer in the locality of Banū Bayādah in which forty Muslims participated (Musnad of Imām Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Hibbān, ‘Abd ibn Ḥumayd, 'Abd al-Razzaq and al- Bayhaqi). It thus emerges that the Muslims themselves wanted to have a day in which all Muslims pray together. They also felt that it should be a distinct day and different from Saturday and Sunday so that the Muslims develop their own distinct identity from the emblems of the Jewish and Christian communities.

4. One of the earliest actions taken by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his Hijrah to Madīnah was to establish the Jumu'ah congregational prayer. After leaving Makkah, the Prophet reached Quba' on Monday and stayed there for four days. On the fifth day, which was the day of Jumu'ah, he left for Madinah and when he reached the locality of Banu Salīm ibn 'Awf the time of Jumu'ah was due and so he offered the first Jumu'ah prayer there (Ibn Hishām).

5. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fixed the time for this prayer after the declining of the sun which is the same time as that of Zuhr prayer. Before his migration to Madīnah, he sent the following written instruction to Muş'ab ibn 'Umayr: "When it is past high noon on the day of Jumu'ah, seek proximity to God through two rak'ah prayers" (al-Dāraquṭnī). The Prophetic sayings that endorse the above are narrated on the authority of Ibn Anas, Salamah ibn al-Akwa', Jābir ibn 'Abdullah, al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwām, Sahl ibn Sa'd, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, 'Ammar ibn Yasir and Bilal ibn Rabāḥ, all confirming that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Jumu'ah prayer after high noon (Musnad of Imām Aḥmad; al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Jumuah; Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 860; Abū Dāwūd; al- Nasa'ī; and al-Tirmidhi, Abwäb al-Jumu'ah, 503).

6. It was also the Prophet's practice that, on the day of Jumu'ah, he led the Jumu'ah prayer, comprising only two prayer cycles (rak'ahs) in the place of Zuhr prayer. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, he used to deliver a sermon (Khutbah). This was the main distinction between the Jumu'ah and Zuhr prayer which was performed on other days. 'Umar said: "According to the command given by your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), a traveller should offer two rak'ahs in prayer. There are two rak'ahs for the Fajr prayer and two rak'ahs for the Jumu'ah prayer. This is the full prayer, not its shortened form. The Jumu'ah prayer consists only of two rak'ahs due to the sermon (al-Jaṣṣāṣ, Aḥkām al-Qur'ān).

7. The Adhän referred to in the above verse is the one made just before the sermon. It does not refer to the Adhan which is made sometime before the sermon to inform the believers that the time for the Jumu'ah prayer has started. Sa 'īb ibn Yazid informs that, during the Prophet's time, there was a single Adhān which was made after the Imām took his seat on the pulpit. This was also the practice during the reigns of Abu Bakr and 'Umar. However, when the Muslim population grew in number, an additional Adhan was introduced in the days of Caliph 'Uthman, which was announced from his house at Zawra' in the market of Madīnah (al-Bukhārī, Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasa'ī and al-Tabarānī).

15. The reference to remembrance here means the Jumu'ah sermon (Khutbah). The first action performed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after the Adhān was the delivery of his sermon, not leading the prayer. He always used to offer the prayer after delivering the sermon. Abu Hurayrah reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The angels record on Friday the names of the people attending the Jumu'ah prayer in the order of their arrival. When the Imam comes out to deliver the khutbah, they stop recording the names and turn their attention to listening to the khutbah (Musnad of Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 10; Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhi, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 164; and al-Nasā'ī). This ḥadīth confirms that the 'remembrance' referred to here stands for the sermon. The Qur'an alludes to the same thing and asks the believers to hasten to the remembrance of God. Then it said: "When the prayer is over, disperse in the land." This shows that, on Jumu'ah, the order of the service is the remembrance of God first and then offering the prayer. The scholars of the Qur'an unanimously agree that the remembrance here refers to the sermon or to both the sermon and the prayer.

That this sermon is labelled a remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh) means that it should focus on such topics which make one remember God, as for example glorifying and praising Him, sending blessings and salutations on His Messenger, exhortation, praising God and obeying His commands which constitute the Shari'ah and praising the pious servants of God who fear Him. For this reason, al-Zamakhsharī mentions in his Tafsir al-Kashshāf that praising a wicked and oppressive ruler or naming him or supplicating for him has nothing to do with the 'remembrance' of Allah, but rather such actions amount to remembering Satan.

Hastening to the remembrance of God does not mean that one should run or race towards the mosque. What is meant is that one should reach there early. Sa'y in Arabic does not stand for running. This expression is employed in the Qur'an on several places as a synonym for striving, as for example in Sūrahs al-Baqarah 2: 114, al-Isrā' 17: 19, al-Najm 53: 39 and al-Nazi'at 79: 35. The scholars of the Qur'an interpret this expression in the above sense. For them, it means that, upon hearing the Adhan, one should try one's best to reach the mosque at the earliest. Some Prophetic sayings forbid one, from reaching the mosque running. Abu Hurayrah reports that the Prophet said: "When the prayer is about to commence, join it with calm and dignity. Do not run in order to join the prayer. Join as much as you can of it and compensate for the missing part of the prayer afterwards" (al-Bukhārī and Muslim). Abū Qatādah al-Anṣārī states: "Once we were praying behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). All of a sudden we heard people running. When the prayer was over, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "What was the noise about?" They replied: 'We were running in order to join the prayer.' He told them: 'Don't do that. Whenever you go to the mosque, do so in a calm and dignified way. Offer the prayer behind the Imām. As for the portion missed by you, compensate it afterwards alone"" (al-Bukhārī and Muslim).

"Stop all buying and selling" does not refer just to buying and selling but also to every other worldly activity and business which prevents one from getting ready for the prayer with full attention and care. "Buying and selling" are forbidden in particular because there was a brisk business on Jumu'ah as people from the surrounding areas gathered together at a particular spot and traders also went there with their merchandises which made people get occupied with buying the items they needed for their daily use. So the prohibition is not restricted to business and trade but to other occupations as well. Since God has specifically mentioned buying and selling, Muslims jurists are of the view that after the Adhan for the Friday prayer is made, buying, selling and other worldly occupations are not permissible.

The above command absolutely confirms the mandatory nature of Jumu'ah prayer. In the first place, the command to hasten to it after hearing the Adhān is by itself a proof of its obligatoriness. Moreover, buying and selling, which are perfectly lawful activities, are prohibited at the time of the prayer, which shows that it is obligatory. Moreover, the elimination of the obligatory Zuhr prayer and its replacement by the Jumu'ah prayer is another clear proof that it is obligatory. This is because when an obligatory duty is abrogated, it is replaced by another more important duty. The above point is corroborated by several Prophetic sayings in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) exhorted the Muslims in the most emphatic terms to attend the Jumu'ah prayer and clearly declared it as an obligatory duty. 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was about to ask someone to lead the prayer in my place and I myself go to set fire on the houses of those who do not turn up for the Jumu'ah prayer" (Musnad Ahmad, 1, 402, 422, and 450 and al-Bukhārī). Abu Hurayrah, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbās and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar have reported that they heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say this at a Jumu'ah sermon: "People should not abandon the Jumu'ah prayer. Otherwise God will seal up their hearts and they will become totally heedless" (Musnad Ahmad, Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah," 865 and al-Nasa'ī). Abu'l-Ja'd al-Damrī, Jābir ibn 'Abdullāh and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Awfā have related Prophet's sayings to the effect that Allah seals the heart of the person who misses three consecutive Jumu'ah prayers out of negligence and without any valid or compelling reason," and in another narration: "God makes his heart akin to the heart of a hypocrite (Musnad Ahmad, 1, 239 and 254; Abū Dawūd, 1053; al-Nasā'ī, 1369; al- Tirmidhi, 500; Ibn Majah, 1126; al-Dārimī, al-Ḥākim, Ibn Hibban, al- Bazzar and al-Tabarānī in al-kabīr 1, 170). Jābir ibn 'Abdullah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Jumu'ah prayer is obligatory on you from this day until the Day of Resurrection. The person who misses it, deeming it as something unimportant and not recognizing it as a duty, God will not improve his condition nor will He bless him. Listen carefully! His prayer, zakāt, hajj, fasting and good deeds will not be accepted until he repents. And for the one who repents, God is Most Pardoning" (Ibn Majah and al-Bazzār). Al-Ṭabarānī in his al-Awsat narrated a report from Ibn 'Umar which is identical with the one above. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared in several Prophetic sayings that the Jumu'ah prayer is an obligatory duty which must be performed. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Jumu'ah prayer is obligatory on every one who hears its Adhan" (Abū Dāwūd, 1056 and al-Dāraquṭnī). Jābir ibn 'Abdullah and Abū Sa'id al-Khudrī stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in his sermon:

"Know well that God has made the Jumu'ah prayer obligatory on you" (al-Bayhaqi). However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has exempted women, children, slaves, the ill and the travellers from this duty. Hafsah, the Prophet's wife, reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is obligatory on every adult to join the Jumu'ah prayer" (al-Nasā'ï, 1371). Tariq ibn Shihab ascribes the following report to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "It is obligatory on the Muslims to join the Jumu'ah congregation, excluding the slaves, women, children and those who are ill" (Abū Dāwūd and al-Ḥākim). Jābir ibn 'Abdullah's report reads as follows: "The one who believes in God and the Day of Judgement is obliged to offer the Jumu'ah prayer, except for women, the travellers, the slaves or those who are ill" (al-Dāraquṭnī and al-Bayhaqī). In view of these explicit statements in the Qur'an and Ḥadith, the whole Muslim community regards the Jumu'ah congregational prayer as an obligatory duty.

16. This is not to say that everyone should disperse in search of livelihood after the Jumu'ah congregational prayer is over. The above Qur'ānic statement is by way of granting permission. Since in the early part of the verse it was commanded that all buying and selling should be stopped for the Jumu'ah prayer, this part of the verse allows them to disperse and resume or pursue whatever occupation or business they may like. This Qur'ānic command is identical with the prohibition of hunting in the state of Iḥrām which clarifies that once one takes off the iḥrām, one is free to hunt if one wishes to do so (al-Ma'idah, 5:2). This does not means that one must hunt after taking off the iḥrām. Rather, what is meant is the lifting of the prohibition. Another similar instance is the permission to marry more than one wife which has been given in Surah al-Nisa'. The Qur'ānic expression fankiḥū is not a command to marry which is binding on everyone. The imperative mode does not necessarily mean a command as it can also indicate permission or desirability. The context decides whether it is a command, a permission or simply a desirable act in the sight of God. The next part of the verse udhkuru is, once again, in the imperative form but it evidently describes a desirable act and choice, not a duty or compulsion.

It is also worth noting that the Qur'an does not declare Jumu'ah as a public holiday like it is the case with the Sabbath for the Jews or Sunday for the Christians. What is, nonetheless, undeniable is that Jumu'ah is an identity marker for the Muslim community precisely in the same way as Saturday and Sunday are for Jews and Christians respectively. If there is a social need for a weekly day off, like the Jews and Christians who selected for this Saturday and Sunday respectively, the Muslims endowed with the Islamic spirit will opt for Jumu'ah. The Christians impose Sunday as a public holiday even in countries where the presence of Christians is nominal. When the Jews established their state in Palestine, the first step they undertook was to make Saturday their public holiday instead of Sunday. In pre-Partition India, British India observed Sunday as a public holiday while the Muslim princely states observed Friday as their weekly holiday. However, wherever the Muslims lack the Islamic spirit, even after regaining their sovereign power, they cling to Sunday as a public holiday, as is evident in Pakistan. Wherever there is excessive Westernisation, such as in Turkey, Jumu'ah is always replaced by Sunday as a weekly public holiday.

17. The believers are asked not to forget God while being engaged in their business and trade. Rather, they should always remember Him in all circumstances and remain conscious of Him. (For more explanation, see: Surah al-Aḥzāb, Tafhīm al-Qur'ān, vol. 4, commentary note 33-63).

18. At several places in the Qur'ān, after giving an instruction, an admonition or a command, words to the effect of "perhaps, you achieve success" or "perhaps you may be shown mercy" have been used. The use of "perhaps" on such occasions does not mean that Allah, God forbid, is entertaining a doubt. Rather, this is a regal style of address. When a kind master tells his servant that he may get a promotion if he performs his job well, this constitutes an implicit promise which encourages the servant to carry out his job with enthusiasm, for this implicit message is a matter of great joy and hope for him.

Since this Qur'ānic passage about the Jumu'ah prayer comes to an end here, it will be useful to describe briefly the relevant acts of Jumu'ah prayer as drawn from the Qur'an, Ḥadīth, the practice of the Companions and the standing principles of Islam as interpreted by the four major Islamic juristic schools.

According to the Ḥanafi school, the timing of both the Zuhr and Jumu'ah prayer is the same. The Jumu'ah prayer cannot be held before or after the appointed hour of the Zuhr prayer. All transactions and trade dealings are prohibited once the first Adhān is given while the second Adhān, which is made when the Imām heads for the pulpit, should not be taken into account as far as this issue is concerned. For the words of the Qur'an in this regard are explicit and definite: "When the call for prayer is made on Jumu'ah" (verse 9). After the declining of the sun, when it is the time for the Jumu'ah prayer and the Adhān is made for this prayer, people should stop all business and trade transactions. If someone makes a business deal at that time, it will be considered null and void but it will be counted as a sin on his part. The Jumu'ah prayer is not performed in every human settlement. It can be offered only in a city with a sizeable population (miṣr Jāmi ') which has been defined as a large town. Such a town should have marketplaces, adequate security arrangements and a considerable population. Its central mosque should have the capacity to accommodate all those who are obliged to offer the Jumu'ah prayer. As for those who live outside the city, they are only obliged to go to the city to offer this prayer if they can hear the Adhan or if they live at a distance of six miles from the city. The Jumu'ah prayer is necessarily performed inside a mosque. It can also be organized in an open field in the suburb of that town. But it should be held at a public place to which everyone has access without any obstacles. If it is held at a place with restricted access, such prayer is not valid irrespective of the number of people attending it. A valid Jumu'ah prayer is one in which at least three people pray behind the Imām (according to Imām Abū Ḥanifah) or two people (according to Abū Yusuf and Muḥammad). The reference here is to those people who are obliged to perform this prayer. A person is exempt from attending the Jumu'ah prayer if he is on a journey, or is so ill that he cannot walk to the place of prayer or is physically disabled in both legs, or if he is a blind person. However, in the opinion of Imām Abū Yūsuf and Imām Muḥammad, the blind person is exempted only if he does not have any escort to take him to the place of prayer. The exemption applies to the following as well: the person who fears for his life or honour at the hands of a wrongdoer or serious financial loss from a tyrant, or is caught by heavy rain, mud, flood, or if he is a prisoner. It is not desirable for prisoners and the physically disabled to offer the Zuhr in congregation on Jumu'ah. Likewise, it is not desirable for those who miss the Jumu'ah prayer to offer the Zuhr prayer in congregation. The sermon is one of the prerequisites of the Jumu'ah prayer for it to be valid because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never offered it without a sermon. This sermon must be delivered before the prayer and should comprise two parts. Talk is prohibited on Jumu'ah from the moment the Imām proceeds to the pulpit to deliver his sermon until he finishes delivering it. No prayer should be offered during the delivery of the sermon, whether or not the Imam's voice reaches the praying person and whether or not the Imām is sitting (al-Hidayah, Fatḥ al-Qadīr, al-Jaṣṣās, Aḥkām al-Qur'ān, al-Fiqh 'ala al-Madhāhib al-Arabʻah and 'Umdat al-Qārī.)

According to the Shāfi 'I school, the due time for both the Zuhr and Jumu'ah prayer is identical. When the second Adhān is made after the Imām takes to the pulpit, all transactions must be stopped and people should hasten to the prayer. Any transaction conducted at that time is void. The Jumu'ah prayer can be held in any township that includes forty people on whom this prayer is obligatory. As for those outside the township, they must also join this prayer if they can hear the Adhān. It is better to perform this prayer within the boundaries of people's settlement. However, it is not compulsory to hold it in a mosque. As for those nomadic peoples who live in tents in the desert, they are not obliged to offer the Jumu'ah prayer. The following are the grounds on which one is exempt from the Jumu'ah prayer: If one is on a journey, or staying at a place for four or less than four days, provided that one's journey is for something lawful and does not involve committing a sin. The old or sick person who cannot use even a conveyance for attending this prayer are exempt. And so is the blind person who does not have any escort for the prayer. Likewise, one is exempt from attending the Jumu'ah prayer if one's life, belongings or honour are under threat, and also when one is a prisoner, provided that one is imprisoned for no fault of one's own. Two sermons must be delivered before offering the Jumu'ah prayer. Although it is according to the Sunnah to sit quietly during the sermon, talking during the delivery of the Jumu'ah sermon is disapproved. It is undesirable for one to talk while sitting close to the Imām. However, one may respond to the salām and say the blessings and peace on the Prophet aloud when his name is mentioned (Mughni al-Muḥtāj, al-Fiqh 'ala al-Madhāhib al-Arb'ah).

The Maliki stance is that the time of Jumu'ah prayer begins from the declining of the sun and lasts until the evening before sunset, i.e. a period in which both the sermon and prayer may be concluded. Contingent upon the second Adhān for the Jumu'ah prayer, all transactions must stop and people should rush to the prayer. Any transaction conducted after the second Adhān is void and the person involved in it is sinful. The Jumu'ah prayer can be held in settlements whose residents live in permanent homes and do not follow any seasonal migration in summer or winter. The town should be such that its needs and requirements are met in the same settlement. Moreover, its people should be of such a number that allows them to defend themselves unaided. The Jumu'ah prayer cannot be held at a location which is set for temporary stay, irrespective of the number of people found there or the duration of their stay in that location. It is compulsory for all those living within the radius of three miles of a town to join this prayer. This prayer can be held only in the mosque which is inside a settlement or town or is close to it and whose buildings should not be inferior to the houses of the common residents of the place. Some Māliki scholars add the condition that the mosque should be roofed and usually accommodate the five daily prayers. However, the majority opinion among Mālikī jurists is that it is not a prerequisite for the mosque to be roofed for the prayer to be valid. It can also be held in a mosque which is built specifically for the Jumu'ah prayer and has no provision for the five daily prayers. The congregation should consist of a minimum of twelve people on whom the prayer is obligatory, excluding the Imām. Those exempt from being obliged to perform it include the traveller and the person who is on a journey and intends to stay in a particular place for four days or less and the person who is so ill that he cannot go to the mosque and the person who has an ailing mother, father, wife, child, or is nursing a stranger who does not have anyone to look after him. He is also exempt he whose close relative is seriously ill or is in the throes of death, or fears an unbearable loss of property, or danger for life or honour or is hiding for fear of arrest or punishment, provided that he is a wronged and oppressed person. There is an exemption also in the case of heavy rain, mud, flooding on the way, or extremely hot or cold weather. The two-part sermon must be delivered before the prayer. If it is delivered after the prayer, the prayer has to be repeated and the sermon must be given inside the mosque. It is forbidden to offer any supererogatory prayer (nafl) once the Imām has stepped towards the pulpit. Likewise, talking is forbidden once the sermon starts, even if one cannot hear it. However, those in congregation are within their right to protest if the Imām says meaningless and absurd things which have nothing to do with the sermon or when he uses an abusive language towards someone who does not deserve it or praises someone who is unworthy of it, or talks about something irrelevant in the sermon. Furthermore, it is undesirable to make any supplication for the temporal ruler of the day as part of the sermon unless the Imam fears for his life were he to abstain from making it. The one who delivers the sermon must also lead the prayer. If someone else leads the prayer, the prayer will be null and void (Ḥāshiyat al-Dasūqī ‘alā al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr, Ibn al-'Arabi, Aḥkām al-Qur'ān, al-Fiqh ‘alā al-Madhāhib al-Arba'ah).

The Hanbali position regarding the Jumu'ah prayer is as follows: Its due time is from the moment when the sun has risen about a spear's length high and lasts until the beginning of the 'Asr prayer. The Jumu'ah prayer is valid before the declension of the sun but it is preferable to offer it after it (zawāl). The second Adhān signals putting an end to all transactions and everyone should rush to the prayer after the second Adhān. Any transaction conducted after that is void. The Jumu'ah prayer can be established in any locality which includes forty people upon whom this prayer is obligatory. These people should be residing in permanent houses, not in tents, and they should not include seasonal nomadic tribesmen. Even if a town is spread over miles and forty people are settled in its various parts, it is considered a town fit for establishing the Jumu'ah prayer. It can be held both in a mosque or an open field. Those exempted from the obligation of performing it include: the traveller who intends to stay at his destination of travel for four days or less; the patient who finds it hard to go to the mosque even with a vehicle; the blind person unless he can make his way to the mosque on his own. But if he is dependent on an escort, he is not obliged to offer this prayer. One is also exempt from attending it when there is extreme cold, scorching heat, heavy rain, or mud which obstruct one. One is also exempt when one is hiding to escape a wrongdoer's oppression or when one is threatened with one's life, honour or with serious financial loss. A two-part sermon should be delivered before the Jumu'ah prayer. It is forbidden (ḥarām) for those who sit nearer to the Imām to talk during the sermon. The one who is at a distance from the Imām may talk, however, but all those in congregation should maintain silence, irrespective of whether the one delivering sermon is a just or unjust person. When the 'Id falls on Jumu'ah, those who perform the 'Id prayer in congregation need not offer the Jumu'ah prayer. On this particular point, the Ḥanbalīs differ with the other three schools (Ghāyat al-Muntahā, al-Fiqh ‘alā al-Madhāhib al-Arba'ah).

All jurists agree that if the person upon whom the Jumu'ah prayer is not incumbent joins it, he is deemed to have performed it and he is no longer bound to offer the Zuhr prayer.

19. Below are the details of the incident about which the above commandments relating to Jumu'ah congregational prayer were enjoined in the preceding verse. These details are related on the authority of Jābir ibn 'Abdullah, ‘Abdullāh ibn 'Abbās, Abū Hurayrah, Abū Mālik, al- Hasan al-Baṣrī, Ibn Zayd, Qatādah and Muqātil ibn Ḥayyān. A trade caravan from Syria reached Madīnah at the exact time of Jumu'ah prayer. The people of the caravan were beating the drum and playing music to inform the residents of Madīnah of their arrival. At that precise time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering his sermon. The noise created by the caravan through the drum and music made the congregation restless and most of the men present rushed towards the Baqi' where the caravan had decamped, leaving only twelve Companions in the mosque. Of the several reports of this incident, the most authentic one is the one related by Jābir ibn 'Abdullah which is narrated through several reliable chains of narrators by Imām Aḥmad (3, 370), al-Bukhārī (4899), Muslim (863), al-Tirmidhī, Abū ‘Uwānah, 'Abd ibn Humayd, Abū Ya ʻlā and others. The only divergence in these reports is that some relate that this happened during the prayer itself while others specify that it occurred when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering his sermon. It emerges from combining the reports of Jabir, other Companions and their Successors that this had happened when the Prophet was delivering his sermon. Where Jābir mentions that this took place during the Jumu'ah prayer, he speaks of both sermon and prayer together. In the report of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, it is specified that, apart from the twelve men who stayed in the mosque, there were seven other women who stayed too (Ibn Mardawayh). According to Qatadah, only one woman in addition to those twelve male Companions remained in the mosque (Ibn Jarir, Ibn 'Abbās and Ibn Abī Ḥātim). Al-Dāraquṭnī reports that the number of Companions who remained in the mosque was forty; 'Abd ibn Ḥumayd reports that only seven Companions remained while al-Farra' mentions eight Companions. However, all these are weak reports. Qatādah's report that such an incident happened three times is also weak (Ibn Jarir). Jābir ibn 'Abdullah's version, however, is authentic and speaks of twelve Companions who stayed back in the mosque. On collating several reports about the number of Companions who remained in the Prophet's mosque, the names of the following Companions appear in the list:

Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, 'Ali, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, 'Ammar ibn Yasir, Sālim the client of Ḥudhayfah and Jābir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with all of them). The Ḥadīth master Abū Ya 'lā who related Jābir ibn 'Abdullah's report mentions that, when the congregation left and only twelve Companions remained, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed them saying: "By Him in Whose hand is my life! Had all of you left and no one remained behind, fire would have engulfed this valley." A similar report is related by Ibn Mardawayh on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas and also by Ibn Jarir on the authority of Qatadah.

The Shi'ahs have used this incident as the ground for reproaching the Companions. Their charge is that the departure of such a large number of Companions who abandoned the sermon and prayer and rushed to business and trade is proof that they preferred this world over the Hereafter. However, this is a harsh and misplaced allegation which amounts to turning a blind eye to ground realities. As a matter of fact, this incident took place just after the Hijrah. By then, the Companions were in the early phase of their moral training. Moreover, the Makkan disbelievers had imposed a strict economic boycott on the people of Madinah by using their clout. As a result, the basic necessities of life were scarce in Madīnah. Al-Hasan al-Başri informs that people were at that time starving and the prices of essential goods were exorbitantly high (Ibn Jarir). So when this trade caravan arrived, people were afraid that all the goods would be sold by the time the prayer was concluded which is why they rushed out to purchase their daily needs. It was a lapse on their part occasioned by some lacking in their moral training and adverse circumstances. However, on studying the lives of the Companions, one will note the tremendous sacrifices they made for the cause of Islam and that they exemplified piety in both their religious life and transactions. Those familiar with their illustrious lives and achievements cannot dare find fault with them nor can anyone possibly accuse them of preferring this world over the Hereafter. None can hurl such charges against the Companions except someone who bears malice against them.

However, just as this incident does not support the claims of the critics of the Companions of the Prophet, it also does not support the ideas of those who cherish exaggerated notions about them, claiming that they never committed any mistakes or, if they did, one should not mention it. For them, pointing out their lapses and mistakes amounts to humiliating them and reducing their prestige in the eyes of people. They also contend that mentioning their lapses and mistakes contradicts the Qur'ānic verses and Prophetic sayings which declare that God has forgiven all their errors and mistakes and that He is pleased with them. Such a stance, too, betrays an exaggeration which is not substantiated by the Qur'an or Ḥadīth. As is evident, God Himself mentions the lapses committed by a large number of Companions and this is part of the Qur'an which will be recited by the whole Muslim community until the Last Day. At the same time, the Qur'an does speak of the forgiveness of their sins and their acceptability in the sight of God. Furthermore, the tafsir and Ḥadīth corpus contain details of such lapses on the authority of the Companions themselves as well as of other leading Muslim scholars. Does it mean that God included this account only in order to discredit the very Companions whose glory the Qur'an seeks to establish? Does it imply that the Companions, their Successors as well as the Qur'ān and Hadith scholars who have recounted this incident at length were ignorant of the Shari'ah prohibition, as claimed by the admirers of the Companions? Is it true that all those studying Surah al-Jumu'ah and its exegesis look down on the Companions? Of course, the answer to all the above questions is an emphatic no. Hence what is said by way of excessive respect and regard for the Companions also amounts to a misplaced exaggeration.

The truth is that the Companions were not some celestial beings; they were human beings born on this earth. They received moral training at the feet of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) over the years. The mode of their training, explained in the Qur'ān and Ḥadīth, is that whenever they lapsed, God and His Messenger rectified their lapse on time, such that a training programme was immediately launched in order to eliminate that particular lapse. Let us take this instance of the Jumu'ah prayer as an example. When this incident happened, God revealed the above verses, cautioning the Muslims and instructing them about the norms of the Jumu'ah prayer. Along with this, through a series of sermons, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) impressed upon the Muslims the importance of the Jumu'ah prayer, as illustrated in note 15 of this Surah. He taught them in detail the norms related to this prayer. The different Hadith collections also contain extensive guidelines about it. Abū Sa'id al- Khudrī related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

said: "Every Muslim should have a major ritual ablution (ghusl) on the day of Jumu'ah, clean his teeth, put on his best clothes and wear perfume, if it is available" (Musnad Aḥmad, 5, 78; al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 6; Muslim; Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasā'ī). Salmān al-Fārisī reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The Muslim who takes a major ritual ablution on Jumu'ah day, cleans and purifies himself as much as possible, applies oil to his head and wears perfume, which is available in the house, and then goes to the mosque and takes his place without disturbing the rows, offers supererogatory prayers (nafl) as much as God enables him to do and keeps quiet when the Imam gives his sermon, his sins of the week will be pardoned from one Jumu'ah to the next." (Musnad Aḥmad and al-Bukhārī). Almost identical sayings of the Prophet are narrated by Abū Ayyub al-Anṣārī, Abu Hurayrah and Nubayshah al-Hudhalī (Musnad Aḥmad, al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 4 and 19, Tirmidhī, 161, Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṭahārah, 227 and Kitāb al-Ṣalāt, and Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumu'ah, 10, and al-Ṭabarānī). According to ‘Abdullah ibn 'Abbās, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who speaks while the Imam is delivering his sermon is like a donkey laden with books; and the one who tells him to keep quiet does not observe the norm of the Jumu'ah prayer either" (Musnad Ahmad, 5, 142 ). Abū Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you tell someone during the Jumu'ah sermon to keep quiet, you are also guilty of doing something wrong” (al-Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Nasā ́ī, al-Tirmidhi and Abū Dāwūd). Reports of a similar import are related by Imam Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd and al-Ṭabarānī on the authority of 'Ali and Abu al-Darda'. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed the Imāms not to inconvenience their congregations by delivering long sermons. He himself used to deliver brief sermons and he did not prolong his prayer. Jābir ibn Samurah confirms that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not deliver very long sermons, his sermons comprised just a few short sentences (Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṣalāt, 225). According to 'Abdullah ibn Abi Awfā, the Prophet's sermons used to be shorter than his prayer. His prayer was a little longer than his sermon (al-Nasā'ī, Kitāb al-Jumuah, 31). 'Ammār ibn Yasir reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who offers a long prayer and delivers a short sermon underscores his good understanding of Islam" (Musnad Aḥmad, 4, 119, and 5, 89 and Muslim). Almost the same point is related by al-Bazzār on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd. The above account points to how the Prophet instructed the Companions about the etiquette of the Jumu'ah prayer. As a result, the Jumu'ah prayer presents a glorious spectacle of collective worship, which is unrivalled in any other faith community in the world.

20. This sentence by itself indicates the nature of the error committed by the Companions. Had they, God forbid, betrayed any lack of faith or inclination for this world in preference to the Hereafter, God's reproach and displeasure would have been expressed in much severe terms. Since they did not suffer from any such weakness, whatever happened being only due to their poor and insufficient training, God first taught them the etiquette of the Jumu'ah prayer and then, after pointing out their error, chided them for their lapse. He followed this by an advice that what they would earn as a reward for listening to the Jumu'ah sermon and offering the Jumu'ah prayer is far greater than anything they could gain from the trade and sport of this life.

21. That is, "God is by far the best of all those providers who are the means of livelihood in this world," and the Qur'an presents this truth metaphorically at various places. The Qur'an speaks of God as the best of Creator (aḥsan al-khāliqīn), the best of those who pardon (khayr al- Ghāfirīn), the best of judges (khayr al-Ḥākimīn), the best of the merciful (khayr al-Rāḥimīn) and the best of supporters (khayr al-Nāṣirīn). In all these instances, sustenance, creation, forgiveness, mercy and support are figuratively ascribed to creatures whereas in their true and absolute meanings they only befit God. This means that God is the best Sustainer, Creator, The Most Merciful, The Most Forgiving and Supporter than those in this world who pay wages or create something skilfully or pardon the errors of the others or show mercy or help and support the others.