Salah and Jumu'ah Prayer

• Salah can be performed at a mosque with a community of worshippers or it can be performed privately.  Each type of worship, whether public or private, will have its advantages and in reality they will both be used which follows the Sunnah of Muhammed*.
• Public Worship: Benefits

   • Sense of unity when worshipping as part of a community

  • Displays more effort- hadith say it brings more rewards

  • Performed in a venue that is more conducive to worship

  • Able to ask questions or feel supported by fellow worshippers

   
• Private Worship: Benefits

  • More convenient especially for women who may be expected to look after their children 

  • Prevents any distractions as there is no one else to worry about whilst worshipping

  • Can feel more personal and less robotic as no one is there to follow so each step needs to be thought about carefully
• “Woe to those who pray, but are unmindful of their prayer, or who pray only to be seen by people.”
• “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the Salah on Al-Jumu`ah, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business. “
• “seek the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.”
• Even though Muslims get to choose whether they pray in public or private, there is one prayer each week where it is strongly expected for male Muslims to attend the mosque, this is known as Jumu’ah prayer.  Jumu’ah literally means congregation i.e. a gathering.  The gathering takes place on a Friday afternoon and replaces the Zuhur prayer.  Jumu’ah prayer cannot be performed in private.  If you don’t pray with others led by an imam, it remains as the usual Zuhur prayer.
•  

  An important difference between going to Jumu’ah prayer and praying any other daily prayer at the mosque is the fact that a khutbah is performed.  The khutbah is a talk or speech that the imam gives from the minbar before the prayer takes place.  This talk is usually based on the Qur’an or Hadith but can be about anything the Imam thinks is relevant for the Islamic community. 
• Jumu’ah prayer is important because:

  • God asked everyone to come together and worship on a Friday, so it is an act of obedience.

  • It is an opportunity to reflect on the week’s spiritual and moral actions.

  • Worshippers are joined together in unity, equality and brotherhood.

  • A chance to gain religious support for your faith i.e. ask Qu’s to the imam/ummah.

  • Learn about or help to strengthen your faith from the khutbah.

  • Gain good deeds; some believe your sins for that week are forgiven if you attend Jumu’ah prayer.