Aslamolaikum werahmatullah wabarakatu.

I thank Allah swt that he has given us an opportunity to pray jumah today, a day which in the Islamic week is the best of the days, with countless blessings and virtues. Many of yous are already aware of the blessings and virtues of jumah but it always best to revisit, reiterate and refresh our minds to appreciate the day of jumah. Its truly a blessing of allah that it is at time of jumah where the congregation is the biggest compared to the rest of the daily salahs, it gives us time of study and work where we c an increase our spirituality by listening to the khutba among the brothers and then praying in a full congregation I also want to go over the sunnah acts which can be performed on jumah which gives us a great opportunity to receive much reward from the most merciful and the most high, allah swt. The taking of the ritual bath ghusl, wearing nice clothes, applying ittar,clipping of the nails, coming early. Just like you would dress smartly for a interview or an important meeting, one should try and make the best effort and preparation for this blessed prayer.

. I just want to share some ahadith which talk about the importance of jumah.

Hadhrat Ali Ibn Abu Taalib (RA) narrated: on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah: When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needsand prevent them from the Friday prayer. The angels come early in the morning, sit at the door of the mosque, and record that so-and-so came at the first hour, and so-and-so came at the second hour until the imam comes out (for preaching). When a man sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), where he remains silent and does not interrupt, he will receive a double reward. If he stays away, sits in a place where he cannot listen (to the sermon), silent, and does not interrupt, he will receive the reward only once. If he sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), and he does not remain silent, he will have the burden of it. If anyone says to his companion sitting besides him to be silent (while the imam is preaching), he is guilty of idle talk. Anyone who interrupts (during the sermon) will receive nothing (no reward) on that Friday. Then he (the narrator) says in the end of this tradition: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) say so. (Abu Dawood 1046)

"He who recites Suratul Kahf on yaumul Jumuah (Friday), Allah will shine a light for him between the two Fridays." [Baihaqi]

Abu Hurraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said: The five daily prayers, and from one Jummah to the next, are an expiation for whatever sins come in between, so long as one does not commit any major sin. (Muslim, 233)

It is clearly evident that there is a opportunity for us to seek countless reward on this blessed day, though just like we make the effort to come to prayer in congregation for jumah, we forget that there are still 5 other obligatory prayers which are left unperformed, so we should use the effort that we exert in preparing for jumah by transferring the same intentions and effort to come to prayer for the other prayers to seek more reward and fulfil our duties of salah which allah swt has ordered us to to perform and benefit from the religious and spiritual atmosphere 5x a day. By performing jumah with clear intent, preparation we can prepare ourselves and slowly get into a routine in performing other obligatory prayers and benefit from the blessings and virtues of the other prayers also as a routine will be made, once a habit is made the heart will yearn for the prayers as that is the only way one can attain peace especially if one has a busy schedule with exams, work and family stress. inshallah.

May allah give us the ability to make full use of the blessings and rewards on this blessed day. Ameen.