Ever wondered why some students leave in the middle of class right when your teacher is in the middle of a lesson? Why is it always the Muslim kids who go? What’s Jummah?
Jummah prayer or Friday prayer is a special congregational prayer that is prayed midday on Friday. For many Muslim students, having Jummah prayer available at school shows both as an act of faith and an act of devotion to the creator Allah, the one God.
According to senior Ifrad Jaman, Jummah is unique because it only takes place on the day of Friday. “Friday is a special day because many special events happened on Friday. For example, the world was created on this day,” Jaman said.
The Jummah prayer is considered mandatory for all Muslim men. Women have the option to attend Jummah if they wish, but they are not required to do Jummah. If you pray the Jummah prayer, it replaces the regular noon prayer or Dhur prayer.
The significance of Jummah is even mentioned in the Quran. There is an entire chapter called Surah Al-Jummah, which calls believers to stop what they are doing and come together for prayer.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Surah Al Jummah in the first rakat and Surah Al-Munafiqun in the second rakat. “Sometimes he would recite Surah Al-A’la and Al-Ghashiyah,” Jaman said.
The preparations for Jummah are also an important part of the day. Muslims are encouraged to take a shower and cut their nails and wear presentable clothing to reflect the nature of this day. “It’s about showing respect. You should dress nicely and be clean because it’s a day for worship,” Jaman said.
At the heart of Jummah is the khutbah, which directly translates to “sermon” in English. It is delivered before the prayer begins. The khutbah serves as a short reminder for Muslims.
As the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a well known Hadith about those who come first, they will get double the reward for Jummah.
For the Muslim students at Lewis, Jummah prayer is more than just a religious obligation, it’s a pride for our religion.
Last year a group of dedicated students, including junior Areeb Qaisar, worked hard to bring back Jummah to the school after it was discontinued due to a small group of students goofing around.
“We arranged a meeting with Principal Smith last April. He listened to us, but it was near the end of the year, and he said [the administration] needed more time,” Qaisar said.
The students didn’t give up on their quest for Jummah, and they asked for Arabic teacher and sponsor of the Lewis Arabic club Amal Esmail to advocate on behalf of the students. It took until the third week of September, but Jummah returned to Lewis High School for observant students.
Junior Hamza Jan, another student who helped bring Jummah back to Lewis described the expectations for those who come to Jummah. “Jummah isn’t just about showing up. You should come prepared, clean, focused, and respectful. It’s about connecting with your Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and the community,” Jan said.
Jummah sometimes promotes an attitude transformation in observant Muslim students who leave class on Fridays to participate. “We’re serious about Jummah even if some of us don’t [always] look like it,” Jan said.
This year, there are fewer students coming to Jummah, most likely due to lack of awareness. Interested students still are able to sign up via the QR code outside of Arabic teacher Amal Esmail’s room 311.
Jummah prayer is about our faith. For Muslim students at Lewis High School, it represents the chance to connect to Allah without having to leave school.
