Permissibility of the saying “Eid al-Mubarak”
Permissibility of the terms al-Juma’aa or Eid al-Mubarak
By Mohammed Zaqir Shaikh (Darul Arqam Trust www.datrust.org)
We beseech Allah to open our hearts and rectify us from blameworthy traits and seek the pleasure of Allah in all our actions and states.
Our Lady Aa’isha relates from the Prophet that ‘Whosoever introduces into this affair of ours (I.e. into Islam) something that does not belong to it, it is to be rejected’ (al-
Bukhari). Imam Ibn Rajab mentions in his commentary to this hadith that : ‘The textual meaning of this hadith is that any affair which is not from our religion is rejected.
However the understood purport of this hadith is that ‘any matter which is from our faith is not rejected’ (Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali Jami’ Uloom al-Hikam – p77).
This is an established fact in the classical understanding of our faith that new matters can be introduced under the condition that they fall within the general parameters
of the faith. Many other narrations of the Prophet also point to this such as, ‘he who introduces a good practice (sunnah hasnah) has the reward of all who practice it and
no reward is lost from his …’(Muslim).
For this reason that many ‘new practices’ took place throughout Islamic history with no reproach recorded from the thousands of scholars present. These include but are
not restricted to salutations upon the Prophet loudly following the aazan – during the rule of Salah al-Deen building of hospices for the travellers, the establishment of
institutions of learning, announcement of general creed from the minarets and many others. In fact as we are aware during the period of the Companions many ‘new
practices’ took place such as uniting the Companions upon the Taraweeh prayer under one imam, the introduction of the second aazan in the khilaafah of our master
Uthmaan, our master Umar levying zakat upon horses, distributing the kharaj lands to the inhabitants, six more steps being placed to the mimbar of the Prophet and
others. It is for this reason why the great mujtahid Imam al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam mentions in his alQawaid al-Kubra (The Great Maxims) : ‘Innovations are divided in
to imperative (waajib), prohibited (muharramah), recommended (manduub), disliked (makruhah) and allowed (mubahah)…From the imperative acts, is the study of
grammar to understand the intent of Allah’s book. Prohibited innovations are those of the school of the fatalists…from the allowed is the practice of people, upon
completion of their prayer, to greet each other especially after the al-Fajr and al-Asr prayers’ (al-Qawaid al-Kubra ; V2 p337).
This is quoted by Imam Ibn Aabideen in the Hashiyah (al-Shaami : V1 : p 376).
Upon this one has to understand that all actions and objects are allowed, unless a conclusive text or proof (or analogical reasoning based upon it) proves otherwise.
Imam al-Qarafi mentions : ‘Indeed the companions performed matters for the general benefit as they, upon whom be peace,saw fit, not due to an expressed text’(al-Furuq
p.38). Abdullah ibn Masuud mentions, ‘that which the Muslims view as good that is in fact good with Allah’. He who performs an action which in essence is legally
allowed for gaining proximity to Allah, the scholars are unanimous in there praiseworthy nature of the action. We should also keep in mind that according to the
principles of ‘usool al-fiqh’ (principles of jurisprudence) the Prophet ‘omitting’ (tark) a good action does not prove that it is prohibited, or not praiseworthy – since there were
many actions which the Prophet did not perform. Imam al-Shatibi mentions in al-Muwafaqaat : ‘As for the Prophet not performing an action it is considered from many
perspectives : the Prophet left that which is allowed due to his natural disposition, such as not eating lizards even though it was allowed, he left performing Taraweeh
prayer in congregation in the mosque for fear of it being rendered compulsory,…’ (al-Muwafaqaat ; V4 , p59 -61, with slight changes). In our times it would be, for example,
lines placed within the mosque to straighten the rows or the many forms of litanies authored by the various scholars of various paths or even the ‘Khatmaha Kharijna’.
For further details return to al-Ahkaam of (al-Aamidee V1 ; p89) who clearly states that the Prophet leaving something, or not performing it does not prove it to be an
innovation or unlawful – rather the rules of the five legal classifications are applied, as mentioned previously.
The allegation that – whatever the Prophet did not perform is also from the Sunnah (ie. Nonperformance of an action is a Sunnah) and hence anything in contradiction to
that (ie. Non
performance) is necessarily an innovation is baseless and deceptive. None of the Imams have concurred with this. Some recent writers have mentioned this such as
Mohammed Ahmed alAdawi in his pamphlet ‘ Tareeq al-Wusool ila Ibtaal al-Bida’ bi Ilm al-Usool (‘The path to negating innovations via the principles of jurisprudence’) .
In the Hanafi school to which the majority of the ummah adhere it is mentioned in Durrar alAhkaam commentary of Ghurar al-Ahkam :
Said ‘Taj al-Shariah the term two Eids has been used un-restrictively upon the two Eids and also alJuma’aa for the similarity between the Eids and al-Juma’aa in respect
to the attendance of great
numbers.’ This is similar [which is peculiar to Arabic] to when we mention one name when in fact we are referring to two – the more pronounced takes precedence – such
as the two Umars or the two moons. From another aspect the fact that Eid and al-Juma’aa share similar properties before the term Eid became predominantly associated
with al-Fitr and al-Adhaa. Indeed al-Juma’aa has been mentioned as Eid - the Prophet said : ‘For every believer in every month there are four Eids or five.’( Durrar al-
Ahkaam; V2. P146).
It is mentioned in the marginal notes of Ibn Abideen (al-Hashiyat): According to Imam Abu Yusuf , ‘the correct and relied upon position is that it [al-Juma’aa] is the best of
the days of the week and it is a day of Eid, within it, is contained the hour of acceptance of supplications, souls unite during it, the graves are visited, the deceased are
spared punishment on that day. He who dies on this day or its night is safe from the tribulation and punishment of the grave. On this day the hellfire is not flamed, on this
day Aadam was created and departed from paradise. This day the people of paradise visit their Lord, exulted is He.’ (al-Hashiyat ; V2 p178) Mentioned in the same
source also : (It is not renounced)…this was mentioned since regarding the greeting nothing has been recorded from Abu Hanifah or his companions. It is mentioned in al-
Qunyah indeed that it is not narrated from our companions that it is disliked…The erudite verifier Ibn Ameer Haaj states : ‘Rather, the correct position is that in short it is
permissible and praise-worthy,’ he thereafter narrates hadiths and narrations with rigorously authenticated chains of narration returning back to the Companions. He
thereafter mentions : ‘the practice in the lands of al-Sham and Egypt is Eid Mubarak upon you’ and similar phrases. It is possible to consider the legality and praiseworthy
nature of such sayings due to the existence of similarity…for he, whom his pious acts have been accepted in any time, that time becomes blessed (mubarak) and indeed
many supplications have been narrated seeking blessings (barakah) in many affairs so we take the judgement of making supplications to be praiseworthy here also [ie time
of Eid]. V2 : p183.
Hence a person simply congratulating another on a specific day (not of course from the religious festivals of the disbelievers, for which we have been prohibited) would fall
under the general legal category of allowed (mubaha) or praiseworthy (mustahab) as long as one did not think this to be a sunnah practice. If one had the intention to
remind other Muslims of this day – in order that they may increase their worship - it would be transformed to a praiseworthy act. In particular if that day has been
demarcated by the Prophet to be a day of virtue (a day of ‘barakah’ hence the term ‘mubarak’ in Arabic) and in fact been referred to be an ‘Eid’ for the Muslims there
would be no harm in using terms which represent this in English such as ‘the blessed day of al-Juma’aa is here…’ or simply in Arabic ‘al-Juma’aa’ mubarakah’. Certain
people make take offence to referring to al-Juma’aa as an Eid, it has however been referred to this by none other than the Prophet .
Some of the narrations include :Narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (upon whom be peace) said : ‘Best day upon which the sun has risen is the day of al-
Juma’aa. Adaam was created on this day, he was entered in paradise and dejected from it on this day.’ (Muslim) Narrated from Aws ibn Aws that the Prophet said :
‘Indeed from the best of your days is the day of al-Juma’aa, in this day Aadam was created and on this day was his demise’ (Abu Dawood).
RasulAllah once said: ‘Friday is the most blessed and the greatest of days to Allah, for it precedes the Day of Adha and the Day of Fitr in supremacy for five
momentous events :
1.
The creation of Aadam took place on this day
2.
His descending to the world took place on this day
3.
Aadam died on this day
4.
In this day is an hour upon which everything a servant [of Allah] asks for is granted so long as his request is not prohibited
5.
On this day the Day of Judgment will occur
And there is not a single close angel and no sky, earth, wind, mountain or sea except that it desires the coming of the Day of Friday’ 3: 385 – # 1074 (Ibn Majah).
It is related by Abu-Hurayrah : The Prophet of Allah said that, ‘Allah obliterates all the sins that were committed between two Fridays except major sins’ # 1076 Ibn
Majah. On the authority of Al-Maseeb that RasulAllah once said: ‘The best of days is the day of Friday’.
(Musannaf : V2 P57)
Abu Hurayrah relates: “ ‘ I heard the Prophet of Allah saying that Friday is a day of celebration so do not make your day of celebration a day of fasting except that you
fast the preceding day or the proceeding day’. ” (Ahmed V16 P223) Hamaad bin Khalid related that on the authority of Mu’awiyah that Abi Bashr-the mu’atħin of
Damascus that Aamir bi Ludayn Al ‘Ash‘ari asked RasulAllah about fasting on Friday and was replied: ‘ Do not make your day of celebration a day of fasting except that
you fast the preceding day or the proceeding day’ Ahmed ; # 10470. Ibni Sabiq relates that he heard the Prophet say on one Friday: ‘This is a day of celebration so bathe
and whoever of you posses perfume than it would not harm him to use a small amount, and upon you is ‘Siwak’. (Musannaf V2 p6).
The author of the Musannaf thereafter said : ‘Offensive nature of fasting the day of Friday in isolation because it is the Eid of the Muslims.’ (Musannaf V1 p116). Abu
Hurayrah said: “I heard the Prophet of Allah say: ‘Friday is a celebration, so do not make a day of celebration a day of fasting except that you fast the preceding day and
the proceeding day’.” This is a hadith with an authentic chain of narration which has not been reported by the two Imams but is upon their conditions. However there are
hadiths with variant wordings in al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Ibn ‘Abbas states that RasulAllah : ‘This [Friday] is a day of Eid from Allah to the Muslims, so to whomsoever comes this day, al-Juma’aa, should bathe, and if he is
in the possession of perfume he should apply it and upon thee is Siwak’. (al-Tabarani ; al-Mu’jam al-Awsat V16 – P 142)
On Amir bin Ladeen al ‘Ash‘ari that he asked Abu Hurayrah about the fasting of Friday, he received the reply: ‘You have asked one who has knowledge in this affair ! I
heard the Prophet of Allah say that al-Juma’aa is a day of celebration and remembrance , so do not make a day of celebration a day of fasting but make it a day of
remembrance except that you mix it with other days’.
Al-Baihaqqi, Shu’ab al-Iman V8 p387. Abu Awbar said: ‘I was sitting with Abu Hurayrah when a man came to me and said;
‘ You have prevented the people from fasting on Friday’, Abu Hurayrah replied: ‘ I have not prevented them but I heard the Messenger of Allah : “ Do not fast on Friday, for
it is a day of celebration except that you join to it [another day of fast]’ (Ibn Hibban ; Sahih V 15 p 219.)
Ibn Hibban mentions in his Sahih : ‘The chapter of evidences that the day of al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid and the prohibition regarding fasting on it is because it is an
Eid. The difference between al-Juma’aa and the Eids of al-Fitr and al-Adhaa is that we have been prohibited from fasting of those two days individually. However we
have been allowed to fast al-Juma’aa if a fast before it is offered or after it.’ (Ibn Hibban ; Sahih V 8 p 54).
I Heard Abu Hurayrah say : “ I heard the Prophet of Allah say: al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid, so do not make it a day of fasting unless that a fast is offered before or
after it’. (Ibn Khuzaymah ; Sahih V 8 : P62).
Finally it must be stated that the various other schools of law also allow the practice of greeting with the word ‘mubarak’. It is stated in ‘Bushra al-Kaleem fi Sharah
Masail al-Ta’leem’ and the ‘Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj’ both major works of the ‘Shafi’ school that allow the practice that al-Juma’aa can be referred to as an
Eid and as such to use the word of ‘mubarak’ would not be incorrect. In Summary that the best of days according to us is the day of A’arafat, then al-Juma’aa, then the
Eid of al-Adhaa, then the Eid of al-Fitr and the best of nights is the night of the noble birth [of the Prophet ] then the night of power [ al-Qadr ] then the night of
alJuma’aa then the night of the ascension [al-Israa]’ (Ibn al-Hajr al-Haitamy, Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj : V 9 : p92).
If it is said al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid the difference is only from perspectives. The Eid of alAdhaa and al-Fitra is considered to be an Eid because of the return of
tangible happiness on this Darul Arqam Educational Trust, 1A Atkinson Street, Leicester, LE5 3QA day. As for Eid of al-Juma’aa the happiness of that day is happiness
because of the rewards the Shari’ah has bestowed upon people due to the plenitude of religious observances which are specified on that day, the presence of the hour
of supplications being accepted and other virtues…I have mentioned many virtues concerning al-Juma’aa in my book ‘The Radiant Light Concerning Unique Day of al-
Juma’aa’ . This supports that one can unrestrictedly say Eid concerning the day of al-Juma’aa’ (Ibn al-Hajr al-Haitamy, Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj : V 9 :
p251).
What has preceded is an exposition of the legal-ruling concerning the permissibility of saying ‘Eid mubarak’ on the day of Eid or ‘Juma’aa mubarakah’ on the day of
Juma’aa. Having mentioned the position of Imams from the Hanafi and Shafi’ schools and the various narrations from the Prophet it should be clear that it is not only
permissible but praiseworthy. If however one prefers not to utter these phrases that remains his prerogative. However, one must not criticise let alone prohibit others for
doing so. A universally accepted maxim of the principles of jurisprudence mentions : ‘there is no reproach in issues of which there is a rightful scholarly difference’. (Ibn
Muflih ; al-Furu’ V2 p453). To Allah is our return, there is no strength or power except through Allah
Tel: 07528 084 809 www. Datrust.org – info@datrust.org
Darul Arqam Educational Trust, 1A Atkinson Street, Leicester, LE5 3QA
Permissibility of the terms al-Juma’aa or Eid al-Mubarak
By Mohammed Zaqir Shaikh (Darul Arqam Trust www.datrust.org)
We beseech Allah to open our hearts and rectify us from blameworthy traits and seek the pleasure of Allah in all our actions and states.
Our Lady Aa’isha relates from the Prophet that ‘Whosoever introduces into this affair of ours (I.e. into Islam) something that does not belong to it, it is to be rejected’ (al-
Bukhari). Imam Ibn Rajab mentions in his commentary to this hadith that : ‘The textual meaning of this hadith is that any affair which is not from our religion is rejected.
However the understood purport of this hadith is that ‘any matter which is from our faith is not rejected’ (Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali Jami’ Uloom al-Hikam – p77).
This is an established fact in the classical understanding of our faith that new matters can be introduced under the condition that they fall within the general parameters
of the faith. Many other narrations of the Prophet also point to this such as, ‘he who introduces a good practice (sunnah hasnah) has the reward of all who practice it and
no reward is lost from his …’(Muslim).
For this reason that many ‘new practices’ took place throughout Islamic history with no reproach recorded from the thousands of scholars present. These include but are
not restricted to salutations upon the Prophet loudly following the aazan – during the rule of Salah al-Deen building of hospices for the travellers, the establishment of
institutions of learning, announcement of general creed from the minarets and many others. In fact as we are aware during the period of the Companions many ‘new
practices’ took place such as uniting the Companions upon the Taraweeh prayer under one imam, the introduction of the second aazan in the khilaafah of our master
Uthmaan, our master Umar levying zakat upon horses, distributing the kharaj lands to the inhabitants, six more steps being placed to the mimbar of the Prophet and
others. It is for this reason why the great mujtahid Imam al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam mentions in his alQawaid al-Kubra (The Great Maxims) : ‘Innovations are divided in
to imperative (waajib), prohibited (muharramah), recommended (manduub), disliked (makruhah) and allowed (mubahah)…From the imperative acts, is the study of
grammar to understand the intent of Allah’s book. Prohibited innovations are those of the school of the fatalists…from the allowed is the practice of people, upon
completion of their prayer, to greet each other especially after the al-Fajr and al-Asr prayers’ (al-Qawaid al-Kubra ; V2 p337).
This is quoted by Imam Ibn Aabideen in the Hashiyah (al-Shaami : V1 : p 376).
Upon this one has to understand that all actions and objects are allowed, unless a conclusive text or proof (or analogical reasoning based upon it) proves otherwise.
Imam al-Qarafi mentions : ‘Indeed the companions performed matters for the general benefit as they, upon whom be peace,saw fit, not due to an expressed text’(al-Furuq
p.38). Abdullah ibn Masuud mentions, ‘that which the Muslims view as good that is in fact good with Allah’. He who performs an action which in essence is legally
allowed for gaining proximity to Allah, the scholars are unanimous in there praiseworthy nature of the action. We should also keep in mind that according to the
principles of ‘usool al-fiqh’ (principles of jurisprudence) the Prophet ‘omitting’ (tark) a good action does not prove that it is prohibited, or not praiseworthy – since there were
many actions which the Prophet did not perform. Imam al-Shatibi mentions in al-Muwafaqaat : ‘As for the Prophet not performing an action it is considered from many
perspectives : the Prophet left that which is allowed due to his natural disposition, such as not eating lizards even though it was allowed, he left performing Taraweeh
prayer in congregation in the mosque for fear of it being rendered compulsory,…’ (al-Muwafaqaat ; V4 , p59 -61, with slight changes). In our times it would be, for example,
lines placed within the mosque to straighten the rows or the many forms of litanies authored by the various scholars of various paths or even the ‘Khatmaha Kharijna’.
For further details return to al-Ahkaam of (al-Aamidee V1 ; p89) who clearly states that the Prophet leaving something, or not performing it does not prove it to be an
innovation or unlawful – rather the rules of the five legal classifications are applied, as mentioned previously.
The allegation that – whatever the Prophet did not perform is also from the Sunnah (ie. Nonperformance of an action is a Sunnah) and hence anything in contradiction to
that (ie. Non
performance) is necessarily an innovation is baseless and deceptive. None of the Imams have concurred with this. Some recent writers have mentioned this such as
Mohammed Ahmed alAdawi in his pamphlet ‘ Tareeq al-Wusool ila Ibtaal al-Bida’ bi Ilm al-Usool (‘The path to negating innovations via the principles of jurisprudence’) .
In the Hanafi school to which the majority of the ummah adhere it is mentioned in Durrar alAhkaam commentary of Ghurar al-Ahkam :
Said ‘Taj al-Shariah the term two Eids has been used un-restrictively upon the two Eids and also alJuma’aa for the similarity between the Eids and al-Juma’aa in respect
to the attendance of great
numbers.’ This is similar [which is peculiar to Arabic] to when we mention one name when in fact we are referring to two – the more pronounced takes precedence – such
as the two Umars or the two moons. From another aspect the fact that Eid and al-Juma’aa share similar properties before the term Eid became predominantly associated
with al-Fitr and al-Adhaa. Indeed al-Juma’aa has been mentioned as Eid - the Prophet said : ‘For every believer in every month there are four Eids or five.’( Durrar al-
Ahkaam; V2. P146).
It is mentioned in the marginal notes of Ibn Abideen (al-Hashiyat): According to Imam Abu Yusuf , ‘the correct and relied upon position is that it [al-Juma’aa] is the best of
the days of the week and it is a day of Eid, within it, is contained the hour of acceptance of supplications, souls unite during it, the graves are visited, the deceased are
spared punishment on that day. He who dies on this day or its night is safe from the tribulation and punishment of the grave. On this day the hellfire is not flamed, on this
day Aadam was created and departed from paradise. This day the people of paradise visit their Lord, exulted is He.’ (al-Hashiyat ; V2 p178) Mentioned in the same
source also : (It is not renounced)…this was mentioned since regarding the greeting nothing has been recorded from Abu Hanifah or his companions. It is mentioned in al-
Qunyah indeed that it is not narrated from our companions that it is disliked…The erudite verifier Ibn Ameer Haaj states : ‘Rather, the correct position is that in short it is
permissible and praise-worthy,’ he thereafter narrates hadiths and narrations with rigorously authenticated chains of narration returning back to the Companions. He
thereafter mentions : ‘the practice in the lands of al-Sham and Egypt is Eid Mubarak upon you’ and similar phrases. It is possible to consider the legality and praiseworthy
nature of such sayings due to the existence of similarity…for he, whom his pious acts have been accepted in any time, that time becomes blessed (mubarak) and indeed
many supplications have been narrated seeking blessings (barakah) in many affairs so we take the judgement of making supplications to be praiseworthy here also [ie time
of Eid]. V2 : p183.
Hence a person simply congratulating another on a specific day (not of course from the religious festivals of the disbelievers, for which we have been prohibited) would fall
under the general legal category of allowed (mubaha) or praiseworthy (mustahab) as long as one did not think this to be a sunnah practice. If one had the intention to
remind other Muslims of this day – in order that they may increase their worship - it would be transformed to a praiseworthy act. In particular if that day has been
demarcated by the Prophet to be a day of virtue (a day of ‘barakah’ hence the term ‘mubarak’ in Arabic) and in fact been referred to be an ‘Eid’ for the Muslims there
would be no harm in using terms which represent this in English such as ‘the blessed day of al-Juma’aa is here…’ or simply in Arabic ‘al-Juma’aa’ mubarakah’. Certain
people make take offence to referring to al-Juma’aa as an Eid, it has however been referred to this by none other than the Prophet .
Some of the narrations include :Narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (upon whom be peace) said : ‘Best day upon which the sun has risen is the day of al-
Juma’aa. Adaam was created on this day, he was entered in paradise and dejected from it on this day.’ (Muslim) Narrated from Aws ibn Aws that the Prophet said :
‘Indeed from the best of your days is the day of al-Juma’aa, in this day Aadam was created and on this day was his demise’ (Abu Dawood).
RasulAllah once said: ‘Friday is the most blessed and the greatest of days to Allah, for it precedes the Day of Adha and the Day of Fitr in supremacy for five
momentous events :
1.
The creation of Aadam took place on this day
2.
His descending to the world took place on this day
3.
Aadam died on this day
4.
In this day is an hour upon which everything a servant [of Allah] asks for is granted so long as his request is not prohibited
5.
On this day the Day of Judgment will occur
And there is not a single close angel and no sky, earth, wind, mountain or sea except that it desires the coming of the Day of Friday’ 3: 385 – # 1074 (Ibn Majah).
It is related by Abu-Hurayrah : The Prophet of Allah said that, ‘Allah obliterates all the sins that were committed between two Fridays except major sins’ # 1076 Ibn
Majah. On the authority of Al-Maseeb that RasulAllah once said: ‘The best of days is the day of Friday’.
(Musannaf : V2 P57)
Abu Hurayrah relates: “ ‘ I heard the Prophet of Allah saying that Friday is a day of celebration so do not make your day of celebration a day of fasting except that you
fast the preceding day or the proceeding day’. ” (Ahmed V16 P223) Hamaad bin Khalid related that on the authority of Mu’awiyah that Abi Bashr-the mu’atħin of
Damascus that Aamir bi Ludayn Al ‘Ash‘ari asked RasulAllah about fasting on Friday and was replied: ‘ Do not make your day of celebration a day of fasting except that
you fast the preceding day or the proceeding day’ Ahmed ; # 10470. Ibni Sabiq relates that he heard the Prophet say on one Friday: ‘This is a day of celebration so bathe
and whoever of you posses perfume than it would not harm him to use a small amount, and upon you is ‘Siwak’. (Musannaf V2 p6).
The author of the Musannaf thereafter said : ‘Offensive nature of fasting the day of Friday in isolation because it is the Eid of the Muslims.’ (Musannaf V1 p116). Abu
Hurayrah said: “I heard the Prophet of Allah say: ‘Friday is a celebration, so do not make a day of celebration a day of fasting except that you fast the preceding day and
the proceeding day’.” This is a hadith with an authentic chain of narration which has not been reported by the two Imams but is upon their conditions. However there are
hadiths with variant wordings in al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Ibn ‘Abbas states that RasulAllah : ‘This [Friday] is a day of Eid from Allah to the Muslims, so to whomsoever comes this day, al-Juma’aa, should bathe, and if he is
in the possession of perfume he should apply it and upon thee is Siwak’. (al-Tabarani ; al-Mu’jam al-Awsat V16 – P 142)
On Amir bin Ladeen al ‘Ash‘ari that he asked Abu Hurayrah about the fasting of Friday, he received the reply: ‘You have asked one who has knowledge in this affair ! I
heard the Prophet of Allah say that al-Juma’aa is a day of celebration and remembrance , so do not make a day of celebration a day of fasting but make it a day of
remembrance except that you mix it with other days’.
Al-Baihaqqi, Shu’ab al-Iman V8 p387. Abu Awbar said: ‘I was sitting with Abu Hurayrah when a man came to me and said;
‘ You have prevented the people from fasting on Friday’, Abu Hurayrah replied: ‘ I have not prevented them but I heard the Messenger of Allah : “ Do not fast on Friday, for
it is a day of celebration except that you join to it [another day of fast]’ (Ibn Hibban ; Sahih V 15 p 219.)
Ibn Hibban mentions in his Sahih : ‘The chapter of evidences that the day of al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid and the prohibition regarding fasting on it is because it is an
Eid. The difference between al-Juma’aa and the Eids of al-Fitr and al-Adhaa is that we have been prohibited from fasting of those two days individually. However we
have been allowed to fast al-Juma’aa if a fast before it is offered or after it.’ (Ibn Hibban ; Sahih V 8 p 54).
I Heard Abu Hurayrah say : “ I heard the Prophet of Allah say: al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid, so do not make it a day of fasting unless that a fast is offered before or
after it’. (Ibn Khuzaymah ; Sahih V 8 : P62).
Finally it must be stated that the various other schools of law also allow the practice of greeting with the word ‘mubarak’. It is stated in ‘Bushra al-Kaleem fi Sharah
Masail al-Ta’leem’ and the ‘Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj’ both major works of the ‘Shafi’ school that allow the practice that al-Juma’aa can be referred to as an
Eid and as such to use the word of ‘mubarak’ would not be incorrect. In Summary that the best of days according to us is the day of A’arafat, then al-Juma’aa, then the
Eid of al-Adhaa, then the Eid of al-Fitr and the best of nights is the night of the noble birth [of the Prophet ] then the night of power [ al-Qadr ] then the night of
alJuma’aa then the night of the ascension [al-Israa]’ (Ibn al-Hajr al-Haitamy, Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj : V 9 : p92).
If it is said al-Juma’aa is a day of Eid the difference is only from perspectives. The Eid of alAdhaa and al-Fitra is considered to be an Eid because of the return of
tangible happiness on this Darul Arqam Educational Trust, 1A Atkinson Street, Leicester, LE5 3QA day. As for Eid of al-Juma’aa the happiness of that day is happiness
because of the rewards the Shari’ah has bestowed upon people due to the plenitude of religious observances which are specified on that day, the presence of the hour
of supplications being accepted and other virtues…I have mentioned many virtues concerning al-Juma’aa in my book ‘The Radiant Light Concerning Unique Day of al-
Juma’aa’ . This supports that one can unrestrictedly say Eid concerning the day of al-Juma’aa’ (Ibn al-Hajr al-Haitamy, Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharah ak-Minhaaj : V 9 :
p251).
What has preceded is an exposition of the legal-ruling concerning the permissibility of saying ‘Eid mubarak’ on the day of Eid or ‘Juma’aa mubarakah’ on the day of
Juma’aa. Having mentioned the position of Imams from the Hanafi and Shafi’ schools and the various narrations from the Prophet it should be clear that it is not only
permissible but praiseworthy. If however one prefers not to utter these phrases that remains his prerogative. However, one must not criticise let alone prohibit others for
doing so. A universally accepted maxim of the principles of jurisprudence mentions : ‘there is no reproach in issues of which there is a rightful scholarly difference’. (Ibn
Muflih ; al-Furu’ V2 p453). To Allah is our return, there is no strength or power except through Allah
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