Opening of the Jumua Mosque

I counsel myself and you to have taqwa of Allah and to act rightly. You should know that this is a great and blessed day of Jumu’a, which is the best day upon which the sun rises and the ‘Eid of the Muminin. Also, that this is a great and blessed month, the month in which the Master of all Creation was born. Moreover, we find ourselves in one of the most beautiful places on earth – this magnificent and blessed mosque, which we ask Allah to make into a seed-bed of good, from where light and guidance and knowledge will spread until this whole land is filled with blessings and belief and security. We ask Allah to bless its noble and courageous people who stood up for freedom and confronted tyranny and who have shown themselves eager to support justice and truth, and who sacrificed themselves to the utmost to bring this about.
The wisdom of the Creator has decreed that the strength of the Muslim Community lies in having unbroken ranks and in helping each other in right action and taqwa and expending every effort to bring about reconciliation and avoid conflict, and to distance themselves from the courses of division and to solve disputes. It is for these reasons that the Shari’at has made it obligatory for the Muslims to gather together on certain specific occasions. Some of these are only incumbent upon the inhabitants of a particular neighbourhood, whilst others are incumbent upon the people of an entire city, and yet others for the whole Muslim Community. Some of them are repeated daily several times, like the five obligatory prayers, others on a weekly basis such as Salat al-Jumu’a, others take place yearly like the two ‘Eids, and finally there is the Hajj which is a gathering, obligatory once in a lifetime.
The best place it is possible for the Muslims to gather together is the mosque, to worship their Creator, and to resolve the difficulties which confront them in their daily lives and their Deen. For that reason we find that the first thing the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did when he emigrated to Madinah to establish the governance of Islam, was the building of his noble Mosque. During his lifetime and that of the Khulafa Rashidun, the Mosque was the highest institution where the acts of worship were carried out, and knowledge was transmitted, and from which armies were sent out, and judgment was passed down, and the penalties of the Shari’at were pronounced, and to which needy people came for their needs, and in which the day‑to‑day programmes of the Muslim Community were worked out. It was also a place of refuge in times of crisis and emergency.
The Prophet, sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam, strongly warned the individual Muslim from isolating himself from the body of the Muslim Community because anyone who separates himself from the Jama’at is in danger of losing his Deen and at risk of achieving nothing in his worldly affairs. He also warned that the isolated individual is easy pray for Shaytan in the same way that a lone sheep is the easiest prey for the scavenging wolf.
The Jumu’a Prayer has a specific form which makes it different from the other Prayers. It is obligatory for the Muslims to make a special effort to attend it, given five conditions: that they are male, sane, mature, resident and in good health. It is also recommended for women and travellers to attend it. And it is not permitted to miss it except for an excuse which is valid in the Shari’at. Allah ta’ala says in Surat al-Jumu’a:

 
You who have iman! when you are called to salat
on the Day of Jumu‘a,
hasten to the remembrance of Allah
and abandon trade.
That is better for you if you only knew.
 
The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to encourage people to go to it early because the earlier you arrive, the greater the reward. He also warned against abandoning it and said, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “If anyone fails to attend three consecutive Jumu’as, Allah will seal up his heart.” The first Jumu’a Prayer celebrated by the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was done on the outskirts of Madinah at the place of Banu Salim ibn ‘Awf. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to give two Khutbas and sit down between them. He would praise Allah and speak well of Him and always exhort the people to have taqwa of Allah and remind them of Allah and the Last Day.
It is narrated that when he spoke about the Day of Judgment and its events, his veins could be seen to swell up and his face would redden, like someone announcing an imminent attack from an enemy. When he wanted to send out an expedition he announced it during his Khutbas, or if he had any instruction to give he would do that in his Khutbas. He would always end by asking forgiveness and making du’a for himself and all the Believers.
So the purpose of the Khutba is to remind people about their Lord and to encourage them to turn to Him and ask forgiveness from Him and to give them fear of His punishment. Every Khutba should include these elements. The Khutba can also be the means of instructing people about the Deen. It can also address current events and give guidance and wisdom concerning them. It can also point out the best solutions for any problems which the community is facing.
All those attending the Khutba must listen and be silent, and must not be disturbed or occupied with anything else, including dhikr or prayer, and must avoid any speech whatsoever because that will prevent him from gaining any reward from the Prayer. Other courtesies of the Jumu’a include not stepping over people’s shoulders, and sitting down where you find space. It is a confirmed Sunna to have a Ghusl before attending, and to wear good clothes and perfume, and to carry out those acts of personal grooming which are part of the fitra of the human being.