Explanation of the Book of Friday and the Two Festivals-04b
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The reciter: Mu'awiyah ibn 'Amr narrated to us, Zayd narrated to us from Husayn from Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd, Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah narrated to us, saying: بينما نحن نصلي مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ أقبلت عير تحمل طعاماً فالتفتوا إليها حتى ما بقي مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا اثنا عشر رجلاً فنزلت هذه الآية : وإذا رأوا تجارةً أو لهواً انفضوا إليها وتركوك قائماً While we were praying with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), a caravan carrying food came in, and they turned toward it until only twelve men remained with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then this verse was revealed: "And when they see trade or amusement, they disperse toward it and leave you standing.".
The Shaykh : Yes, this indicates the reason for the revelation of this verse:[Al-Jumu'ah 62:11]. One who does not know the reason might imagine attributing a defect to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). How could they disperse from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while he is guiding them, explaining to them the rulings of Allah, and admonishing them, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best guide and admonisher? It is said that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were in severe hardship and were in great need of food. They attended the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to listen to his sermons, knowing that he (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most patient and most merciful of people. So, due to their need and their knowledge of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) patience, they went out to the caravan. Only twelve men remained with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Their intention was not to disdain what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was saying, because they knew that they would learn it from their remaining brothers. Nor was their intention to turn away from obedience, because they might return after seeing this trade. And if they did not return, they hoped that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would forgive them. But the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse regarding them and said: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:11]. Note that in the beginning of the story, the verse was in the form of direct address: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:9-10]. Then it said: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:11]. It did not say, "And when you see trade or amusement, you disperse toward it and leave the Messenger standing." Rather, it said: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:11] in the form of the third person. This is like His saying, the Exalted: in the form of the third person, while the intended addressee is the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
[Al-Jumu'ah 62:11] The trade is clear: the caravan carrying food. And His saying: What is the amusement? It is said that when they arrived in Madinah, they would beat the hand drums to announce that the caravan had arrived, so that the people would rush to it. Because you know that the caravan owners wanted the people to come for trade and buy from them, so they would beat the hand drums.
But did the Companions go out to listen to the hand drums? No. For this reason, it said: meaning to the trade, even though "amusement" came after "trade." It was customary for the pronoun to refer to the nearest mentioned noun. And the requirement of this custom would have been to express it as: "And when they see trade or amusement, they disperse toward it or toward both." But the Companions had no purpose whatsoever in this amusement; their purpose was the trade, due to their intense need for it.
This is a virtue of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When the people turned away from him, he did not cut off the sermon, nor did he despair. Rather, he (peace and blessings be upon him) remained standing, delivering the sermon, as if nothing had happened. This is part of his patience (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) regarding such matters that happen to him.
Allah, the Exalted, said to His Prophet:[Al-Jumu'ah 62:11].
The point of this is: if the people disperse from the imam and a congregation remains with him, he establishes the Friday prayer with those who remain. But do we say that it is necessary for the remaining people to be twelve men or more? Or do we say that the fact that twelve men remained was a coincidence? Yes, the latter is the case, because if they had left and only ten remained, the situation would not change, or if five remained, the situation would not change. Such coincidental matters are not a proof.
Pay attention to this beneficial rule: what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did by coincidence, or what happened by coincidence, is not a proof. For this reason, we said: if a traveler intends to stay for more than four days, he remains a traveler, shortens the prayer, and breaks his fast in Ramadan, even if he intends to stay for ten days or twenty days. And what happened to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage, namely that he arrived on the fourth day, was a coincidence. We have no proof at all that the Prophet intended not to enter Makkah until the fourth day, knowing that some people arrive on the fourth day, the fifth day, the third day, the second day, or the first day. And yet, he did not say to his Ummah: whoever arrives before the fourth day must complete the prayer.
So the conclusion is: what happens by coincidence is not a proof. Therefore, if the people disperse from the preacher on Friday, and only ten remain, does he remain [with the Friday prayer] or does he pray Zuhr? He remains with his Friday prayer and does not pray Zuhr.
Scholars have differed on this issue. Some said: it is necessary that there be forty men present who are obligated to attend Friday prayer. Some said: twelve men are sufficient. Some said: three men are sufficient. This is the most correct opinion. If we find a village where only three of its permanent residents are present, and the rest are people who passed by on the road and stopped at the mosque, but the citizens are only three men, does the Friday prayer become valid with them? The answer, according to the stronger opinion, is that it becomes valid, and there is no harm.
The Shaykh : Yes, this indicates the reason for the revelation of this verse:
But when they saw a transaction or a diversion
وإذا رأوا تجارةً أو لهواًBut when they saw a transaction or a diversion
وإذا رأوا تجارة أو لهوا(9) O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. (10) And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا نودي للصلاة من يوم الجمعة فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله وذروا البيع ذلكم خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون ، فإذا قضيت الصلاة فانتشروا في الأرض وابتغوا من فضل الله واذكروا الله كثيرا لعلكم تفلحونBut when they saw a transaction
وإذا رأوا تجارةًBut when they saw a transaction
وإذا رأوا تجارةًHe frowned and turned away, when there came to him the blind man.
عبس وتولى أن جاءه الأعمىwhen they saw a transaction or a diversion
إذا رأوا تجارةً أو لهواًor amusement
أو لهواBut did the Companions go out to listen to the hand drums? No. For this reason, it said:
they disperse toward it
انفضوا إليهاand leave you standing
وتركوك قائماAllah, the Exalted, said to His Prophet:
Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers."
قل ما عند الله خير من اللهو ومن التجارة والله خير الرازقينThe point of this is: if the people disperse from the imam and a congregation remains with him, he establishes the Friday prayer with those who remain. But do we say that it is necessary for the remaining people to be twelve men or more? Or do we say that the fact that twelve men remained was a coincidence? Yes, the latter is the case, because if they had left and only ten remained, the situation would not change, or if five remained, the situation would not change. Such coincidental matters are not a proof.
Pay attention to this beneficial rule: what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did by coincidence, or what happened by coincidence, is not a proof. For this reason, we said: if a traveler intends to stay for more than four days, he remains a traveler, shortens the prayer, and breaks his fast in Ramadan, even if he intends to stay for ten days or twenty days. And what happened to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage, namely that he arrived on the fourth day, was a coincidence. We have no proof at all that the Prophet intended not to enter Makkah until the fourth day, knowing that some people arrive on the fourth day, the fifth day, the third day, the second day, or the first day. And yet, he did not say to his Ummah: whoever arrives before the fourth day must complete the prayer.
So the conclusion is: what happens by coincidence is not a proof. Therefore, if the people disperse from the preacher on Friday, and only ten remain, does he remain [with the Friday prayer] or does he pray Zuhr? He remains with his Friday prayer and does not pray Zuhr.
Scholars have differed on this issue. Some said: it is necessary that there be forty men present who are obligated to attend Friday prayer. Some said: twelve men are sufficient. Some said: three men are sufficient. This is the most correct opinion. If we find a village where only three of its permanent residents are present, and the rest are people who passed by on the road and stopped at the mosque, but the citizens are only three men, does the Friday prayer become valid with them? The answer, according to the stronger opinion, is that it becomes valid, and there is no harm.