Salaam all,

I would like to pick up where I last left off concerning the issue of salatul-juma'.

Remember that I brought up the issue that 629 doesn't say "A" time of gathering, it says "THE" time of gathering. The reason I am saying Time of gathering instead of Day of gathering is because in the quran yawm is mainly used to describe a period of time instead of a 24 hour day. Nnhar is mainly used for 24 hour day. Brother Mirghani Hamed does a pretty good job in exploring the issue of yawm and nhar in his article on Friday Prayer which can be read by clicking on http//www.free-minds.org/articles/hadith/friday.htm

With the clearest definition of yawm as our point of departure, I want to see if there is anything in the quran that speaks of a specific time of gathering. Here is what I have been looking at as a possibility. I am looking forward to your views and thoughts on this.

I want to focus on verses 9 and 10 of chapter 62.

629 O you who believe, when the oath of allegiance is called to at the time of public gathering, then you shall hasten towards the remembrance of God, and cease all selling. This is better for you, if you only knew.

6210 Then, once the oath of allegiance is complete, you shall disperse through the land and seek God's provisions, and remember God frequently, that you may succeed.

Please pay particular attention to the sentences highlighted in red and compare them to these other verses highlighted in red.

Also, please keep the following points in mind while reading these next set of verses.

1). 629,10 are speaking of a time of PUBLIC gathering....a time where many people are gathered together in order to share a common event.

2). There are Two events that I have found in the quran that GOD describes as a time that the people will be gathered. One of them is the day of resurrection. Well, I can't see how GOD can be talking about that particular time in 629 and 10.

The other time spoken of in the quran where many people gather together is the Hajj.

Chapter 22 outlines what is to be taking place during this time that the people gather together. Please read these verses carefully, especially the verses highlighted in red, and think upon what we have just read in 629 and 10...

2227 And call out to mankind with the Pilgrimage, they will come to you walking and on every transport, they will come from every deep enclosure.

2228 So that they may witness benefits for themselves and recall God's name in the appointed days over what He has provided for them of the animal livestock. So eat from it and feed the needy and the poor.

2229 Then let them complete their duties and fulfill their vows, and let them traverse at the ancient Sanctuary.

2230 Thus, and whosoever honours God's restrictions, then it is better for him with His Lord. And the livestock is made lawful for you except what is recited upon you. So avoid the foulness of idols and avoid saying false statements.

To my understanding, verse 27 speaks of THE time of gathering. I compare this to 629 that speaks of THE time of gathering.

Verse 28 speaks of the benefits we may witness at this time. The benefits at this time is twofold the obvious spiritual benefits as well as the commercial benefits that we are allowed to pursue at this particular time. I compare this to 629 as well which tells us to hasten to the remberance of GOD (the spiritual benefits) and to drop all trade/business (the commercial benefits). I also compare the wording of verses 28 and 29 to the wording of 6210 that says after the salat is completed, we may continue to seek GOD's bounties and to traverse throughout while doing so.

Of course my understanding of this may be way off base, but either way I am still interested in how others may see this as a possibility.

Peace,
Damon.

As Mohammed was the last Nabi for Bani Isreal, to transition them to the Quran, and Mohammed was a Rasoel for mankind.

Who do you think are addressed when you read O You who have believed?