Many "modern Muslims" have put forward their own interpretations of Islamic rituals and nothing has escaped their view. Most recent one I came across was published in "Patheos" a journal issued by Ahmadis/Mirzais even though this writer may not necessarily be an Ahmadi: he is from Malaysia
I remember Alija Mohammad's Islam wanted to have Ramzan fasting in the month of December every year. Turkey, some years ago suggested to have salat/namaz in Turkish language instead of Arabic ( Mustafa Kamal's kamaal effect) so they could understand it, and so on....
M Farouk article (Patheos is good in one thing they publish every kind of opinion) says he had proposed to shift Friday prayer to Saturday (thinking this to be already a non-working day) so we Muslims dont have to rush back to work or even miss the Jumuah prayer etc. and had a lot of backlash mostly in Malaysial language which I could not understand but he says many called him out of Islam etc. etc. He had some other arguments and suggestions but I am only taking up one thing Friday prayers. He advanced an argument that
Yaum-ul-Jumu'ah is translated (Aya # 9 Sura 62nd Jumu'ah) as "day of gathering" (so it should be OK to transfer it to Saturday in his thinking)
From Islamic point of view we have no concept of "holiday" during a week except delaying work on Jumu'ah for the congregational (Fardh) prayer, so see below:
I started looking up where it says "day of gathering" instead of Jumu'ah. I saw YusufAli, M. Muhsin, Asad (three scholars well-known translations and tafseer) They all translate Friday and in bracket add day of gathering or day of assembly.
He has given Qur'anic support for this suggestion and so I am going to give the same inshaAllah
Saturday was not original holiday and still in many places countries it is half day or no holiday at all. Sunday is the only common day when seen in all non-Muslims and some Muslim countries of the present day world. Let me first take up Sunday.
Why is Sunday considered holiday? It is not because of the "Sun" or Sun God (as many non-Muslims consider Muslims to be following Sun-God, whatever gave them that idea). Apparently the holiday concept of non-working was not known until Christians started their trade contact with the whole world and they are the ones for whom it is considered "one day of rest" which may not be a bad idea by itself but it is based on the Biblical expression of "God created heavens and earth in 6 days and on the seventh day He rested" or something like that. So everybody accepted one day holiday. Then came the turn of the Jews (or may be they had it before anyway, I do not know) for them it is prohibited by God to work because they are supposed to spend time afor God worship and this is a strong reason for them to have Saturday or "Yaum-us-Sabt" off . As they had no choice but to observe Saturday as non-working day so another got added for non-working day ,the week became 5days week. Now let us see what Islamic teachings say and I will turn to Qur'an majeed now:
First see aya number 255 Sura Baqara (ayat-al=Kursi) ".......no slumber can seize Him nor sleep........"
and then Aya number 38, sura Qaaf, "We created the heavens and the earth and all between them, in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch us" There are several other ayaat saying heavens and earth were created in six days and then He sat on the throne (Thummastawa ala-al-Arsh). Ayyam in Arabic refers to "periods" rather than Day as known to us human beings day consisting of 24 hours. The Qur'an mentions other explanation of human being's "days" in three places:
1. Aya 47, Sura 22nd (al-Hajj) " ............ verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning."
2. Sura Sajda number 32, ayaay 4 and 5 are, " It is Allah who has created the heavens and the earth and all between them in SIX Days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority): ye have ............" and
"He rules (all) affairs from heavens to the earth; in the end will (all affairs) go to Him on a day the space whereof will be (as a thousand years of your reckoning."
3. Aya #4 of sura M'aarij seventieth sura, "The angels and the spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years.
So, in fact for us Muslims the understanding is not "our" six days ( and scientifically those did not even exist before the birth of earth and Sun). Combining the previous ayat it is clear for us that Sunday has no significance for us as Allah does not need rest and days of our reckoning are seven. Muslims therefore have no Holiday except, going back to the Aya of Sura Jumuah we prepare for the congregational Jumah prayer and after salat is over Allah asks us to get back to our work.
As for the Saturday or the day of Sabbath, there was a covenant between Jews and Allah, they will not work but just worship but they transgressed often so Allah mentions punishment for not observing Sabbath here ( not all ayaat are given):
Aya number 154 from Sura an-Nisaa (4th) - "and for their covenant We raised over them Mount (Sinai).......and transgress not in matters of Sabbath and We took from them a solemn covenant" and also Aya # 47,"...... curse them as we cursed the Sabbath-breakers...."
also Sura Al-Araaf 7th Sura, aya number 163, ".... behold they transgressed in the matter of Sabbath for on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them ......thus We make a trial of them ......"
This is clear for the Jews to observe non work on the day of Sabbath or Saturday. We as Muslims do not have anything in common with Jews for that day.
At best we as Muslims should have early half day off, that is work to start in the early afternoon or noon (Jumu'ah prayer can be offered before Zduhr salat and after Jumu'ah prayer there is no Zduhr salat)
We as Muslims should continue as it is or should ask for work on Saturday half day in lieu of no work on Friday first half day and promulgate such rulings if we have to but as it is I cannot subscribe to observing Jumuah on Saturday or Sunday. May Allah guide us all to the straight path.
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