“Attend the Friday prayer and draw close to the Imām, for a man may continue to stay away from Jumuʿah until he is kept back from Paradise—though he is indeed among its people.”
Narrated by Aḥmad (no. 20112), with the wording being his, and Abū Dāwūd (no. 1108), from the ḥadīth of Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him).
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 200) and in Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah (no. 365).
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
Friday is a great day; it is the weekly ʿĪd of the Muslims. Allah has distinguished it with a comprehensive khuṭbah that reminds, guides, and unites hearts upon His obedience. For this reason, the Muslim is legislated to prepare for it, go early to it, and be keen to draw close to the Imām. The Sunnah indicates this in his statement (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “Attend the Friday prayer and draw close to the Imām.” That is: attend its khuṭbah and prayer—obligatory upon those for whom Jumuʿah is required—and draw near to the Imām as much as you are able, by being in the front rows, so that you may properly hear the sermon and benefit from it. Do not deliberately remain distant, for that leads to missing the virtue of the early rows and a decrease in reward. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) warned against persisting in such negligence, saying: “For a man may continue to stay away from Jumuʿah, though he is indeed among its people…”
That is, delaying attendance at Jumuʿah, keeping distant from the Imām, and missing the front rows may cause a person to be delayed from entering Paradise alongside the foremost—despite being among its people. Thus, he misses the virtue of precedence and the loftiness of rank. If this warning applies to one who merely stays back from the Imām or arrives late to Jumuʿah, then how about the one who abandons Jumuʿah altogether?
In the ḥadīth there is evidence of the obligation of attending Jumuʿah and its khuṭbah, encouragement to go early to it, and urging the pursuit of lofty matters. It also contains a warning against negligence that results in deprivation and delay in attaining virtue and reward.