QUESTION:

1.) Is it permissible to say jumu’a mubarak please help out in this query because someone I know from a misguided sect has said it is a biddah?
2.) If it is allowed to say then please provide its reference or explain.

ANSWER:

First and foremost one should understand that the salaf of this ummah have explained bid’ah (innovation) as being of two fundamental types:

In the Sahih of al-Imam al-Bukhari it is mentioned that Sayyiduna ’Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) stated concerning the 20 rak’ats of tarawih prayer, in congregation, behind one imam:

“What a good bid’ah it is!” (ni`mati al-bid`atu hiya).”

Al-Hafizh al-Imam al-Bayhaqi (رحمة الله عليه) narrates through a sahih isnad (authentic chain of transmission) in Manaqib al-Imam al-Shafi`i, that:

“Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Fadl narrated to us that Abu al-`Abbas al-Assam narrated to him that Rabi` ibn Sulayman narrated to him that al-Imam ash-Shafi`i informed him:

“The newly-invented matters from the affairs are of two kinds: One of them is whatever is innovated contravening [a matter from] the Book, or [a matter from] the Sunnah, or a narration, or a [matter of] consensus, then this is an innovation of misguidance (al-bid`atu al-dalalatu). The second is whatever is innovated of the good which does not contravene any of these, then this is an innovation which is not blameworthy (ghayru mahzmumatin).”

Regarding congratulating one another on the day of ‘eid, al-Sayyid ibn ‘Abidin al-Shami (رحمة الله عليه) relates from al-Muhaqqiq ibn ‘Amir Hajj (رحمة الله عليه) that he considered it: ‘ja’iz’ (permissible) and ‘mustahabb’ (commendable) in general. He also considered the wording popular in his time: ‘eidun mubarakun alayka’ (a blessed eid upon you) to take the same rule. He has mentioned: “Supplication for barakah (blessing) in many affairs has reached us, thus the commendability of supplication for it here (on the day of ‘eid) can be taken from that.”

[Radd al-Muhtar 2/169]

The barakah of Jumu’ah and its being a day of eid is clear in the Prophetic Ahadith such as in the hadith of the Sahih of ibn Hibban where it is mentioned that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) said regarding the day of Jumu’ah:

“Verily it is a day of eid.”

[Sahih of ibn Hibban, Hadith 3610]

In a further hadith of the Sunan of ibn Majah it is mentioned that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) said:

“Verily the day of Jumu’ah is the master of days.”

[Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith 1084]

The barakah of jumu’ah is such that al-Hafizh Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (رحمة الله عليه) has gathered 100 special qualities related to it with supporting evidences in his work al-Lumu’ah fi Khasa’isil Jumu’ah.

If one greets his brother with salam and then supplicates for him on the day of Jumu’ah saying ‘Jumu’ah Mubarak’, then there is nothing in that which goes against the principles of the shari’ah which would make it a reprehensible bid’ah. In fact it is established that from the blessings of Jumu’ah is a hidden time in which the du’a of a slave is answered as in the hadith of the Sahih of al-Imam Muslim:

“Verily there is a time in the day of Jumu’ah, that no Muslim coincides with it supplicating to Allah for good except that Allah bestows it upon him”

[Sahih Muslim Hadith 852]

The opinion of those who are not upon the Aqidah of the Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah is of no value in matters of Deen.

Allah knows best.

Answered by Mawlana Ibrar Shafi

Also see:

[Q-ID0301] What is correct understanding of Bid’ah (innovation) in Islam?

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