The Reward for Walking to Jumu`ah

Question: 346334

In the hadith about the virtue of walking to Jumu`ah prayer, it was narrated from Aws ibn Aws ath-Thaqafi that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl on Friday and cleanses himself, and sets out early, and comes close to the imam and listens and keeps quiet, for every step he takes he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyam for one year.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 496; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 410.

Isn’t this regarded as a large amount of reward that may be attained every week, whereas Laylat al-Qadr occurs once every year and is described as being better than a thousand months in the Quran, rather than a thousand years? By the same token, a person can easily take a thousand steps on his way to the mosque every week, which will lead to attaining the reward of fasting and praying qiyam for a thousand years?

Summary of answer

The immense bounty mentioned in this hadith about the reward for walking to Jumu’ah and other sunnah actions recommended on Friday is befitting to the immense grace and bounty of Allah if a person is able to do everything mentioned in this hadith and does not omit any of those things. That is easy for Allah, for no one will be doomed except a loser, and whoever thinks that the bounty of Allah is great, no doubt His bounty is even greater than what He thinks.

Answer

Table Of Contents

Immense reward for small deeds: how?
Who will attain the reward for each step he takes to Friday?

We have previously discussed the virtues of Friday in these answers: 13692 , 9211 and 12309

Immense reward for small deeds: how?

With regard to your question about how this immense reward for this small action can make sense, the answer is:

The bounty of Allah is immense, for He is the Appreciative (ash-Shakur) Who gives immense reward for small actions. Hence in some narrations of this hadith, it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And that is easy for Allah.” (Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq in his Musannaf, 5570)

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami said in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (2/471): “It was said that there is nothing in the Sunnah, in any sahih report, greater than this reward, so pay attention to it.”

Al-Qari said in Mirqat al-Mafatih (3/1035): “One of the leading scholars said: We have not heard in the teachings of Islam of any sahih hadith that refers to anything like this reward, meaning: one should make sure to comply with it in in the hope of attaining that reward.”

So there is nothing strange about this reward, because no human can comprehend the grace and bounty of Allah. What is strange is our heedlessness concerning it, when we know that it is proven; look around you and see how heedless people are. And it is Allah Whose help we seek.

Who will attain the reward for each step he takes to Friday?

This immense reward is only attained by doing all the things that are mentioned in the hadith: doing ghusl, cleansing oneself, going to the mosque early, walking to the mosque and not riding [in a car], sitting close to the imam, listening attentively to the khutbah and not fidgeting. Those who manage to do all of these things are very few, as we see from the conduct of people.

And Allah knows best.

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