Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Is wishing Jumu’ah Mubārak allowed in Islam or is it a reprehensible innovation in the religion?
Answer:
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question.
Although the words ‘Jumuʿah Mubārak’ (Blessed Friday) are not words taken from an established practise of the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings upon him), it would be permissible to say them with the following three conditions:
- One does not believe or intend it to be an established sunnah (prophetic practice).
- One does not believe it to be binding upon a person.
- One does not look down upon someone who does not articulate the statement.
An action or practice that is good, and not in clear contradiction to any teachings of the Qurʿān and the noble Sunnah, is considered “mubāḥ” (allowed), provided one has the correct intention (as stated in the above 3 conditions).
There are numerous things we do, that the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) did not do, yet they are not looked upon as reprehensible innovations. For example, it is an established practise that the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) intentionally chose to remain hungry, he usually ate once a day, (See Tirmidhī, Kanz al ʿOmmāl, Quwwatul Qulūb, Musnad Aḥmad, Bazzār, Targhīb and Bayhaqī) yet we would not consider eating more than once a day a ‘reprehensible innovation’ simply because eating with balance is a good thing. It is not contrary to any teaching of the Qurʿān and Sunnah when rendered with the proper intention. Hence, eating twice or thrice a day is considered ‘mubāḥ‘ (allowed).
And Allāh Knows Best