Question Summary:
Hadith on neglecting Jumu’ah Salaah thrice

Question Detail:

My question is with regards to the ahaadith mentioned in mishkaat sharif about the missing of Jumuah salaat. Hadith 1371 mentiones to the effect that whoever leaves 3 jumuah salawaat, Allah seals his heart. How are these ahaadith understood with regards to the ahaadith of taubah? If someone missed Jumuah prayer three times, but then sincerely repented, could this save him from the sealing of the heart?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Apart from Jumma being fardh, Jumma Salah is among the salient features (شعار) of Islam. It is never expected of a person to miss a Jumma Salah. Missing a Jumma Salah is the height of a person’s negligence. Nevertheless, if a person sincerely repents then the doors of forgiveness are always open provided the conditions of a sincere repentance are met.
Allah Ta’ala States in the Quran:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ
Transaltion: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.
One of the conditions of Tawba is to regret and reform. The person who missed Jumma should repeat it and make a firm resolve never to miss Jumma in the future.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mohammed Patel,
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.