[You can start some of these as soon as after fajr!]
1. Read Surat al Kahf
“Narrated by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri: The Prophet (sallAllaahu alaayhi wasalam) said: “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.” [al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ 6470]2. Make Ghusl
The Prophet (may Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says: “Anyone who takes a ritual bath and then goes to the Friday Prayer and performs the Prayer that has been ordained for him, keeps silent until the Imam concludes the sermon, and then offers the Prayers along with him (the Imam), he would be forgiven for what he did between then and the following Friday and even three days more.” [Reported by Muslim]3. Make salawat on the Prophet sallaAllaahu alayhi wa sallam
The Prophet (peace be upon) said, “The best of days is Friday; so increase in conveying peace and blessings on me that day, for your blessings will be submitted to me.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how can our blessings be submitted to you while you will be decayed?” He (peace be upon him) said, “Allah has prohibited the earth to decompose the bodies of Prophets. [Sunah Abu Dawood, Sunan an-Nasaee al-Jami’, Sunan Ibn Majah & others]4. Make lots of duaa
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “On this day there is a time when no Muslim stands and prays, asking Allaah for something, but Allaah will grant him it” – and he gestured with his hands to indicate how short that time is.5. Attend the Jum’ah Khutbah & Prayer [of course this is obligatory upon men]
In order for one’s deeds for going to jum’ah to count, they must be silent and attentive during the khutbah.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you say to your companion when the imam is preaching on Friday, ‘Be quiet and listen,’ you have engaged in idle talk.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 892; Muslim, 851].
It was narrated that Abu’l-Darda’ said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sat on the minbar and addressed the people, and he recited a verse. Ubayy ibn Ka’b was next to me, so I said to him: “O Ubayy, when was this verse revealed?” But he refused to speak to me, so I asked him again and he refused to speak to me, until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came down (from the minbar). Then Ubayy said to me: “You have gained nothing from your Jumu’ah except idle talk.” When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished (the prayer), I went to him and told him (what had happened). He said: “Ubayy was right. When you hear your imam speaking, then keep quiet and listen attentively until he has finished.” [Narrated by Ahmad, 20780; Ibn Maajah, 1111; classed as saheeh by al-Busayri and al-Albaani in Tamaam al-Mannah, p. 338].
Ibn ‘Abd al-Baarr said:
There is no dispute among the fuqaha’ of all regions that it is obligatory to remain silent and listen attentively to the khutbah, for those who hear it.
[Al-Istidhkaar, 5/43].
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (8/242):
It is not permissible to say Yarhamuk-Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you) to one who sneezes or to return salaams whilst the imam is delivering the khutbah, according to the correct scholarly opinion, because both of them involve speaking, which is forbidden when the imam is delivering the khutbah, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth.
