For Muslims, every Friday is considered to be a Holy Occasion. However, the last Friday during the month of Ramadan holds great importance. The day is observed as Jamat ul-Vida or Jumu'atul-Wida or al-Jumu'ah al-Yateemah which literally means the 'Friday of Farewell". The concept of a Friday or Jumma afternoon prayer was stressed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who said that Fridays are more blessed than other regular days of the week. Jumu'atul-Wida falls before Eid-ul-Fitr and is celebrated globally by the Islamic community to mark the final Friday of the Fasting month. The pious occasion of Jumu'atul-Wida 2022 in India will be held on 29th April. Islamic holiday dates may vary as many are dependent on the sighting of the moon. Ramadan 2022 in India: Start Date, Fasting Rules and Significance of Celebrating the Muslim Holy Month.

Traditions And Significance Of Jamat ul-Vida

The word 'Jumat-ul-Wida' is derived from two words ‘juma’ and ‘wida' wherein "Juma" means "gathering" and "wida" means "farewell." The Muslim observance is often referred to as the 'Day of Worship'. Jumu'atul-Wida is celebrated with religious fervour and sanctity when Muslim families perform prayer in the early morning hours and recite verses from the holy Quran. The traditions hold the belief that reading the Quran or Namaz on the last Friday of Ramazan before Eid-ul-Fitr never go unanswered. People hold the faith that on the day of Jumat-ul-Wida the Angel of the Almighty enters mosques and when the Holy Quran is recited in His divine presence, then all the past sins and wrongdoings are forgiven.

To celebrate the auspicious day/festival, there is another long-established tradition of giving food and other essential items to those in need as an act of Charity. People call it 'ibadah' which means service or servitude. Muslims are needed to join the congregation in lieu of the normal prayers of Friday as this Namaz is considered to be the last one for the month of Ramazan. A large number of devotees attend the Jumma prayers wearing new attire at different mosques to seek the choicest blessings from Allah for peace, mercy and progress. Gazillion of tents around the Mosques for the followers of Allah and feasts are among the most common scenario during the festival of al-Jumu'ah al-Yateemah.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2022 02:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).