Friday – Pure and Simple

Today is Friday and it’s the summer holiday so the whole family can go to pray Jumu’ah or Friday prayer.

Today also I have been thinking about something to write but could not decide what, until I started shouting at my boys to get ready to go to the mosque. Then I said; that’s it. It’s Friday!

I was born in Egypt and grew up there and Friday has been very special for me! On Thursdays, I was always excited and extremely happy because I had finished that long school week and my father had got at last day off from work. On Friday, we got up late, had an Egyptian family breakfast and watched our favourite TV programs. Sometimes relatives and friends came and visited us and we enjoyed having dinner together. Sometimes we visited and spent the day with family or friends.

The first thing that has been so special about Friday is Friday prayer. Friday prayer is a compulsory congregational prayer for Adult men unless they are exempted for urgent reasons; e.g illness or travelling. Women have the option either to join or not but it is better to go and share the pleasure of this prayer. And children are always welcome! Being so attached to my father, I usually joined him. I do not know and have never asked my mother why she did not think about going to the mosque when we were young. But apparently, she would say it was not for women. But it was! And I remember that women’s section in the mosque was usually full and women there had been really kind and keen to take part in this prayer.

On our way back from the mosque, we usually got some fruits to share at home. We expected the best yummy dinner and desert, all homemade, with nice smell and taste. Even poor families used to cook the best meals on Fridays.

What else were we looking for on Fridays? Of course some rest and peace. But it was not always a peaceful day! Children’s gatherings usually mean lots of troubles. We would fight, smash things “accidentally” or get upset because that was not the food we expected!

Honestly; it was not only children who would spoil the peacefulness of that day, grown-ups had their share too! Sometimes, they would argue and argue till no one would feel like talking any more. Sometimes they would turn their faces to the clock to plan their excuses for an early leave. They might also give some unpleasant comments, questions or enquiries that add more embarrassing moments during that day!

In the evening, if we were during school days, we usually started doing or finishing our loads of school homework, getting our school uniform washed and ironed and getting ready to start the new week. If it was our school holidays, we either went to play with our friends, having them over or enjoyed a family time watching a programme or a movie at home.

Nice memories!

Have a lovely weekend!

Nahla