What is Jumu'atul Wida?
Jumu'atul Wida ("the farewell Friday") is the name many Muslims give to the last Friday of Ramadan. It's a blessed day because it is both a Friday and a day in the last ten days of Ramadan. But there is no special prayer or ritual for it in the Quran or authentic hadith, so you treat it like any other Ramadan Friday, just with extra effort.
Where the name comes from
"Wida" means farewell. Muslims in South Asia, parts of Africa and their communities in the UK and USA often call the last Friday of Ramadan by this name, because it's the farewell to the month's Fridays. Mosques are often fuller than usual, and some imams give an emotional khutbah about saying goodbye to Ramadan. The name itself is a cultural custom, not something the Prophet ﷺ or his companions used.
Why the day really is special
Two blessings meet on this day. Friday is the best day of the week; the Prophet ﷺ said it is the best day on which the sun has risen (Sahih Muslim 854). And it falls in the last ten days of Ramadan, when the Prophet ﷺ told us to seek Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights (Sahih al-Bukhari 2017). If it is the eve of an odd night, it could even lead into Laylat al-Qadr. See What is Laylat al-Qadr and how do I find it?
What to avoid
Some people believe a special prayer on this day, sometimes called "qada umri", makes up for all the prayers they ever missed. Scholars agree there's no authentic basis for this. Missed obligatory prayers are dealt with through repentance and, according to most scholars, making them up; no single prayer wipes them out. Also avoid treating it as a mini-Eid or a day with fixed rituals the sunnah doesn't mention. See Is saying "Jummah Mubarak" a bidah?
Good ways to spend it
- Do the Friday sunnahs: ghusl, clean clothes, going early, and reading Surah al-Kahf. See Should I read Surah al-Kahf on Fridays?
- Make dua in the last hour before Maghrib while you are fasting.
- Pay your zakat al-fitr if you haven't yet, so it reaches the poor before Eid.
- Reflect on your Ramadan and choose one good habit to keep after it.
- Jumu'atul Wida is a cultural name for the last Friday of Ramadan.
- It's blessed because it is a Friday within the last ten days of Ramadan.
- There is no special prayer for it; "qada umri" has no authentic basis.
- Use it for Friday sunnahs, dua, Quran and zakat al-fitr.
People also ask
Can I do qurbani if I'm vegetarian?
Yes, vegetarians can do qurbani. The sacrifice is the worship, not eating the meat, so you can give all of it to family, friends and the poor.
Read the full answer →Can I sell the skin or meat from my qurbani?
No, you shouldn't sell qurbani meat or skin. Eat it, gift it or give it in charity, and pay the butcher a separate fee, not with parts of the animal.
Read the full answer →What is the month of Shaban?
Shaban is the 8th Islamic month, right before Ramadan. Learn why the Prophet fasted most in it and how to use it to prepare for Ramadan.
Read the full answer →Can I break a voluntary fast for an Eid invitation?
Yes, you can break a voluntary fast for an Eid invitation. The Prophet broke voluntary fasts too; fasting on Eid day itself isn't allowed.
Read the full answer →What happens to the Eid prayer if it rains?
If it rains, the Eid prayer moves indoors to the mosque or a hall. It's never cancelled, and in severe weather you may pray it at home instead.
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