<b>Guidance from the Hadiths:</b><br> 1) The great reward and expiation of sins apply to one who performs ablution perfectly and listens attentively, not being distracted by anything from the sermon.<br> 2) They encourage us to seek Allah’s mercy, as He has provided us with opportunities for expiation of sins. These include prayers, fasting, and hastening to perform righteous deeds.<br> <br> <b>Benefit:</b><br> It is deduced from the foregoing Hadith that listening to the sermon is obligatory, for he who gets distracted from it by touching pebbles misses the reward of the Friday prayer. Then what about he who intentionally fails to listen to the sermon? A devoted believer would go to the Friday prayer early to witness the sermon from its beginning.<br> <br> <b>Words in the Hadith:</b><br> About idle activity, another Hadith says: “Whoever engages in idle activity and steps between people’s necks, it will be a Zhuhr prayer for him (not a Friday prayer).” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd as reported by ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās] Ibn Wahb, one the subnarrators, said what it means: “His prayer is valid (as Zhuhr prayer), but he is deprived of the merit of the Friday prayer.” [Fat-h al-Bāri Sharh Sahih al-Bukhāri]