Al-Jumuʿah
The aim of this chapter is heightened encouragement in favor of the Friday ritual prayer (ṣalāt al-jumuʿa) and its performance. This is because the Friday ritual prayer is from the great and valuable divine rituals, honoring and paying attention to which carries worldly and hereafterly well-being for the Muslims. God proceeds to enunciate His teaching (regarding the Friday ritual prayer) in this chapter by beginning the chapter with His praise and glorification. This is due to Him having had favored and blessed an unlettered people with an unlettered messenger from among themselves; one who recites to them His verses, purifies them by means of virtuous deeds and purifying morals, teaches them the book and wisdom thereby charging them with the book of God and the knowledge of His religion in the best manner possible; them and those of the believers who would come after them. Thus (the implied message is)—let them (that is, those charged, (the Muslims)) carry this charge in the best manner possible and let them beware of becoming like the Jews who were charged with the Torah but who did not carry its teachings, knowledge, and rules (as it deserved), and consequently became like donkeys carrying books!
Then finally, God arrives at the instruction (to the Muslims) to leave off trade and to hasten to the remembrance of God when the call is made for the ritual prayer on Friday. He (further) rebukes the Muslims for abandoning the Prophet while he was standing preaching to them (on Friday prior to the ritual prayer) as they broke up and scattered off, rushing to trade and amusement. That was a sign of their failure to carry the responsibility of the teachings and rules of God’s book, which they were charged with.
This chapter is of Medinan provenance.
This is the ʿAllāmah's introduction to the sūrah, from the opening of the commentary.