الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه، أما بعـد
Sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is amongst the most virtuous acts of worship. Rewards are written; a person’s sins are forgiven; and his status is elevated.
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Whoever sends Salah upon me once, Allah will send Salah upon him ten-fold, and will erase ten sins from him, and will raise him ten degrees in status.”
[Narrated by Nasai #1297 V.3 Pg.50; and Haakim in Mustadrak 1/550 (He said, it is authentic and Zahabi agreed); and Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh #904 (Shaikh Shu’aib said, its chain is authentic.)]
Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “The person closest to me on the Day of Judgement is the one who sent the most Salat upon me.” [Narrated by Tirmithi #484 and he said it is sound (hasan gharib)]
Concerning salat and durood specifically on Fridays the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Of your best days is Friday. On it Adam was created; and on it his (soul) was taken; and on it is the blowing (of the Trumpet); and on it is the Swoon. Therefore, increase in sending your Salat upon me, for your salat upon me are presented to me.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah! And how will our Salat upon you be presented to you after you have perished?” He replied: “Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has prohibited the earth from (destroying) the bodies of the Prophets.”
[Narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan #1047, Ibn Khuzaimah #1733 and Ibn Hibban #910 in their respective Saheehs, and Hakim in Mustadrak 1/278 He said, It is authentic on the conditions of Bukhari and Zahabi agreed.]
Based on this Imam Shafe’e used to say, “I love to send plenty of salat upon the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) all the time and I love it more so on the day of Jumuah.” [Kitabul Umm 1/546]
So there is plenty of rewards for reciting salat and salam (durood) every day and especially so on Fridays. One may reap these rewards with which ever wordings of salat and salam (durood) one uses.
There is a specific hadith that speaks about salat was salaam (durood) after Asr on a Friday:
من صلى صلاة العصر من يوم الجمعة فقال قبل أن يقوم من مكانه [اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدِنِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا] ثمانين مرة غفرت له ذنوب ثمانين عاما وكتبت له عبادة ثمانين سنة
“Whoever remains seated in his place after the ‘Asr salah on a Friday and recites the following will have 80 years of sins forgiven, and 80 years of worship recorded for him”
[اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدِنِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا]
“Allahum-ma Sal-li A’laa Muhammadi-nin-Nabi-yil Um-mi wa A’laa Aa-li-hi wa sal-lim Tasleemaa”
“O Allah send salat upon Muhammad, the un-lettered Prophet and his family; and send salams (upon them).”
Concerning this hadith the Muhaddith, Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Abasoomer said:
{This hadith is reported with a few chains that are extremely weak and one of the chains is currently untraceable.
However, the following narration has been classified as “hasan” (sound) by latter day Muhaddithun, and is similar to the above hadith.
“Whoever sends salutations upon me 80 times on a Friday, will have 80 years sins forgiven” When the Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum) enquired how to do so, Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) replied: “Say:
[اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَنَبِيِّكَ وَرَسُوْلِكَ النَّبِّيِ الْأُمِّيِّ]
“Allahumma sal-li ‘ala Muhammadin ‘ab-di-ka wa nabiy-yika wa rasu-li-kan nabiy-yil um-miyy”
“O Allah send salat upon Muhammad, Your servant, Your Prophet, Your Messenger, the Un-lettered Prophet.”
(Daraqutni; see Al-Qawlul badi’, pg.400 & Sharhul Ihya, vol.3 pg.286)
Imam ‘Iraqi and others have declared this one as sound (hasan). (Al-Qawlul Badi’, pg.400 & Sharhul Ihya, vol.3 pg.286)
Suitable for practice
Based on the above, it would be ideal to practice on the second narration, but also correct to stick to the first one since it does acquire a degree of support from the second narration. Therefore this issue shouldn’t be a cause for discord in any community.
This is the view of my seniors too.
Caution: It should be noted that the second hadith, which has been classified as sound does not have the promise of 80 years worship being recorded. Source} End Quote Shaikh Abasoomer.
It is also beneficial to note that after Asr on a Fridays is considered a very blessed and opportune time. The blessings of Salat and Salam (Durood) will surely increase.
Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) talked about Friday and said, “There is an opportune time on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand.” And he (the Prophet) pointed out the shortness of that time with his hands. [Bukhari #935]
The most famous opinion is that this special time is after Asr till Sunset and many scholars adopted this view. [See Fathul Baari V.3 Pg. 218-228]
In conclusion,
- Durood Shareef (Salat and Salam) is encouraged every-day and especially on Fridays.
- One may recite any wordings of Salat which one have memorised.
- Alternatively, any of the above two wordings may also be used.
- One may recite it anytime from after Maghrib on Thursday until before Sunset on Fridays.
- One may recite it 80 times, 100 times or any amount of times they have the ability to.
- If one has the practice of reciting Durood after the Fardh Salah of Asr on Fridays, one may continue based on the general narrations above.
And Allah Ta’alaa knows best.
