Sending Blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) after Asr on Fridays

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: I am inquiring about a hadith I learned of today that states the great virtue in making durood on our nabi (SAW) 80 times after Asr Salat on Friday. Is this hadith implying a specific durood that we should be reciting or can we recite any durood? And do we have to recite it right after Asr salat while still in the sitting position or can we recite it later as long as it is before the entrance of magrib salat?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I hope you are in the best of health and spirits, insha’Allah.

Considering its supporting narrations, it would appear that one could say the prayer at any point before Maghrib and not necessarily immediately after the `Asr prayer.

The Form of the Prayer

A specific form of the prayer which has been related by Imam Ghazali in his magnum opus, the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya `Ulum al-Din) is: “Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin `abdika wa nabiyyika wa rasulika al-nabi al-ummi”

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَنَبِيِّكَ وَرَسُوْلِكَ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّي

Al-`Iraqi mentions that this narration (hadith) (i.e. with the aforementioned prayer) was related by Daraqutni and graded fair by Ibn al-Nu`man. Suyuti and `Ajiluni, in his Kashf al-Khafa’, also gave it a similar grading.

A Note on the Supporting Narrations

However, the narration (hadith) in question is normally narrated in a simpler wording from Abu Huraira, “Blessings upon me is light on the Sirat. Whoever recites blessings on me eighty times on Friday, Allah will forgive him eighty years of sins.” [Daylami, Musnad al-Firdaws]

Though very weak, it is supported and strengthened by corroborating narrations, as explained by Zabidi in his Ithaf al-Sadat al-Muttaqin.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani