Friday (Jummah) is the best day of the week, and among its finest acts of worship is reciting durood on the beloved Prophet. But why should durood be recited on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on this best of days, and how should it be recited?

Reciting durood is an act of worship. The Prophet himself instructed believers to recite durood on Friday, and it is also a command of Allah. Allah and His angels send salat (durood) on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which is why Allah commands the believers in the Holy Quran to recite durood on the Prophet:

"Indeed, Allah and His angels send salat (durood) on the Prophet. O you who believe, send salat (durood) on him too and greet him with a worthy salutation." (Surah Al-Ahzab: 56)

Reciting durood on the beloved Prophet (PBUH) is a virtuous act of worship and earns reward. He himself described this in several hadith:

• Aws ibn Aws (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The best of your days is Friday. So recite much durood on me on that day, for your durood is presented to me." The people present asked: "O Messenger of Allah, after your death you will decay and disappear. How then will our durood be presented to you?" He said: "Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets" (so their bodies will remain intact). (Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad, Darimi)
• Ibn Masud (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, the person closest to me will be the one who recited the most durood on me." (Tirmidhi)
• Abdullah ibn Amr (RA) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: "Whoever recites durood on me once, Allah will send durood (mercy) on him ten times." (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad)
• Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "May the nose be rubbed in dust of the one in whose presence my name is mentioned and he does not recite durood on me", meaning he does not say at least the short Arabic phrase "Sallallahu ala Muhammad" or "Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam". (Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad)
• Abu Hurairah also narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Do not make my grave a place of festival (as grave-worshippers do with urs and fairs). Send durood on me, for wherever you are, your durood reaches me." (Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad)
• Ali (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The true miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned and he does not recite durood on me." (Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad)
• Fadala ibn Ubaid (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) heard a man supplicating in prayer without praising Allah or reciting durood on the Prophet. Seeing this, he said: "This man was hasty." He then called him and said to him, or to someone else: "When one of you makes dua, let him begin by praising his Lord and sending durood and salam on me, then ask for whatever he wishes." (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Musnad Ahmad)

What is the method of sending durood and salam on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and in which words?

Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Laila narrated that Kab ibn Ujra (RA) met him and said: "Shall I not give you a gift that I heard from the Prophet (PBUH)?" He said yes. Kab said they had asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "O Messenger of Allah, how should durood be recited on you, the members of your household? Allah has taught us how to send salam on you." He said: say this:

"Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka hamidum majid. Allahumma barik ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka hamidum majid."

Meaning: "O Allah, send mercy on Muhammad (PBUH) and on the family of Muhammad (PBUH), as You sent mercy on Ibrahim (AS) and the family of Ibrahim (AS). Surely You are praiseworthy and glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad (PBUH) and the family of Muhammad (PBUH), as You blessed Ibrahim (AS) and the family of Ibrahim (AS). Surely You are praiseworthy and glorious." (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad, Darimi)

Abu Masud Badri (RA) narrated that they were sitting in the gathering of Saad ibn Ubada (RA) when the Prophet (PBUH) came to them. Bashir ibn Saad said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has commanded us to recite durood on you, but how shall we do it?" The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) remained silent, until they wished Bashir had not asked him. After a while the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: say this:

"Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita ala ali Ibrahim. Wa barik ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala ali Ibrahima fil alamin. Innaka hamidum majid."

Meaning: "O Allah, send salat (mercy) on Muhammad (PBUH) and the family of Muhammad (PBUH), as You sent it on the family of Ibrahim. And send blessings on Muhammad (PBUH) and his family, as You sent blessings on the family of Ibrahim in all the worlds. Surely You are praiseworthy and most honoured. And as for the salam, you already know it." (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Malik, Darimi)

Abu Humaid Saidi (RA) narrated that the people (the Companions) asked: "O Messenger of Allah, how shall we send durood on you?" He said: say this:

"Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa azwajihi wa zurriyyatihi kama sallaita ala ali Ibrahim; wa barik ala Muhammadin wa azwajihi wa zurriyyatihi kama barakta ala ali Ibrahim; innaka hamidum majid."

Meaning: "O Allah, send salat (mercy) on Muhammad, his wives and his descendants, as You sent it on the family of Ibrahim. And send blessings on Muhammad, his wives and his descendants, as You sent blessings on the family of Ibrahim. Surely You are praiseworthy and glorious." (Bukhari and Muslim, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Malik)

Durood is one of three special acts of worship on Friday. It is important to keep reciting durood after the Friday prayer, and its virtue is especially great in the time between Asr and waiting for the Maghrib prayer on Friday. Reciting Surah Al-Kahf on this day and spending the time from Asr to Maghrib in any form of worship are also special acts.

Believing Muslims should therefore turn their attention to the finest act of durood on the finest day of the week, act on the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah, and strive towards mercy, blessing and forgiveness.

The writer closes with a prayer that Allah grant the Muslim ummah the ability to spend Friday in worship, to act properly on the hadith and to recite durood abundantly. Amen.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.