In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Friday is the best day for Muslims. So, receive Friday with actions that will draw your Lord’s felicity and assistance such that you enter into the circles of those whom He loves and are gathered under the Banner of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
The highlights of Friday for Muslims are Friday prayer with a sermon (mandatory for men), reading Surah al-Kahf and invoking lots of blessings upon His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
There are sahih ahaadith concerning the merits and virtues of reading Surah al-Kahf on Friday and following are among them:
(a) From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”[Narrated by al-Daarimi]
(b) “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.” [Narrated by Al-Hakim]
(c) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (radhiAllahu anhuma) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: ‘Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’” [Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.]
The Surah may be read during the night or the day of Jumu’ah. The night of Jumu’ah starts from sunset on Thursday, and the day of Jumu’ah ends at sunset. Therefore the time for reading this Surah extends from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Friday.
Amongst the most noble of selfless acts we can undertake is to send prayers of peace and blessings upon the Final Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Allah Almighty establishes this noble act Himself first and foremost; how noble is an act that Allah The Compassionate Himself confirms to Do! He, The exalted, states:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٥٦[Qur’an, Al-Ahzab 33:56]
Verily, God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet: O you who believe! Send blessings upon him and salute him with all due respect to him.”
In the midst of a world full of corruption, incessant maligning of God and the Prophets of God, absent of peace, and starving for blessings, there is no quicker, better and greater way for the Believer of One God to seek His Grace, Protection, Favor and Blessing, other than invoking the blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
Invoking peace and blessings upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) opens the floodgates of peace and blessings upon ourselves.
اللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى مُحَمّدٍ
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad
This is no small matter. To explain further, in another narration, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), said:
“Whoever will send one blessing upon me, God will send ten blessings upon him.” [Related by Muslim]
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “The closest people to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who invoked the most blessings upon me.” [Related by Tirmidhi]
And who from amongst you would not want to be in the company of the Beloved of the Lord, who has been given the authority when no other authority will exist to intercede for us, let alone be closest to him!
“Verily, your best day is Friday, so invoke blessings upon me in abundance on this day, for your invocation is presented to me.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of God! How can our invocations be presented to you after your bones have turned to dust? He replied ‘Verily, God has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Messengers.” [Narrated by ibn Majah and others]
To this profound reality of the blessed beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), it is incumbent to quote from the Divine Speech of Allah, The Exalted, related to the Prophetic narration above:
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢٨[Qur’an, At-Tawba 9:128]
There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful. (128)
The Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) concern is continuous and was not limited to a particular time or people, but to all who are from his community til the end of time. There is no question or ambiguity regarding this fact: the Prophet’s concern and care for us remains til the end of time and into the Hereafter. Seek every gathering and every moment of your voluntary and free time and send salutation upon the one whom Allah does not reject.
“He who invokes blessings upon me, the angels send blessings upon him equal to that which he invoked, so let the worshiper invoke some, or increase upon that.” [Recorded by Tirmidhi]
In a tradition narrated by Ubayy bin Ka’ab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said; ‘I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I supplicate often, so how much of my supplication should I devote to you?’ He replied, ‘as you desire’. I said, ‘a quarter of it?’ He said ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘half of it?’ He said, ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘two-thirds of it?’ He said again, ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ Finally I said, ‘and if I dedicate my supplication in its entirety to you?’ He said, ‘then your needs will be satisfied, and your sins forgiven.’[Recorded by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Hakim]
Note here, that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) himself authorizes not only one or ten salutations, but as many as anyone wishes, that they are permitted to increase it to whatever they are capable of. Whether it is one, one hundred, one million or one billion; the right to send as many salutations upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is your God-given right.
But take heed, that anyone who would either see the sending of salutations upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) as a wasteful act or a simple matter, or not worthy of gathering for, then the Prophet has also warned us:
“He who, when I am mentioned before him, fails to invoke blessings upon me is a miser.”
And:
“Disgraced be the person who, when I am mentioned before him, fails to invoke blessings upon me.” [both Hadīths, recorded by Tirmidhi]
Don't take part in a mindset or a community that decimates and prevents this honorable act of invoking peace and blessings of Allah Almighty upon His Beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Understand its irreplaceable value and hold on to those who aid and assist you to invoke Allah’s Peace and Blessings. As the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said himself:
“Allah, without any doubt, has angels that roam the earth and convey to me the greetings of my community.” [Recorded by Tirmidhi]
May Allah bestow His unbounded and overflowing peace and blessings be upon His Beloved Messenger and bless our Friday and all the days of our lives, forgive all our sins, make this world a peaceful place for us to worship Him and seek beneficial knowledge, and make all our deeds acceptable to Him, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive.
Ameen.
Please keep us in your du'as. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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