Friday is considered the most important and blessed day of the week. It is called “Sayyid al-Ayam” meaning the leader of all days.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said that Allah Almighty has made Friday the day of Eid for Muslims. This day is a great source of unity and social interaction among Muslims, where people from all over the neighborhood gather in a large mosque to worship Allah.
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On that day Adam (AS) was created, on that day he was admitted to Paradise, on that day he was expelled from it (to Earth), and the Hour will be established on Friday.” (Sahih Muslim: 854)
The Importance of the Time after Asr
The time from Asr to Maghrib is of great importance. In the blessed hadiths, it has been described as the “hour of acceptance”.
It was narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“There is one hour out of the twelve hours of Friday in which whatever a Muslim servant asks of Allah at that time, Allah will surely grant him, so seek it in the last hour after Asr.”
(Sunan Abu Dawud: 1048, Sunan An-Nasa’i: 1389)
According to the practices of scholars and pious people, the following actions are best for gathering the blessings of this time:
- Especially reciting Durood Shareef frequently, because the virtue of Durood Pak increases even more on Friday.
- From after Asr prayer until Maghrib, praying for yourself, your family and the entire Muslim Ummah with tears and lamentations.
- Surah Kahf: If you have not been able to recite it during the day, then completing the recitation during this time is also a source of light.
The time after Asr on Friday is a special gift from Allah Almighty in which the doors of mercy are open. This precious time should be spent in seeking refuge with Allah instead of wasting it on negligence or worldly matters.
Duas Recited After Asr on Friday
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim has beautifully described the importance of Friday, and especially the time after Asr, in his famous book “Zad Al-Ma’ad”.
He writes:
“In my opinion, the most correct opinions about it are two… and the more correct (stronger) of them is that it is the time from after Asr until sunset.”
The method of the religious leaders was to set aside this precious time only for remembrance, blessings, and duas.
When Saeed bin Jubayr had prayed the afternoon prayer, he would not speak to anyone (i.e. he would engage in supplication and remembrance) until the sun set.
Although you can recite any dua, there are certain words quoted from the blessed hadiths and religious leaders whose blessings are immense.
Durood Shareef
The time from after Asr until sunset, known as the “time of acceptance,” is the best way to get closer to Allah Almighty and have your prayers accepted.
By reciting Durood frequently, a person’s connection with the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) is strengthened and he is blessed with closeness to him on the Day of Judgment.
Advice: Take advantage of this time, spend it in reciting Durood Shareef, remembering Allah, and praying for yourself and the Muslim Ummah. You can recite any Durood (Salat Ibrahimi) as often as you like, according to your convenience.
Tauba and Istighfar
This is the best supplication for repentance. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever recites it during the day with certainty and dies before evening, he will be a guest in Paradise.”
اَللّٰھُمَّ اَنْتَ رَبِّیْ لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِیْ وَاَنَا عَبْدُکَ وَاَنَا عَلٰی عَہْدِکَ وَوَعْدِکَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ اَعُوْذُبِکَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ اَبُوْءُ لَکَ بِنِعْمَتِکَ عَلَیَّ وَاَبُوْءُ بِذَنْبِیْ فَاغْفِرْلِیْ فَاِنَّہٗ لَا یَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ
The meaning of the blessed hadith is that whoever says these words, his sins are forgiven, even if he turns his back and flees from the battlefield (which is a major sin).
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Dua for Good of this World and Hereafter
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Summary
The time from Asr to Maghrib on Friday is the time for acceptance of supplications. There is no specific supplication during this time, but the following practices are best:
- Abundant Durood Shareef: Sending Durood upon the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the best worship at this time.
- Istighfar: Asking for forgiveness for one’s sins, especially reciting “Sayyid Istighfar”.
- Comprehensive supplications: Supplicating to Allah for the good of this world and the hereafter, because this time is not rejected.
- Sincerity: The important thing is that a person places his need before Allah with complete faith and attention.