Why Send Durood on Friday? The Hadith & How Many Times
One specific instruction from the Prophet ﷺ, repeated across multiple authentic collections: increase your durood on Friday. Here's the actual hadith, why this day, and what "increase" means in practice.
Table of Contents
The Hadith Behind It
Several companions narrated versions of the same core instruction. The clearest and most cited comes from Aws ibn Aws (RA):
Other narrations reinforce the same instruction. Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (RA) reported the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Increase your blessings upon me on Friday, for no one blesses me on Friday but that his prayer is presented to me." Anas ibn Malik (RA) narrated a version adding, "Whoever blesses me once, Allah will bless him ten times."
Why Friday Specifically
The same hadith that instructs increasing durood also explains why Friday holds this weight: it's described as the day Adam (AS) was created, the day he died, and the day tied to the coming of the Hour. Friday is already the most significant day of the week in Islam — the day of Jumu'ah prayer, a day of accepted dua, and now, specifically, a day when salawat sent upon the Prophet ﷺ are presented to him. If you're building out your Friday routine more broadly, our Friday Sunnah checklist covers the full list of what to prioritize when Friday gets rushed.
How Many Times
The hadith commanding this doesn't specify an exact count — the instruction is simply to increase it beyond what you'd normally recite. That said, a widely cited hadith describes extensive reward tied to reciting durood 100 times on a Friday: needs fulfilled in this world and the next, and a durood recorded and presented directly. Many scholars and traditions treat 100 as a beautiful, practical target for the day — not an obligation, but a number worth aiming for if you're building the habit.
The 80-Times-After-Asr Practice
One specific practice that circulates widely is reciting a particular durood formula 80 times after Asr prayer on Friday, tied to a promise of 80 years of sins forgiven. It's worth being precise here: the general command to increase durood on Friday (Abu Dawud 1047) is well authenticated. The specific 80-times-after-Asr practice, and especially the extended 80-years promise attached to it, comes from a hadith with a weaker chain of narration. Scholars who've examined it note the core practice of sending salawat after Asr on Friday is fine and rewarded broadly, but the specific "80 years of worship recorded" claim shouldn't be repeated as if it carries the same certainty as the main Friday hadith.
Other Authentic Times to Send Durood
Friday is a standout, but not the only occasion hadith mention specifically:
- Immediately after the Adhan — reciting salawat right after the mu'adhin finishes (Sahih Muslim 384)
- In the final sitting of every Salah — Durood-e-Ibrahim, recited before salam, five times a day
- At the start and end of dua — the Prophet ﷺ noted that dua is held back until salawat is sent upon him
- Whenever his name is mentioned — hearing or reading "Muhammad ﷺ" is itself a prompt to respond with salawat
Between these regular touchpoints and the specific Friday emphasis, durood ends up woven through an ordinary week far more than a one-time devotional act. If you want the full text and meaning of the durood recited after difficulty specifically, we've also covered Durood Tunajjina in detail.
Friday gets busy — Jumu'ah prayer, the khutbah, often a shortened work day. The actual instruction here is easy to miss precisely because it doesn't ask for a special setting, just more of something you're probably already doing some of. I try to keep a rough count going between Fajr and Asr rather than saving it for one sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should we send durood on Friday specifically?
How many times should you recite durood on Friday?
Is the practice of 80 durood after Asr on Friday authentic?
What does it mean that our salawat are "presented" to the Prophet ﷺ?
What is the simplest durood to recite on Friday?
No special wording required, no elaborate setup — just more of it, on one specific day of the week, because of a promise about where it goes.
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