Friday has a special place in Islam, and one of the acts of worship Muslims are encouraged to increase on this day is sending salawat upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Salawat refers to asking Allah to bless, honour and grant peace to the Prophet ﷺ, and it is an act that connects a believer to the Messenger of Allah while keeping his example alive in the heart.
Allah Himself commands the believers to send blessings and peace upon the Prophet ﷺ. He says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, invoke blessings upon him and greet him with peace.”
Surah Al-Ahzab 33:56
This command is not restricted to Friday. Muslims are encouraged to send salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ throughout their lives. However, Friday has a particular connection to this practice because the Prophet ﷺ specifically encouraged his Ummah to increase their salawat upon him on that day.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed, among the best of your days is Friday, so send abundant blessings upon me on it.”
This hadith, reported by Abu Dawud, shows that sending salawat is among the deeds particularly encouraged on Friday. The day therefore gives Muslims another opportunity to remember the Prophet ﷺ and express their love and respect for him through an act of worship.
For many Muslims, the week can become filled with responsibilities. Work, school, business, family matters and other commitments can occupy most of the day. Even acts of worship that are easy to perform can sometimes be forgotten. Friday provides a regular opportunity to deliberately slow down and increase remembrance.
Sending salawat does not require a particular location. A Muslim can send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ while walking, travelling, sitting at home or preparing for Jumuʿah. It can be incorporated naturally into the day without requiring a major change to one’s schedule.
The simplest form is to say:
Allahumma salli wa sallim ʿala Muhammad.
A Muslim may also use the longer forms of salawat taught by the Prophet ﷺ, including the Salat Ibrahimiyyah recited during Salah.
The importance of salawat is not simply about repeating words. It is also about remembering the person behind those words and reflecting on his example.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sent as a mercy to the worlds. He taught people how to worship Allah, how to treat parents, how to deal with neighbours, how to conduct business, how to handle disagreements, how to show mercy and how to remain patient during hardship.
When a Muslim sends salawat upon him, it can become a reminder to follow the Sunnah rather than merely admire it.
Love for the Prophet ﷺ should have consequences in a believer’s life. It should influence character, speech, honesty, patience, generosity and the way a person treats other people.
This is why Friday can be more than a day when Muslims attend Jumuʿah and then return to their normal routine. It can become a day of reconnecting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and remembering the guidance he brought.
There is also a beautiful reward mentioned in the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever sends one blessing upon him, Allah sends ten blessings upon that person. This hadith, recorded in Sahih Muslim, gives the believer a powerful reason to increase salawat.
A small act can therefore carry tremendous spiritual value.
But Muslims should also be careful not to turn an encouraged act of worship into something surrounded by claims that have no reliable basis. The important thing is to follow what has been authentically established from the Qur’an and Sunnah rather than attaching invented numbers, guaranteed worldly outcomes or unsupported promises to salawat.
Friday gives us enough authentic reasons to send more blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ without needing exaggeration.
It is also worth remembering that salawat should not be treated as a replacement for other acts of worship. A Muslim should continue to observe the five daily prayers, read the Qur’an, make duʿa, repent from sins, give charity and fulfil other obligations. Salawat is another beautiful form of remembrance that can accompany these deeds.
Perhaps one of the best ways to make this practice meaningful is to combine salawat with reflection.
After sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, ask yourself what part of his Sunnah you can bring into your life this week. Perhaps it is speaking more gently. Perhaps it is being more patient with your family. Perhaps it is keeping a promise, controlling anger, helping someone in need or becoming more consistent with Salah.
In this way, Friday becomes more than a day of repeated words. It becomes a day of remembrance that can influence behaviour.
The Prophet ﷺ is no longer physically among us, but his teachings remain. Every Friday, Muslims around the world gather for Jumuʿah, listen to reminders and turn towards Allah. Increasing salawat adds another connection to that legacy.
So when Friday arrives, do not allow the day to pass without remembering the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Send salawat upon him. Read about his Sunnah. Reflect on his character. Remember the guidance he brought. And allow that remembrance to encourage you to live more closely according to the teachings of Islam.
Friday comes every week, giving us another opportunity to renew that connection.
And sometimes, a simple act of remembrance can be the beginning of a much deeper return to the Sunnah.
