عن أبي بن كعب رضي الله عنه قال قلت يا رسول الله إني أكثر الصلاة عليك فكم أجعل لك من صلاتي ؟ فقال ما شئت قال قلت الربع قال ما شئت فإن زدت فهو خير لك قلت النصف قال ما شئت فإن زدت فهو خير لك قال قلت فالثلثين قال ما شئت فإن زدت فهو خير لك قلت أجعل لك صلاتي كلها قال إذا تكفى همك ويغفر لك ذنبك (سنن الترمذي الرقم 2457)
Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka’b رضي الله عنه reports: I once asked Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, “O Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, I wish to increase my Durood upon you, so from the time I allocate for dua, how much should I reserve for sending Durood upon you?” Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “As much as you desire.” I asked, “One quarter (i.e. one quarter of the time)?” Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “If you so wish, and if you increase it, it will be better for you.” I then asked, “One half?” Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “As much as you desire, and if you increase it, it will be better for you.” I then asked, “Two thirds?” Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “If you so wish, and if you increase it, it will be better for you.” I finally said, “O Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, in that case, I resolve to devote all the time I have allocated for dua to convey Durood upon you.” Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned, “Allah will make it a means of relieving you from all your worries (and problems), and a means of atonement for your sins,”
Note: In this Hadith, the Sahaabi explained to Hazrat Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم that he had reserved some time during the day or night to engage in making special dua. He further asked Hazrat Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم whether it would be better for him to dedicate that entire time to reciting Durood, to which Hazrat Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم informed him that he would receive the reward of the Durood as well as have his duas answered for the needs that he would have begged Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله for had he engaged in dua. It should be borne in mind that this Hadith in no way shows that the Sahaabi was intending to abandon the Sunnah of dua, as dua is made after every fardh salaah as well as after the tahajjud salaah and nafl salaah that one performs. Hence, this Sahaabi would have been making dua at these other times as well. However, he only asked Hazrat Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم if he could recite Durood during a separate time that he had allocated for dua. Furthermore, the meaning of this Hadith is supported by the Hadith-e-Qudsi in which Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله says:
من شغله ذكري عن مسألتي أعطيته أفضل ما أعطي السائلين
The one who My remembrance occupies him from making dua to Me and asking of Me, I will give him better than that which I give to the people who make dua to Me and ask of Me. (Musannaf ibn Abi Shayba #29773)
(The Gift of Durood and Salaam pg.53)
يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ دَائِمَاً أَبَدًا عَلَىْ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ
“O Sustainer, shower Salaat and Salaam forever and ever upon Your beloved, who is the best of all creation.”
جَزَی اللہُ عَنَّا نَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْه وسَلَّمَ بِمَا هُوَ أَھْلُهُ
May Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله reward our Nabi Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم on our behalf such a reward that is due to Him.