Fath al-Rabbani

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I went to Syria and met Ka’b al-Ahbar. He kept narrating to me from the Torah, and I kept narrating to him the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), until the mention of the day of Friday came up. I narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “On the day of Friday, there is an hour in which, whatever a Muslim asks Allah for, He grants it to him.” Ka’b said: “Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth; this occurs once every year.” I said: “No.” After pondering for a while, Ka’b said: “Yes, Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth; this occurs once every month.” I said: “No.” Upon hearing this, Ka’b pondered again and said: “Yes, Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth; this occurs once every Friday.” I said: “Yes.” Ka’b said: “Do you know which day it is?” I said: “Which day is it?” He said: “It is the day on which Allah created Adam (peace be upon him), and on this very day the Resurrection will be established. That is why, except for jinn and mankind, all creatures listen attentively on this (day) out of fear of the Resurrection.” Then I came to Madinah Munawwarah and informed Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) of Ka’b’s statement. He said: “Ka’b was wrong.” I said: “Yes, he had agreed with me (that this hour occurs every Friday).” (Then Abdullah bin Salam, may Allah be pleased with him,) said: “Do you know which hour it is?” I said: “No.” Then I insisted upon him, saying: “Tell me, tell me.” So he said: “This hour is between Asr and Maghrib.” I said: “How can that be, when there is no prayer at that time?” He said: “Did you not hear the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘A servant remains in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer while sitting in his place of prayer?’”