Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: "When a servant seeks refuge from Hell seven times, it says: 'O Lord! Your such-and-such servant has sought refuge from me, so grant him refuge.' And whoever asks Allah for Paradise seven times, Paradise says: 'O Lord! Your such-and-such servant has asked concerning me, so admit him (to me).'"
Hadith Referenceمسند اسحاق بن راهويه / كتاب الجنة و النار و صفتهما / 962
Hadith Takhrij«صحيح ترغيب وترهيب ، رقم : 3653 . مسند ابي يعلي ، رقم : 6192 .»
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdush Shakoor Tirmidhi
Benefits: From the mentioned hadith, it is established to ask for Paradise seven times in the morning and evening and to seek refuge from Hellfire seven times. And we should act upon this hadith.
Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah writes: In Damascus and elsewhere, some people, after the Fajr prayer, loudly ask for Paradise seven times and seek refuge from Hellfire seven times. Practicing this hadith in this manner—specifically after prayer and in a raised voice—is not established from this hadith nor from any other evidence. This remembrance is not specific to any prayer or congregational prayer; rather, it is unrestricted (mutlaq). And any action which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has left unrestricted cannot be specified to a particular time or place, just as something restricted by the Shari‘ah cannot be made unrestricted. Therefore, a person should act upon this hadith; he may do this at any hour of the night or day, before or after prayer. This will be pure following of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and, insha’Allah, sincerity will also be attained.
As for the issue of the narration which says that after performing the Fajr prayer, before speaking to anyone, one should recite this supplication seven times: “Allahumma ajirni min an-nar” (“O Allah! Save me from the Fire”), it should be noted that this narration is weak. (Silsilat al-Da‘ifah, no. 1624)