Ruling on repeating a specific dhikr at a specific time

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

Singling out a specific time for remembering Allah, or praying for
forgiveness, or sending blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) falls into two categories:

1.When it is done by
way of worship and believing that there is virtue in doing this act of
worship at this time. This is not prescribed except in cases where it is
proven that this time is singled out by the Lawgiver.

2.When it is not
done by way of worship; rather that time is singled out because it is a time
when the person is free and has energy, and so on. There is nothing wrong
with that.

Please see the answer to question no. 148174

Secondly:

Before Fajr, i.e., before dawn, is a time when it is prescribed to pray for
forgiveness, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And in the
hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness”
[adh-Dhaariyaat 51:18].

As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“And
in the hours before dawn”,
which is just before dawn

“they
were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness”.
So they made their prayer last until the time just before dawn, then they
sat, concluding their night-time worship (qiyaam al-layl) by asking Allah,
may He be exalted, for forgiveness, in the manner of a sinner seeking
forgiveness for his sins. There is a special virtue in praying for
forgiveness in the time before dawn that is not present at any other time,
as Allah, may He be exalted, says describing the people of faith and
obedience (interpretation of the meaning): “and
those who pray and beg Allah’s Pardon in the last hours of the night”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:17].

End quote from Tafseer as-Sa‘di (p. 809).

Based on that, singling out this time for praying for forgiveness, as
opposed to other du‘aa’ (supplication) and adhkaar (remembrance of Allah),
is a virtuous deed that is prescribed in Islam, and if that is done whilst
praying at that time, that is preferable. Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy
on him) said: If the plea for forgiveness is made in a prayer (salaah –
formal prayer), that is better.

End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (7/390).

Moreover, it does not seem to us that there is anything wrong with sticking
to the format mentioned with regard to asking for forgiveness: “Allahumma
anta rabbiy laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no
god but you)…”, as it is proven in the Sunnah that this is a good format,
known as “sayyid al-istighfaar (the best of prayers for forgiveness).” But
if you alternate between that and other wordings of prayers for forgiveness
that have been narrated in the Sunnah, that is preferable and is better.

Please see the answers to questions no.
126934 and 122968

Thirdly:

Abu Dawood (1047) narrated that Aws ibn Aws said: The Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “One of the best of your
days is Friday. On it Adam was created and on it he died; on it the Trumpet
will be blown and on it all creatures will swoon. So send many blessings
upon me on that day, for your salutations will be presented to me.” They
said: O Messenger of Allah, how will our salutations be presented to you
when you have turned to dust? He said: “Verily Allah, may He be glorified
and exalted, has prohibited the earth to consume the bodies of the
Prophets.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Ibn ‘Allaan (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“So send many blessings upon me on that day” i.e., so as to increase it in
reward and virtue, because a righteous deed is honoured by the honour of the
time and place in which it is done.

End quote from Daleel al-Faaliheen (6/627)

Al-Bayhaqi (5994) narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Send many blessings upon me on Friday
and the night before Friday, for whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah
will send blessings upon him tenfold.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in
as-Saheehah (1407).

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

Sending blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) is mustahabb (recommended) at all times, and is particularly emphasised
on Fridays, without singling out a specific time for that.

End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (24/162).

Based on that, sending many blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) on Friday and the night before is a virtuous deed that
is prescribed in Islam, and it is proven in the Sunnah that it is
recommended.

With regard to as-salaah al-Ibraaheemiyyah, it is the best format for
sending blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), so choosing it for the virtuous time is a good deed that is prescribed
in Islam, and there is nothing wrong with that, in sha Allah.

Please see the answer to question no. 88102

And Allah knows best.