When is the correct time for reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday?

There are saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning the virtues of reciting Soorat al-Kahf during the day or night of Jumu’ah (Friday). These include: 

(a)From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”

(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3407. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6471) 

(b)“Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadeeth, and he said, this is the strongest report that has been narrated concerning reading Soorat al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470) 

(c)It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’”

Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.

(al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/298) 

The soorah may be read during the night or the day of Jumu’ah. The night of Jumu’ah starts from sunset on Thursday, and the day of Jumu’ah ends at sunset. Therefore the time for reading this soorah extends from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Friday. 

Al-Mannaawi said:

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in his Amaali: “In some reports it says ‘the day of Jumu’ah’ and in some reports it says ‘the night of Jumu’ah’. They may be reconciled by saying that what is meant is the day which includes the night and vice versa.” (Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/199)  

Al-Mannaawi also said:

“It is recommended to read it during the day or night of Jumu’ah, as al-Shaafa’i (may Allah have mercy on him) stated.” (Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198) 

There are no saheeh ahaadeeth concerning reading Soorat Aal ‘Imraan on Friday. All the reports that have been narrated concerning that are either da’eef jiddan (very weak) or mawdoo’ (fabricated). 

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever recites the soorah in which the family of ‘Imraan (Aal ‘Imraan) are mentioned on Fridays, Allah and His angels will send blessings upon him until the sun sets.’”

(Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, 6/191; and al-Kabeer, 11/48. This hadeeth is da’eef jiddan (very weak) or mawdoo’ (fabricated)). 

Al-Haythami said, “This was narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat or al-Kabeer, and it [its isnaad] includes Talhah ibn Zayd al-Riqqi, who is da’eef (jiddan) ((very) weak).” (Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 2/168). 

Ibn Hajar said: Talhah is very weak, and Ahmad and Abu Dawood accused him of fabricating reports. (See Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/199) 

Shaykh al-Albaani said: (it is) mawdoo’ (fabricated). See hadeeth no. 5759 in Da’eef al-Jaami’. 

And al-Taymi narrated in al-Targheeb that “Whoever recites Soorat al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan on the night of Jumu’ah will have reward like that which is between the seventh earth and the seventh heaven.”

Al-Mannaawi said, it is ghareeb da’eef jiddan (strange and very weak).(Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/199) 

And Allah knows best.