The ruling on raising the hands for supplication after the rawatib

The questioner : Please. Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace.

The questioner : How are you, Shaykh Muhammad?

The Shaykh : All praise is due to Allah.

The questioner : And by Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah.

The Shaykh : May Allah love you, for you have loved us for His sake.

The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, I am just asking a question, Shaykh. I entered the mosque to pray the rawatib, and after finishing the rawatib, I raised my hands to make du'a. Is this from the beginning, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : If a person makes it a regular practice, believing it to be a sunnah after the voluntary prayer, then it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). However, if he does it occasionally, there is no harm in it. Nevertheless, I advise my Muslim brothers that if they wish to make du'a, they should do so before the taslim, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed to this in his statement when he mentioned the tashahhud, saying, "Then let him choose whatever du'a he likes and make du'a with it." This is also logical, because as long as a person is in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord, Mighty and Majestic. When he turns away from his prayer, the conversation is cut off. And making du'a while he is conversing with his Lord is better than making du'a when he is not conversing with his Lord. Did you understand the answer?

The presenter : Yes, may Allah reward you with good, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : I mean, it is better to make du'a before he says the taslim.

The questioner : Before the taslim, Shaykh, but I am not accustomed to it. Of course, I do not become accustomed to it, meaning that I raise my hands.

The Shaykh : I have never heard of it at all, because even if, for example, you raise your hand without it being a habit, those who are watching you and do not know you might think that you always do this. And perhaps, if you are someone people follow, they will follow your example.