What is the ruling on supplicating for a long life without specifying that it be in obedience to Allah?

The questioner : Some scholars say that a person should say to his companion, “May Allah preserve your life,” or that he must specify it, and they cited the reading of Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) as evidence for this.

The Shaykh : Yes, yes, the dislike of longevity, meaning supplicating for a long life, was disliked by some scholars unless it is qualified,

The questioner : but the story of the supplication of Qad ibn Anas.

The Shaykh : He supplicated for him for a long life.

The questioner : Perfect.

The Shaykh : Yes, and he did not qualify it, perhaps, and Allah knows best, relying on the fact that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) would be the servant of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the general rule is that he would be in obedience. It can also be said that the default is permissibility, and qualifying it with longevity in obedience is a matter of preference only, not of obligation or dislike. Dislike requires evidence. Yes. I say the stronger position is that it is not disliked, but it is better to qualify it. As for dislike, it is not disliked. Yes.