Is supplication after the obligatory prayer an innovation or disliked?
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The questioner : Is supplication after the obligatory prayer an innovation or disliked? Please inform us of this.
The Shaykh : Supplication after the obligatory prayer is a religious innovation (bid'ah), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it. And whoever worships Allah the Exalted with something that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do, did not command, and is not established as part of his Shari'ah, then it is a religious innovation (bid'ah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) guided to the time for supplication in the prayer, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him):. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) to 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud when he taught him the tashahhud: Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:238, meaning before he turns away from his prayer.
Just as this, which I mean supplication in the prayer before the taslim, is what the Shari'ah texts indicate, it is also the requirement of correct reasoning. Because as long as a person is in his prayer, he is conversing with his Lord while he is before Him. So how would he delay supplication until he says the taslim and turns away, cutting off the connection between him and Allah the Exalted in his prayer?
This is contrary to correct reasoning. And based on this, we say: It is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite dhikr after the obligatory prayer, and to make supplication before the taslim, based on the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:[An-Nisa 4:103].
As for supplication after the voluntary prayer, it is also contrary to the Sunnah, because it is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he used to make supplication after the voluntary prayer. And we say: If you wish to make supplication, then supplicate to Allah the Exalted before you say the taslim from the prayer, for the reason we mentioned regarding the obligatory prayer.
If someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to Mu'adh ibn Jabal:, and is this not supplication?
We say: This is correct, and it is supplication, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) advised Mu'adh ibn Jabal to do it. But what is the "end" (dabr) of the prayer? Is it what is after the taslim, or is it the last part of the prayer?
The requirement of the Shari'ah texts answers this question. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made what is after the tashahhud a place for supplication, and in the Noble Qur'an, Allah the Exalted made what is after the taslim dhikr, saying:[An-Nisa 4:103]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud: Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:238.
In this explanation, it becomes clear that the supplication which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Mu'adh ibn Jabal to do is after the tashahhud and before the taslim, based on the indication of the Qur'an and Sunnah mentioned earlier.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about this, and he said: "The end (dabr) of every thing is like the end of an animal". And based on this, the end of the prayer is part of it, but it is its last part.
So the supplication by saying: is before the taslim, not after it.
If someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he said the taslim from the prayer, he sought forgiveness three times and said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 298Sahih (Darussalam), and is this not supplication? The answer is: This is a specific supplication related to the prayer, because a person seeking forgiveness after his taslim from the prayer is because he may not have completed his prayer perfectly, but rather he may have neglected something in it, such as a movement or a distraction of the heart or the like. So this supplication for forgiveness is closely attached to the prayer, and is not a general, abstract supplication.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Supplication after the obligatory prayer is a religious innovation (bid'ah), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it. And whoever worships Allah the Exalted with something that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do, did not command, and is not established as part of his Shari'ah, then it is a religious innovation (bid'ah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Every innovation is a religious innovation.
كل محدثة بدعةThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) guided to the time for supplication in the prayer, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
As for prostration, increase in it your supplication, for it is likely that it will be answered for you.
أما السجود فأكثروا فيه من الدعاء، فقمن أن يستجاب لكمThen let him choose whatever he wishes from supplication.
ثم ليتخير من الدعاء ما شاءJust as this, which I mean supplication in the prayer before the taslim, is what the Shari'ah texts indicate, it is also the requirement of correct reasoning. Because as long as a person is in his prayer, he is conversing with his Lord while he is before Him. So how would he delay supplication until he says the taslim and turns away, cutting off the connection between him and Allah the Exalted in his prayer?
This is contrary to correct reasoning. And based on this, we say: It is a recommended practice (sunnah) to recite dhikr after the obligatory prayer, and to make supplication before the taslim, based on the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْAs for supplication after the voluntary prayer, it is also contrary to the Sunnah, because it is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he used to make supplication after the voluntary prayer. And we say: If you wish to make supplication, then supplicate to Allah the Exalted before you say the taslim from the prayer, for the reason we mentioned regarding the obligatory prayer.
If someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to Mu'adh ibn Jabal:
Do not neglect to say after every obligatory prayer: O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.
لا تدعن أن تقول دبر كل صلاة مكتوبة : اللهم أعني على ذكرك وعلى شكرك وعلى حسن عبادتكWe say: This is correct, and it is supplication, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) advised Mu'adh ibn Jabal to do it. But what is the "end" (dabr) of the prayer? Is it what is after the taslim, or is it the last part of the prayer?
The requirement of the Shari'ah texts answers this question. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made what is after the tashahhud a place for supplication, and in the Noble Qur'an, Allah the Exalted made what is after the taslim dhikr, saying:
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْThen let him choose whatever he wishes from supplication.
ثم ليتخير من الدعاء ما شاءIn this explanation, it becomes clear that the supplication which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Mu'adh ibn Jabal to do is after the tashahhud and before the taslim, based on the indication of the Qur'an and Sunnah mentioned earlier.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about this, and he said: "The end (dabr) of every thing is like the end of an animal". And based on this, the end of the prayer is part of it, but it is its last part.
So the supplication by saying:
O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.
اللهم أعني على ذكرك وعلى شكرك وعلى حسن عبادتكIf someone were to say: Has it not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he said the taslim from the prayer, he sought forgiveness three times and said:
Allahumma antas-salam, wa minkas-salam
اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلامThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.