The Remembrance of Allah After Prayer: Between Raising the Voice and Keeping It Low

Q: From E. A. S. in Los Angeles, America, he says: There has been much talk and debate regarding raising the voice or keeping it low in the remembrance of Allah after the obligatory prayers. We ask your Eminence to inform us which is better: raising the voice or keeping it low in the remembrance? If raising the voice disturbs those who missed some of the units of prayer, what is the solution?

A: It is established in the two Sahihs from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that raising the voice in the remembrance of Allah when people leave the obligatory prayer was the practice during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: I would know when they had left by that, when I heard it. This authentic hadith, and what came in its meaning from the hadith of Ibn al-Zubayr and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with them both), and others, all indicate the legitimacy of raising the voice in the remembrance of Allah when people leave the obligatory prayer in a manner that the people at the doors of the mosque and around the mosque can hear, so that they know the prayer has ended by that. However, if there is someone around him who is making up the prayer, it is better for him to lower his voice slightly so as not to disturb him, in accordance with other evidence that came regarding this.
And in raising the voice in the remembrance of Allah when people leave the obligatory prayer, there are many benefits: among them is manifesting praise of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for what He has bestowed upon them of performing this great obligation. And among them is teaching the ignorant and reminding the forgetful; were it not for that, the Sunnah would have been hidden from many people. And success is from Allah.