The Importance and Sunnahs of Prayers Performed After Salah
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) made it a recommended practice (sunnah hasenah) to remember Allah, make supplications, and seek forgiveness after prayers. These acts of worship are performed after obligatory prayers, as well as after the Fajr and Asr prayers, or after the sunnah prayers of Dhuhr and Maghrib/Evening and Isha prayers. Seeking forgiveness (istiğfar) remedies deficiencies in the prayer, while supplication is a gateway to reward and merit.
Prayers offered after Salah are typically made quietly. However, imams may engage in audible remembrance (dhikr) to teach the congregation. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) would turn his face towards the congregation after prayer, turning to his left side as an example for them. According to a narration by Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), those praying behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) would seek to be on His right side, so that His face would turn towards them.
Dhikr and Supplications to Recite After Prayer
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) primarily performed the following dhikr and supplications after prayers:
- Reciting “Estağfirullah” Three Times: To supplicate three times with “Estağfirullah (I seek forgiveness from Allah)” or “astağfirullahe’l-azîme’llezî lâ ilâhe illâ hüv, el-hayye’l-kayyûme ve etûbü ileyh”. The meaning of this supplication is: “I seek forgiveness from the Most Mighty Allah, who has no deity except Him, the Living, the Sustaining.”
- Reciting Ayatul Kursi: Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi and Surah Ikhlas after a mandatory prayer will not be prevented from entering Paradise.
- Performing Tasbihat: After each prayer, say 33 times “Sübhanallah (I declare Allah free from imperfections)”, 33 times “Elhamdülillah (All praise is due to Allah)” and 33 times “Allahu Ekber (Allah is the greatest)”. For the hundredth time, recite “Lâ ilâhe illâ’llahü vahdehû lâ sherîke leh, lehü’l-mülkü wa lehü’l-hamdu wa huwa alā kulli shay’in qadīr (There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partners. To Him belongs all sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things capable).” The virtue of this dhikr is the forgiveness of sins like the foam of the sea.
- Making Supplications for Good: After prayer, one can supplicate for worldly and Hereafter blessings for oneself and Muslim brothers and sisters. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught supplications such as those narrated by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). One of these supplications is: “Allahumma innî a‘ūzubika minal-bukhl wa a‘ūzubika min al-jubn wa a‘ūzubika an arudda ilā arzali’l-umuri wa a‘ūzubika min fitnatid-dunyā wa a‘ūzubika min azābil-qabr.” (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from returning to the worst of affairs, and I seek refuge in You from the tribulation of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave.)
Adab (Etiquette) of Supplication
When supplicating, hands should be raised to shoulder height. If that is not possible, they can be raised as much as one can. It is more appropriate for the palms of the hands to be open in supplication.
Supplications should begin with praise to Allah and blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), and end with “el-Hamdu lillâh (All praise belongs to Allah).” This is a practice mentioned in the Noble Qur’an.
Sources:
- [1] Bukhari, Azan, 156
- [2] Ibn Maja, Muqaddimah, 6
- [3] Muslim, Masajid, 135
- [4] A. Ibn Hanbal, V, 247
- [5] San’ani, Subul al-Salam, I, 200
- [6] Muslim, Masajid, 144
- [7] Ibn Maja, Iqama, 32
- [8] Bukhari, Azan, 149
- [9] Surah Yunus, verse 10
- [10] Surah Saffat, verses 180-183