✍ Written by: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi – Jeddah Da’wah Center, Hayy as-Salamah, Saudi Arabia
❖ The Purpose of Creation and the Role of Dhikr
Allah Almighty created mankind solely for His worship, as a believer remains engaged in remembering and worshipping their Creator morning and evening. Ṣalāh (prayer) is a form of worship and also a remembrance (dhikr), as stated in Surah al-Jumuʿah, verse 9.
وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
“And indeed, the remembrance of Allah is the greatest.”
📖 [Al-ʿAnkabūt: 45]
Dhikr is both verbal and spiritual worship, intended to glorify and exalt Allah. In return, Allah grants protection from immorality, evil beings (humans and jinn), and bestows immense reward.
❖ 8 Golden Occasions for Dhikr
Before detailing the post-prayer adhkār, the author highlights eight powerful times for remembrance. Especially for women, regularly practicing these can:
✔ Bring peace of heart
✔ Protect from evil humans, jinn, black magic, and possession
✔ Prevent the need to visit “spiritual healers” (ʿāmilīn)
These eight occasions are:
① After the five obligatory prayers
② During morning and evening times
③ Before sleep – Recite prescribed supplications
✿ Other adhkār related to eating, entering/exiting the mosque, washroom, home, and marketplace remain vital too.
❖ A Wise Proverb:
الوقایة خیر من العلاج
“Prevention is better than cure.”
✔ Regular dhikr offers both spiritual and physical protection, and a wise person adopts precaution.
✦ Virtue of Remaining Seated After Prayer
Narrated Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
“The angels continue to invoke blessings upon any one of you while he remains seated at his prayer place, saying: ‘O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him!’—as long as he does not nullify his ablution. The entire time he remains seated is considered as prayer.”
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 659]
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1506]
✦ Essential Adhkār After Obligatory Prayers
① Saying “Allāhu Akbar” once immediately after completing prayer
Proof:
Abdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
“I used to know the end of the Prophet ﷺ’s prayer by the takbīr (i.e., Allāhu Akbar).”
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 842]
② Three Times: أستغفرُ الله + اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ…
“I seek Allah’s forgiveness” (×3), followed by:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ
Proof:
Thawbān رضي الله عنه narrated:
“When the Prophet ﷺ finished prayer, he would say it three times and then recite this duʿā.”
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1334]
③ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ…
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
Proof:
Muʿādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ held my hand and said: ‘I love you, O Muʿādh! So never forget to say this duʿā after every prayer.’”
📚 [Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1522]
📚 [Sunan an-Nasā’ī: 1302]
④ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ… with extended duʿā
After every prayer, recite:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ… وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6330]
⑤ Comprehensive Dhikr Including: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Complete formula includes:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ… مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1343]
⑥ Tasbīḥ Formula in Multiple Variations
- Option 1: 33× Subḥānallāh, 33× Alḥamdulillāh, 33× Allāhu Akbar, then:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ…
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1352]
- Option 2: Same as above but without concluding dhikr
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 843] - Option 3: 33× Subḥānallāh, 33× Alḥamdulillāh, 34× Allāhu Akbar
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1349] - Option 4: 10× each of Subḥānallāh, Alḥamdulillāh, Allāhu Akbar
📚 [Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 5065]
✔ Any of the above formats can be used.
✔ Recommended order: Subḥānallāh → Alḥamdulillāh → Allāhu Akbar
⑦ Reciting Surah al-Ikhlāṣ, al-Falaq, and an-Nās once after every prayer
📚 [Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1523]
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 2903]
⑧ Reciting Āyat al-Kursī
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ…
📖 [Al-Baqarah: 255]
Proof:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever recites Āyat al-Kursī after every obligatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering Jannah except death.”
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1595]
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 972]
⑨ A Powerful Duʿā for Protection from Fear, Misery, Old Age & Grave Punishment
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الجُبْنِ…
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2822]
⑩ After Fajr & Maghrib: Recite 10× — لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ…
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 3474, 3534]
⑪ After Fajr Only: Ask for Knowledge, Sustenance, and Acceptance
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 762]
⑫ Highly Rewarded Dhikr:
سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، عَدَدَ خَلْقِهِ…
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 6913]
⑬ Want the Reward of Ḥajj & ʿUmrah?
Offer Fajr in congregation, remain seated remembering Allah till sunrise, then pray 2 Rakʿāt.
📚 [Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 586]
⚠ Important Warnings
- ✔ If in a hurry, you may read fewer adhkār—there’s no harm.
- ✔ If you must leave the masjid, you may read dhikr while walking.
- ✔ Start practicing whatever you remember and read the rest from a book/app until memorized.
- ❌ Beware of fabricated “wazāʾif” and man-made duʿās. Stick to what the Prophet ﷺ taught.
- ❌ Do not skip these supplications in favor of unauthentic collective duʿās or customs.
