Question
Is making collective and individual supplication after obligatory prayers established from Sunnah or is it an innovation?
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
In Jami` at-Tirmidhi, it is narrated from Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ was asked:
“Which supplication is most heard (accepted)?”
He ﷺ said:
“The last part of the night and after the obligatory (five daily) prayers.”
Imam Tirmidhi states that this hadith is Hasan. From this hadith, it is understood that there is a greater likelihood of acceptance of supplication after the obligatory prayers as well. Supplication can be made without raising the hands or by raising the hands, because raising the hands is mentioned in many verbal and practical hadiths and it is among the special etiquettes of supplication.
(1) Hadiths about raising hands in supplication
❀
narrates from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
((وهذا الدعاء فرفع يديه حذو منكبيه……الخ))
Meaning, the Prophet ﷺ raised his blessed hands up to the level of his shoulders and said: “This is supplication.” From this, it is understood that raising the hands is among the etiquettes of supplication.
❀
and others narrate from Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: When My servant raises his hands in supplication, I feel shy to return his hands empty.”
This makes it clear that raising hands in supplication is recommended and desirable.
❀ On many occasions, authentic hadiths mention the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raising his hands in supplication, even after
mentions raising hands after the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf).
Therefore, since raising hands in supplication is Sunnah and recommended, there is no harm if someone raises their hands after obligatory prayers while making dua, especially since it is established from a hadith in Tirmidhi that the chances of acceptance of dua are greater after obligatory prayers.
❀ Allama Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote, citing Ibn Abi Shaybah, that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raised his hands in supplication after the Fajr prayer. Although this narration was not found in Ibn Abi Shaybah’s “Musannaf,” it may be present in his “Musnad.”
In summary, it is established and recommended from the mentioned ahadith to raise hands for supplication after the obligatory prayer.
Proof of Congregational Supplication
Argument from Hadith Bukhari:
narrates from Hazrat Anas bin Malik (RA) that on Friday, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was delivering the sermon, a man came and complained about the famine. The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands for supplication, and the people also raised their hands.
◈ This hadith does not state that the Prophet ﷺ instructed the people to raise their hands, rather when he ﷺ raised his hands, the companions immediately raised theirs as well.
◈ From this, it is understood that it was the usual practice of the companions to raise their hands along with the Prophet ﷺ during supplication.
◈ Although this hadith is not directly about congregational supplication after the obligatory prayer, it generally indicates the proof of congregational supplication.
(2) Verbal Hadith Regarding Congregational Supplication
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated in his
that Hazrat Habib bin Muslimah Al-Fihri, may Allah be pleased with him, said that I heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
((لا يجتمع ملا فيدعو بعضهم ويؤمن البعض إلا أجابهم الله.))
“That is, if any group gathers in one place and prays, making one supplication, and others say Ameen, then Allah Almighty accepts their prayer.”
◈ The chain of this hadith is Hasan (good). Hafiz Zahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, maintained it in his summary and did not criticize it.
◈ There is some discussion about Ibn Lahi’ah, but when great Imams like Abdullah bin Mubarak and Abu Abdur Rahman Al-Maqri narrate from him, the narration is accepted. Here also the narrator is Abu Abdur Rahman Al-Maqri, so this narration is authentic.
◈ Furthermore, Ibn Lahi’ah explicitly said “حدثني” (he narrated to me), indicating direct hearing, so the narration is strong. For this reason, Hafiz Zahabi also remained silent.
From this hadith, the recommendation and commendation of collective prayer is established.
“Generality of the word ‘Mulla’:”
◈ The word “Mulla” is general, meaning every congregation is intended: whether it is a congregation for obligatory prayer, or a gathering for knowledge and preaching, or a meeting, or a military group, etc.
◈ Since there is no evidence that exempts obligatory prayer from this generality, the congregation after the obligatory prayer will also be included in it.
Summary and Conclusion
◈ No hadith has been found in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade raising hands for supplication after obligatory prayer.
◈ Nor is it found that the Prophet ﷺ ever refrained from raising hands after obligatory prayer.
◈ The mere absence of mention does not prove that this act is prohibited.
Therefore:
◈ Making individual and collective supplication after obligatory prayer is permissible and recommended.
◈ Raising hands in supplication is Sunnah and mustahabb.
◈ However, considering this act as an essential part of the prayer or holding the belief that the prayer is incomplete without supplication, or objecting to those who do not perform it, is not permissible. In such a case, this act will become an innovation (bid’ah).
Hazrat Maulana Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, has also clarified this in
that if congregational dua is not considered an essential part of the prayer and those who do not perform it are not reprimanded, then this practice is, InshaAllah, permissible.
ھذا ما عندی واللہ اعلم بالصواب
