Ruling on Collective Duʿāʾ After Sunnah Prayers
Source: Fatāwā al-Deen al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p.103
Question:
Is it an innovation (bidʿah) to make collective supplication (duʿāʾ) after Sunnah prayers? Kindly provide a clear and comprehensive explanation.
(Your brother: Ḥanẓalah)
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Making collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers is a newly invented innovation (bidʿah) in the religion.
It is not established from the Prophet ﷺ, his companions, or the Successors (tābiʿīn).
① It is a newly invented matter in the religion that has no basis in the Qur’an or Sunnah.
② It has become a customary practice among people to the extent that it is now considered essential, which makes it a religious innovation.
③ Some individuals consider it a necessary religious act, despite the absence of any authentic Hadith.
④ Raising voices for duʿāʾ after prayer can disturb latecomers (masbūqīn) who are completing their prayers.
Duʿāʾ is the core of worship, and all acts of worship must conform to the method of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever does an act that is not in accordance with our matter (religion), it will be rejected."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1718)
Hence, to establish collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers as a regular or obligatory practice is an innovation that contradicts the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ used to make duʿāʾ individually after prayer, but there is no evidence that he ever conducted collective duʿāʾ.
It is narrated from ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that:
"When the Prophet ﷺ would complete the prayer (by saying salām), he would not sit for long except to say:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ
(O Allah! You are Peace, and from You is peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor)."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 591)
This Hadith clearly shows that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform collective duʿāʾ after prayers.
After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) once supplicated through the intercession of al-ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) for rain, but there was no collective duʿāʾ.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī records:
"O Allah! We used to seek rain through our Prophet, and You gave us rain. Now we seek it through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1010)
This example is proof of individual duʿāʾ, not a group supplication.
Collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers can result in:
◈ Introducing new customs into the religion
◈ Disrupting others' prayers due to loud supplication
◈ People mistaking innovation for Sunnah, thinking it’s an essential part of the religion
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) stated:
"Collective duʿāʾ after prayer did not exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ or his companions. It is a newly invented innovation."
(Zād al-Maʿād: 1/87)
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) said:
"When a recommended act becomes regarded as obligatory, it turns into a reprehensible innovation."
(Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/270)
Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) said:
"Collective duʿāʾ after prayer is an innovation because it is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ. He used to make duʿāʾ individually after prayer."
(Fatāwā Ibn Bāz: 1/241)
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (حفظه الله) stated:
"There is no proof for collective duʿāʾ after obligatory or Sunnah prayers. It is an innovation."
(al-Muntaqā min Fatāwā al-Fawzān: 1/257)
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) wrote:
"The Prophet ﷺ did not engage in collective duʿāʾ after prayers, nor did the companions. Therefore, it is a newly invented innovation."
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 1/115)
Collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers is an innovation because:
◈ It is not established from the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, or the Successors.
◈ It constitutes a new addition to the religion, altering the boundaries of prescribed worship.
◈ It causes misconceptions among people, leading them to believe it is part of the religion.
◈ It contradicts the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
"Every innovation is misguidance."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 867)
Therefore, duʿāʾ should be made individually after Sunnah prayers, following the authentic practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.
Waṣallallāhu ʿalā Nabiyyinā Muḥammad wa ālihi wa ṣaḥbihi ajmaʿīn.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب۔
Source: Fatāwā al-Deen al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p.103
Question:
Is it an innovation (bidʿah) to make collective supplication (duʿāʾ) after Sunnah prayers? Kindly provide a clear and comprehensive explanation.
(Your brother: Ḥanẓalah)
❖ The Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
✿ Issue of Collective Duʿāʾ:
Making collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers is a newly invented innovation (bidʿah) in the religion.
It is not established from the Prophet ﷺ, his companions, or the Successors (tābiʿīn).
✿ Why This Practice Falls Under Bidʿah:
① It is a newly invented matter in the religion that has no basis in the Qur’an or Sunnah.
② It has become a customary practice among people to the extent that it is now considered essential, which makes it a religious innovation.
③ Some individuals consider it a necessary religious act, despite the absence of any authentic Hadith.
④ Raising voices for duʿāʾ after prayer can disturb latecomers (masbūqīn) who are completing their prayers.
❶ Duʿāʾ Is an Act of Worship—Bidʿah Is Prohibited in Worship
Duʿāʾ is the core of worship, and all acts of worship must conform to the method of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:"Whoever does an act that is not in accordance with our matter (religion), it will be rejected."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1718)
Hence, to establish collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers as a regular or obligatory practice is an innovation that contradicts the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
❷ Practice of the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ used to make duʿāʾ individually after prayer, but there is no evidence that he ever conducted collective duʿāʾ.
It is narrated from ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that:"When the Prophet ﷺ would complete the prayer (by saying salām), he would not sit for long except to say:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ
(O Allah! You are Peace, and from You is peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor)."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 591)
This Hadith clearly shows that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform collective duʿāʾ after prayers.
❸ Practice of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah)
After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) once supplicated through the intercession of al-ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) for rain, but there was no collective duʿāʾ.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī records:"O Allah! We used to seek rain through our Prophet, and You gave us rain. Now we seek it through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1010)
This example is proof of individual duʿāʾ, not a group supplication.
❹ Harms of Acting Against the Sunnah
Collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers can result in:
◈ Introducing new customs into the religion
◈ Disrupting others' prayers due to loud supplication
◈ People mistaking innovation for Sunnah, thinking it’s an essential part of the religion
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) stated:"Collective duʿāʾ after prayer did not exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ or his companions. It is a newly invented innovation."
(Zād al-Maʿād: 1/87)
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) said:"When a recommended act becomes regarded as obligatory, it turns into a reprehensible innovation."
(Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/270)
❺ Fatāwā of Scholars
Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) said:"Collective duʿāʾ after prayer is an innovation because it is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ. He used to make duʿāʾ individually after prayer."
(Fatāwā Ibn Bāz: 1/241)
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (حفظه الله) stated:"There is no proof for collective duʿāʾ after obligatory or Sunnah prayers. It is an innovation."
(al-Muntaqā min Fatāwā al-Fawzān: 1/257)
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) wrote:"The Prophet ﷺ did not engage in collective duʿāʾ after prayers, nor did the companions. Therefore, it is a newly invented innovation."
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 1/115)
Conclusion:
Collective duʿāʾ after Sunnah prayers is an innovation because:
◈ It is not established from the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, or the Successors.
◈ It constitutes a new addition to the religion, altering the boundaries of prescribed worship.
◈ It causes misconceptions among people, leading them to believe it is part of the religion.
◈ It contradicts the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
"Every innovation is misguidance."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 867)
Therefore, duʿāʾ should be made individually after Sunnah prayers, following the authentic practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. Waṣallallāhu ʿalā Nabiyyinā Muḥammad wa ālihi wa ṣaḥbihi ajmaʿīn.ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب۔
