Question:
Are there any authentic Hadith which proves that it is Sunnah to make Du’aa collectively after Fardh Salaah?
Answer:
One should clearly understand that to make Du’aa collectively after every Fardh Salaah is not Sunnah, rather it is merely permissible. As for Du’aa being made individually after every Fardh Salaah, it is Sunnah-e-Mustahabbah. The congregational Du’aa after every Fardh Salaah will only be permissible with this condition that one does not regard it to be Sunnah and does not persist on it and condemn others who do not practice upon it.
- To make Du’aa after Fardh Salaah is Sunnah as it is understood from the following Ahadeeth: It has been narrated by Mu’aaz bin Jabal (R.A.) and Ibne Abbas (R.A.) from Nabi (S.A.W.) that: “Indeed Allah Ta’ala said: “O Muhammad, when you have completed with your Salaah then say: O Allah! I ask Thee for the ability to do good and to abstain from evil and to love the poor and that You forgive me and have mercy upon me. And when You intend to test Your servants so call me to You without being tested. O Allah! I ask Thee for Thy love and the love of those who love Thee and the love of those actions which will draw me closer to Thy love.” (Tirmidhi, Musnad-e-Ahmad. Imam Tirmidhi says that this Hadith is Hasan and Saheeh.)
It has been narrated from Anas (R.A.) from Nabi (S.A.W.) that he said: “Any servant who spreads his palms after every Salaah and then says: “O Allah! My Ilaah and the Ilaah of Ebrahim, Ishaq, Ya’qoob, the Ilaah of Jibreel, Mikaeel, Israfeel, I ask Thee to accept my Du’aa for indeed I am destitute and You protect me in my Deen from any tests and You shower Your mercy upon me for I am indeed a sinner and that You alleviate poverty from me for indeed I am destitute.”, except that Allah Ta’ala will not return him empty-handed.” (Amalul youmi wa Lailah)
Although in the abovementioned Hadith Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman is Mutakallam Feehi which makes this Hadith weak, it is still permissible to substantiate a Mustahab act with a weak Hadith. (Fathul Qadeer, Vol. 2, Page 95)
- To raise ones hands in Du’aa and to pass them over the face upon completion is also a Sunnah of Du’aa. It has been narrated by Umar bin Khattab (R.A.) that he said: “When Nabi (S.A.W.) raised his hands in Du’aa he never brought them down until he passed them over his face.” (Tirmidhi)
- The Muqtadis saying Aameen’ to the Du’aa of the person making Du’aa is also a Sunnah of the Du’aa. Allamah Jazari (R.A.A.) mentions in Al-Hisnul Haseen’ that: “Indeed from amongst the etiquettes of the Du’aa is that the one who is listening to the Du’aa should say Aameen’.” Al-Haakim has also mentioned in his Mustadrak’ the Hadith of Habib bin Maslamah Al-Fahri (R.A.), who was one whose Du’aas were readily accepted, that he says: “I heard Rasoolullah (S.A.W.) saying: “No congregation of Muslims gather in which some make Du’aa and the others say Aameen’, except that Allah Ta’ala accepts their Du’aas.” (Saheeh on the conditions laid down by Imam Muslim)
From the abovementioned few Sunnahs of Du’aa we can conclude that if a persons acts on all these Sunnahs of Du’aa after the Fardh Salaah, then it will be permissible although it will not be permissible to regard this specific form to be Sunnah as this form of Du’aa after Fardh Salaah is not authentically proven from Nabi (S.A.W.). It will also not be permissible to call this form of Du’aa Bid’ah as there is no prohibition for this form of congregational Du’aa. However, if a person regards it as Sunnah and condemns others who do not practice upon this, then it will not be permissible.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Ilyaas bin Hashim Limbada
Attested to as correct by:
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa
Jameah Mahmoodiyah
Springs
06 May 2004
15 Rabee’ul Awwal 1425