Supplication after the Obligatory Prayers in Congregation

Question :

Is it permissible for the Imam and all of the people to supplicate after the obligatory prayers in unison?

Answer:

A reply to this has been given to, this question by the Permanent Committee for Religious Research and Legal Verdicts, the text of which is as follows:

"Acts of worship are fixed in nature, and it is not permissible to say that these acts of worship are lawful from the point of view of their origin, their number, or their form or their place, except with some legal evidence; and we know of no Sunnah from the Prophet in this matter, neither by word nor deed, nor approval. And all goodness comes from following his guidance. And his guidance in this matter is what was confirmed by the evidences which prove what he used to do and what his caliphs and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to do after him and what those who faithfully followed them with (i.e. the Tabi'in) did. And whoever innovated something which contradicts the guidance of the Messenger, it is rejected, as the Prophet said:
"Whoever performed a deed which is not from this matter of ours, will have it rejected.

So the Imam who supplicates after the Taslim to which those led in prayer respond: Aameen, all of them raising their hands - is required to produce some authentic proof for his action; and if he cannot, then it is rejected. In light of this, we may expound some of his guidance, including: "When he made the Taslim, he used to ask Allah's forgiveness three times and then say:
"Allahumma, Antas-Salamu wa minkas-salamu, tabarakta ya Thal-Jalali wal-Ikram. (O Allah! You are Peace and from You comes peace. Blessed be You, O Owner of might and honor.

It was said to Al-Awza'i: "How does one seek forgiveness?" He said: "He should say:
"Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah"

"I ask Allah's forgiveness, I ask Allah's forgiveness".

This is the narration of Muslim, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasa'i, except that An-Nasa'i said: "After finishing the prayer, Allah's Messenger used to..."

And then he mentioned this Hadith. In the narration of Abu Dawud, it was said that whenever the Messenger of Allah ended the prayer, he would say:
Astaghfirullah three times, then say:
«Allahumma, Antas-Salam (O Allah! You are Peace).

In the narration of Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i, on the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, it is reported that whenever the Messenger of Allah made the Taslim, he would say:
Allahumma, Antas-Salamu wa minkas-salamu, tabarakta ya Thal-Jalali wal-Ikram. (O Allah! You are Peace and from You comes peace. Blessed be You, O Owner of might and honor),

In the narration of Muslim, on the authority of Warrad, the freed slave of Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah, it is reported that he said: Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah recited to me from a letter to Mu'awiyah: "The Prophet used to say, at the end of every obligatory prayer:
" La ilaha illallahu wahdau la shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadir. Allahumma, la mani'a lima a'ataita, wa la mu'tiya lima mana'ta, wa la yanfa'u thal-jaddi minkal-jadd. (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Alone, without partners. His is the Dominion and all praise is due to Him and He is Able to do all things. O Allah! There is none who can deny what You have given. And there is none who can give what You deny. And no fortune can benefit its owner against you).

It is also narrated from Muslim, on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair that he used to say at the end of the prayer, after making the Taslim:

"La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadir. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. La ilaha illallahu. Wa la na'budu illa iyyahu. Lahun-ni'matu wa lahul-fadhlu wa lahuth-thana'ul-hasan. La illaha illallahu mukhliseen lahud- deenu, wa law karihal-kafirun.

(None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Alone, without partners. His is the dominion and all praise is due to Him and He is Able to do all things. And there is no might and no power except with Allah. None has the right to be worshipped but He. And we worship none but Him. All grace belongs to Him and so too does all bounty and the finest praises are due to Him. None has the right to be worshipped but He, sincerely, and the religion is for Him, even though the idolaters may abhor it."

And he said: "Allah's Messenger used to make Tahlil with it at the end of every prayer."

In Sahih Muslim, from the Hadith of Abu Hurairah, it is reported from the Messenger of Allah that he said:
- "Whoever said: "Subhan Allah" (Glorified be Allah) at the end of the prayer thirty-three times and "Al-Hamdu Lillah" (All praise be to Allah) thirty-three times and "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Greater) thirty-three times that makes ninety-nine times and then said at the end of it: "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, Lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadeer." will have his sins forgiven, even if they were like the foam on the sea.

Whoever wished to acquire more information about the supplications, should refer to the Book of Supplications from the collected works, such as Jami'ul-Usul and Majma uz-Zawa'id and Al-Matalib Al-'Aliyah bi Zawai'd Al-Masanid Ath- Thamaniyah and others. And may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, Muhammad and upon his family and Companions.