Sunnah adhkar to recite after a salah prayer
When a person completes their prayer by the grace of Allah and gives the Salam, there are prescribed Sunnah remembrances (Adhkar) that should be recited thoroughly.
There is a vast difference between supplications composed by oneself and those taught by the Prophet (PBUH).
The supplications taught by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) are the most blessed, comprehensive, and beneficial remedy for all our needs and difficulties.
For this reason, rushing to stand up and leaving the mosque immediately after saying Salam is neither appropriate nor commendable.
It is far better to remain seated and attentively recite all the established Sunnah adhkar and supplications.
Should You Say “Allahu Akbar” Aloud After Salam in Salah?
It is authentically established that the remembrance of Allah and Takbeer were raised in an audible voice after the conclusion of the congregational prayer.
Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) narrates:
“كُنْتُ أَعْرِفُ انْقِضَاءَ صَلَاةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ”
Kuntu a’rifu inqida’a salatin-Nabiyyi (PBUH) bit-takbir.
“I used to recognize the conclusion of the prayer of the Prophet (PBUH) by the Takbeer.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 842, Sahih Muslim: 583)
He explains that worshippers, particularly those in the rear rows, knew that the prayer had concluded because they heard the audible remembrance and Takbeer. Accordingly, reciting dhikr and Takbeer after the Salam is a well-established Sunnah.
What is the dua that is recited after salah?
Following the Takbeer, there are short and blessed supplications that can easily be recited within a few minutes.
First, seek forgiveness (Istighfar) three times:
“أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ”
Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah.
“I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah.”
(Sahih Muslim: 591)
Next, recite the supplication recorded in Sahih Muslim:
“اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ”
Allahumma Antas-Salamu wa minkas-salam, tabarakta ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram.
“O Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honor.”
(Sahih Muslim: 591)
After this, in whatever sequence one chooses, the following established adhkar should be recited.
Recite once this agreed-upon supplication:
“لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ”
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadir. Allahumma la mani’a lima a’tayt, wa la mu’tiya lima mana’t, wa la yanfa’u dhal-jaddi minkal-jadd.
“There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things.
O Allah, none can withhold what You give, none can give what You withhold, and the fortune of the fortunate cannot benefit them against You.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 844, Sahih Muslim: 593)
Then recite this supplication once, recorded in Sahih Muslim:
“لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ”
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadir. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, wa la na’budu illa iyyah, lahun-ni’matu wa lahul-fadlu wa lahuth-thana’ul-hasan. La ilaha illallahu mukhlisina lahud-dina wa law karihal-kafirun.
“There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things.
There is no might nor power except with Allah. We worship none but Him. To Him belong all favors, grace, and noble praise.
There is no god but Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, even if the disbelievers detest it.”
(Sahih Muslim: 594)
How Should the Tasbeeh Be Recited After Salah?
Among the established adhkar after prayer is the recitation of the glorifications (Tasbeeh):
- “سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ” (SubhanAllah): 33 times
- “الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ” (Alhamdulillah): 33 times
- “اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ” (Allahu Akbar): 33 times
It is permissible to recite each phrase thirty-three times separately (SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, Allahu Akbar 33 times).
It is also authentically reported that one may recite them together in sequence (“SubhanAllah, wal-Hamdulillah, wallahu Akbar”) thirty-three times, so that each of the three glorifications is completed thirty-three times, totaling ninety-nine.
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 843, Sahih Muslim: 597)
To complete the count to one hundred, recite the following phrase once:
“لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ”
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadir.
“There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things.”
(Sahih Muslim: 597)
With this, the total count reaches a full one hundred.
What surah should you read after prayer?
Following the Tasbeeh, one should recite Ayat al-Kursi (Surah al-Baqarah 2:255).
(Sunan an-Nasa’i, al-Sunan al-Kubra: 9848; graded Sahih by Ibn Hibban and al-Albani)
Afterward, the Mu’awwidhat (protective Surahs) should be recited:
- Surah al-Ikhlas: Once after Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha; three times after Fajr and Maghrib.
- Surah al-Falaq: Once after Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha; three times after Fajr and Maghrib.
- Surah an-Nas: Once after Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha; three times after Fajr and Maghrib.
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 1523, Sunan an-Nasa’i: 1336; and three times after Fajr & Maghrib:
Sunan Abi Dawud: 5082, Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: 3575)
Among the most beloved and established supplications after prayer is the one taught by the Prophet (PBUH) to Mu’adh ibn Jabal (RA), counseling him never to omit it after any prayer:
“اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ”
Allahumma a’inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibadatik.
“O Allah, help me to remember You, give You thanks, and worship You well.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 1522, Sunan an-Nasa’i: 1303)
These are among the prominent authentic remembrances established from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) after Salah.
If a person chooses to recite them all, it takes less than five minutes to complete them with ease.
Is it bidah to make dua after fard salah?
In some Muslim countries, a common custom has developed where immediately after completing the obligatory prayer, the Imam and the congregation raise their hands together to perform a collective supplication.
Scholars explain that making this collective supplication a permanent, invariable ritual after every single obligatory prayer is not established from the regular practice of the Prophet (PBUH) or the Companions.
While some scholars (such as in the Hanafi school) permit occasional collective dua provided it is not regarded as an obligatory condition or Sunnah Mu’akkadah, turning it into a mandatory institutional ritual after every Fard prayer is cautioned against by the majority of Hadith scholars.
Individually, however, a worshipper is encouraged to supplicate for themselves in their personal prayers, and raising one’s hands in personal supplication is widely established in the authentic Sunnah.
