Question:
What is the meaning of that the supplication we do at the end of our prayers will be granted?
Answer:
Among the times when we are encouraged to supplication in order for our supplication to be accepted is at the end of our prayer. This is based on a hadith narrated by Abu Umamah Al-Bahili RA, where Rasullullah PBUH was asked:
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الدُّعَاءِ أَسْمَعُ قَالَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ
“O Messenger of Allah, which supplication is most likely to be listened to?’ He said: ‘(During) the last part of the night and at the end of the obligatory prayers.” [1]
Syeikh Al-Mubarakfuri said: “The supplication which went straight to the heavens or almost certainly will be granted.” [2]
Imam Ibn Manzur said: “Dubur is the antonym of qubul. Dubur for something is the ned of it (what followed it) and its ending. The plural form of it is adbar.”
He also cited the words of Al-Jauhari who said: “Dubur us the antonym for qubul. And dubur (the end) of a month is the ending of the month. Whilst dubur for a house us the end of the house and also the corner of the house.”
Whereas Ibn Sidah said: “And adbaar prostration means, the ending of the prayer. While Ibn Burzaj said: Dabir al-Amr (the end of something) is its ending.” [3]
Narrated by Muaz bin Jabal, the Messenger PBUH said:
أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ لاَ تَدَعَنَّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
“O Mu’adh, I will give you some advice – Never leave the recitation of this supplication after every prayer: ‘O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You perfectly.'” [4]
Scholars have differing opinions of the meaning of the word dubur (end) of the prayer. Generally, there are two opinions on this issue which are (i) after the final tasyahhud before salam, or (ii) after the salam.
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “Dubur (the end) of prayer is probably whether it is before or after salam. Our teacher (Ibn Taimiyah) concluded that it means before the salam. Hence, I refer this issue and asked him, he then answered: “Dubur for anything is a part of it, such as the dubur of an animal.” [5]
They explained this issue when they commented on the hadith:
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الدُّعَاءِ أَسْمَعُ قَالَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ
“O Messenger of Allah, which supplication is most readily listened to, and replied, “What is offered in the latter part of the depth of the night and after the prescribed prayers.” [6]
Some scholars’ opinions stated that the meaning of at the end of prayer means after the salam. Among others, the evidences they supported this is the statement of Allah SWT:
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ
“And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides.” [7]
Afterwards, several hadith narrations followed which explained what the dhikrs meant. Among them is through a hadith narrated from Al-Mughirah bin Syu’bah radhiyallhu ‘anhu, he said that indeed Rasullullah PBUH recited his supplication at the end of his prayer after he gave his salam:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهْوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
“There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah Alone, Who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He has power over everything. O Allah no one can withhold what You have given, or give what You have withheld and riches cannot avail a wealthy person against You.” [8]
Imam Al-Bukhari in his book Sahih Al-Bukhari placed this hadith under the chapter: “Supplicating After Prayer”
To conclude, the narrations which mentioned the dhikrs signal that the supplication is recited after the prayer, then the meaning of at the end of prayer here is after giving the salam. While for narrations which just state at the end of prayer without mentioning it to be done after the prayer, then the end of prayer here is after tasyahhud before salam. It is permissible to recite dhikr and supplication at both of these times. Wallahu a’lam.
[1] Narrated by Al-Tirmizi, no. 3499
[3] Lisan Al-‘Arab, Ibn Manzhur, 5/210
[4] Narrated by Abu Dawud, no. 1552
[6] Narrated by Al-Tirmizi (3499)
[8] Narrated by Al-Bukhari (6330)
