Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I heard that it is bidah to do a group dua after namaz as to seeing that the Prophet (saw) only did it during the Juma Namaz and not during other salats.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Making dua in congregation after prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) as the ‘imam’ would ever make collective supplications after the fard prayers, or after any other prayers for that matter.

It would be best for the ‘imaams’ who lead the prayers and the believers at large to abstain from doing something in the deen which was neither practiced nor endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws); for that then would indeed constitute a case for introducing or following a ‘bida’ or innovation.

Aisha narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If somebody innovates something which is not present in our religion, then that thing will be rejected.’

Related by Bukhari.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

It is indeed interesting to note that the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws), who was sent by the Lord as a mercy to all of mankind, never missed an opportunity to make supplications for the believers and the Ummah at large…..but never ever did the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever make supplications in congregation after the prayers! Allah is our witness brother, if the making of such supplications was beneficial and acceptable to Allah Subhanah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) would surely have done so!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan