Dhikr and Duas after Salah (Daily Prayers) in Islam (2023)

• Abdullah Ansari
• May 8, 2020

Making duas after Salah to Allah alone is a highly recommended act in Islam. Allah is ar-Rahman and ar-Raheem. Both of these names of His are related to His Mercy. He is also al-Ghaffar, the Oft-Forgiving. He is ar-Razzaq too, the Provider. Additionally, He is al-Ghafoor, the Exceedingly Forgiving. Furthermore, He is al-Muqeet, the Sustainer and al-Kareem, the Most Generous.

These are just some of Allah’s beautiful names and attributes. As believers, we need His mercy, His forgiveness, His sustenance, and His generosity. To attain all this (and more), we have to remember Him and pray to Him with sincerity and devotion.

Allah doesn’t need our prayers or remembrance. He is far above that. However, we are entirely reliant on Him. Thus, we need to make supplication (dua) and do dhikr (remembrance). As Allah says in Surah Fatir, we are the ones who need Him, whereas He has no needs and is worthy of praise.

Dua after namaz/prayer/salah is one of the most important ways for us to remember Allah and supplicate to Him. The five daily prayers are compulsory in Islam, and getting into the habit of supplicating and remembering the Almighty after them, ensures that we are regular with our acts of worship. Indeed, there are many prescribed duas after salah and dhikrs derived from the Prophetic Sunnah.

Duas after salah: What is tasbeeh (tasbih) after prayer?

In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (PBUH) said that the Tasbih (SubhanAllah) and the Tahmid (Alhamdulillah) should be recited 33 times, while the Takbir (AllahuAkbar) should be recited 34 times, after each obligatory prayer, for their reciter will never be disappointed.

How should we make duas after salah? What should we say after namaz?

In Surah An-Nisa, Allah says to remember Allah standing, seated, or while lying on our sides upon the completion of Salah. Therefore, dhikr and dua after salah is an action that Allah Himself encourages us to do.

Dua #1 – An important dua after salah for forgiveness

Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) finished his prayer, he would ask Allah for forgiveness (three times) and then would recite: “Allahumma antassalam waminkassalam, tabarakta yaDhalJalali wal Ikram”(Affirming that Allah is the One who grants security and praising Him as the One who possesses majesty and nobility).

Dua #2

“La ilaha illal lahu wah dahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wal hul hamdu, wahu wa `ala kulli shay’ in qadir. Allah umma lamani’a lima a’taita, wala mu’tiya lima mana’ta, wala yan fa’u dhal jaddi min kal jadd”(Declaring Allah’s oneness as the only deity, who has no associate. The Kingdom and all praise are His, and He is Omnipotent. None can prevent what He grants or grant what He withholds, while all efforts are futile against Him).

Dua #3

“La ilaha illa hu wah dahu la sharee kalah, lahul mulku wala hul hamdu wahu wa’ ala kulli shay’ in qadeer”(Proclaiming that Allah alone, without and associate deserves worship. All that exists belongs to Him, as well as praise. He is the giver and taker of life and exercises power over all things). The Prophet (PBUH) prescribed this recital (10 times) after the Maghrib and Fajr prayers. He said that Allah would protect the person who offers this dua until the next day. He will award the person with ten good deeds and remove ten evil deeds.

Dua #4

We are also advised to read the255th verse of Surah al-Baqarah (Ayat al-Kursi)after every prayer.

Dua #5

“Allah umma a’inni ‘ala dhik rika wa shuk rika wa husni’ ibada tika”(Seeking Allah’s assistance in remembering Him, thanking Him, and worshipping Him in the ideal way).

Dua #6

“Allah umma inni a’udhu bika minal bukhli wa a’udhu bika min al jubni wa a’udhu bika an uradda ila ar dhalil’ umuri wa a’udhu bika min fitna tid dunya wa a’udhu bika min ’adha bil qabr”(Seeking refuge with Allah from stinginess, being cowardly, reaching the age where one turns senile, the tests of the world, and the punishment of the grave).

Dua #7

“Allah umma inni a’udhu bika min al kufri wal faqri wa’az abal qabri”(Seeking Allah’s refuge from disbelief, poverty, and the torment of the grave).

Dua #8

Al-Mu’awwidhatan (Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas) should be recited following every prayer. These surahs are to be recited three times after Fajr and Maghrib prayers.

Dua #9

“La ilaha illallah wah dahu la sharika lah lahul mulk wala hul hamd wa huwa ’ala kulli shay’ in qadir la hawla wala quwwata illa billahil ‘azim laila ha illAllahu walana’bud illa iyyah ahlan ni’ mati wal fadli wath thana ’ilhas an la ilaha illAllah mukh lisina lahuddina walaw karihal kafirun”(Affirming that Allah alone is worthy of worship, with no partners. The Dominion is His, as is all praise, while He is capable of doing all things; all power and might is with Him. He alone deserves worship, and we worship Him alone. Blessing and kindness are from Him and He is worthy of all praise. None but Allah deserves worship, and we are sincere in faith and dedication to Him, although the disbelievers hate it).

Dua #10

As mentioned in Sahih Muslim, after every prayer, one who saysSubhan’Allahthirty-three times, Alhamdulillahthirty-three times, and Allahu Akbarthirty-three times, which make it 99, then says to complete a hundred: ‘Lailahaillallahu wahdahu lasharikalahu lahulmulku walahul hamdu waHuwa’ala kullishay’ in Qadir’(Declaring the oneness of Allah, without partners, Who is the Possessor of sovereignty, deserving of praise, and powerful over everything), his bad deeds will be pardoned, even if they are as plentiful as the sea’s foam.

Duas after salah and namaz are important

Allah has prescribed a number of meaningful supplications for us to remember Him with. All this has been accomplished via the authentic sunnah. Allah says in Surah Al-Ahzab that the Prophet (PBUH) left one whose hope is in Allah and the Day of Reckoning, and who frequently remembers Allah, with an outstanding example.

The emphasis on these dhikr and duas after salah to be performed after each prayer shows us the vitality of remembering Allah. In Surah al-Munafiqun, Allah instructs the believers not to allow their possessions and offspring to distract them from remembering Allah, as one who fails in this regard is among the losers.

Dua and dhikr plays a specific role in our lives. Humans are prone to being lazy and procrastinating. If we didn’t perform these duas after salah regularly, then we may slowly drift away from the remembrance of Allah altogether. If that happened, we’d be the losers. Moving away from Allah means to lose our moral compass and to transgress. Instead, we must remain steadfast and seek His pleasure through frequent remembrance. As stated in Surah Al-Baqarah, we should remember Allah, and He will remember us.