Actions During the Prayer
Fatwa No: 82242

Question

I'd like to know if saying "ameen" when imaam or someone else supplicates and others say "ameen" is bid'ah? If so, should everyone supplicate on his/her own? Besides, after reading some verses from the Holy Qur'aan our imaam finishes by reading ayaat 37: 180,181,182. Is it allowed? When he finishes supplicating he says ''Rabbana takabbal minni innaka anta sami'ul 'alim ''- is it OK to finish like that? May Allah reward you for your efforts!

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If a Muslim hears another Muslim supplicating Allah he is supposed to say “AMEEN.” Just as when the Imam in the prayer says while reading Al Fatiha: “Guide us to the straight way. The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace not, (the way) of those who have earned Your Anger (such as the Jews) nor those who went astray (such as the Christians)” [Quran 1:5-7]; the Muslims who are praying with him say: “Aameen.” The angels also say “Aameen” when they hear a Muslim invoke Allah for another Muslim without telling him of these invocations.

Again, the companions of the Prophet used to say “Ameen” whenever they heard the Prophet invoking Allah.

Narrated Abu Dawood and Ahmed that the Prophet stayed a whole month invoking Allah in the Qunut in Zuhur, Asr, Maghrib Ishaa and Fajr to punish the tribes of Saleem, Ra'al, Dhukwan and A'assiah.

He used to start this Qunut just after standing up from the Rukoo’ of the last Rak’ah, and they used to say “Aameen” each time he finished supplicating.

In another Hadeeth At-Tabarani narrated that the Prophet said: "Gabriel came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad whoever catches up with one of his parents and goes to Hell, May Allah keep him away. Say Aameen, I said: “Aameen.” He said: ‘O Muhammad whoever catches up with the month of Ramadan and he is not forgiven and enters Hellfire, may Allah keep him away. Say: “Aameen”, I said: “Aameen.” Then He said: Whoever does not ask for peace and blessing for you while you are mentioned before him, and goes to Hellfire, may Allah keep him away; say: “Aameen”, I said: “Aameen”. Aameen means accept.

One may end his Du'aa’ (supplication) by reading the verse 2: 127; no problem in doing that. It is desirable to finish a Du'aa’ by asking the blessings for the Prophet. It is confirmed in a Hadeeth that every Du'aa’ that does not end by asking blessings for the Prophet is kept apart.

As for continuing to read verses from Surah al-saffat [Quran 37:180-182] after reading a Surah or verses, then there is no evidence for such practice.

So that practice would be considered an innovation.

Allah knows best.

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