Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaah Dear Shaikh, Even after completing the Sunnah prayers, do we have to recite the prescribed Azkaar that we normally recite immediately after ending the Fardh prayers? Please advice. Jazaak Allaahu Khairan

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The mention of Allaah which is recited after the prayer is specific to obligatory prayers only, even though the narrations which are reported in this regard may appear to include the supererogatory prayers.

Al-Bukhari reported that the Prophet said: "You should Say "Subhaanal-Allaah", "Al-hamdu lillaah" and "Allaahu Akbar" thirty three times each after every prayer."

When interpreting this narration Ibn Hajar said: 'It appears that the expression 'after every prayer' includes obligatory and supererogatory prayers, however, the majority of scholars are of the view that this refers to the obligatory prayers only. The narration on the authority of Ka'b Ibn 'Ujrah which is reported by Muslim, restricts the mention of Allaah to be after the obligatory prayers only. The scholars applied the narration (reported by Muslim) to the narration whose wording was general.'

The narration reads: "There are some words, the reciters of which will never be disappointed. These are: Tasbeeh [saying 'Subhaan-Allaah' (Allah is free from imperfection)], thirty-three times, Tahmeed [saying 'Al-hamdu lillaah' (praise be to Allaah)] thirty-three times and Takbeer [saying 'Allaahu Akbar' (Allah is Greatest)] thirty-four times; and these should be recited after the conclusion of every prescribed prayer."

However, there are many narrations that restrict the above mention of Allaah to the obligatory prayers only. Al-Bukhari reported that the Prophet used to say after each obligatory prayer: " لا إلهَ إلاّ اللّهُ وحدَهُ لا شريكَ لهُ، لهُ المُـلْكُ ولهُ الحَمْد، وهوَ على كلّ شَيءٍ قَدير، اللّهُـمَّ لا مانِعَ لِما أَعْطَـيْت، وَلا مُعْطِـيَ لِما مَنَـعْت، وَلا يَنْفَـعُ ذا الجَـدِّ مِنْـكَ الجَـد .

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, Alone, without partners, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and He is over all things Omnipotent. O Allaah, none can prevent what You have willed to bestow and none can bestow what You have willed to prevent, and no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone, as from You is all wealth and majesty."

Furthermore, 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar narrated that the Prophet said: "There are two characteristics which, if one observes, will cause him to enter Paradise. They are very easy actions, but very few perform them." The people said, "What are they, O Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "To praise Allaah (Al-hamdu lillaah), extol His greatness (Allaahu Akbar) and glorify Him (Subhaanal-Allaah) at the end of every obligatory prayer ten times each. When one goes to bed, he should say 'Subhaanal-Allaah', 'Allaahu Akbar' and 'Al-hamdu lillaah' (a total of) one hundred times. Those are in total 250 actions of the tongue, yet they are equal to 2500 rewards on the scale (of Allaah). Does any of you commit 2500 sins during one day and night?" They asked, "How come only few people perform them?" He said: "These easy actions are performed by only few people because the devil (Satan) comes to one of you after his prayer and reminds him of such and such need, and thus he fails to say the (above) mention, and he comes to him at bed time and makes him sleep so that he does not say them." 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar said: "I have seen the Prophet counting them on his finger joints." [Ahmad]

Allaah Knows best.