Du’a after prayer
With regard to du’a after the salam, what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do is to say, after finishing the prayer:
Astaghfir Allah, astaghfir Allah astaghfir Allah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah). Then he would say all the dhikrs that are narrated at this time.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“There is no sahih report to say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands following an obligatory prayer, or that his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did that, as far as we know. What some people do, raising their hands after the prayer, is a bid'ah (innovation) for which there is no basis. (Al-Fatawa, 1/74)
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“With regard to du’a after the prayer facing the qiblah or facing the congregation, this is not something that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did at all. It is not narrated with a sahih or hasan isnad. As for doing that only after Fajr and ‘Asr prayers, he did not do that and neither did any of his successors (khulafa), and he did not teach his ummah to do that. Rather this is something that some people thought was good to do to make up for not offering Sunnah prayers after those prayers and Allah knows best.”
1. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the tasleem at the end of the prayer, he would start by
asking Allah for forgiveness three times,
Astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah
(I ask Allaah for forgiveness, I ask Allaah for forgiveness, I ask Allaah for forgiveness.)
then he would say
“Allaahumma anta al-salaam wa minka al-salaam, tabaarakta yaa dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam
(O Allaah, You are the One Who is free from all defects and deficiencies and from You is all peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honour)
Then he would recite the rest of the adhkaar that have been narrated. As for the takbeer in the hadith mentioned, what is meant by it is saying “Subhaan Allah, al-hamdu Lillah and Allahu akbar (Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, and Allah is Most Great)” thirty-three times after the prayer. In this way we can reconcile between the hadiths that have been narrated concerning this matter. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (5/420)
2.The report narrated by al-Bukhaari (6330) and Muslim (594) from al-Mugheerah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say at the end of every prayer after saying the salaam:
Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Allaahumma laa maani‘ lima a‘tayta wa laa mu‘ti lima mana‘ta wa la yanfa‘ dhaa’l-jadd minka al-jadd
(There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all things. O Allaah, none can withhold what You give and none can give what You withhold, and no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone for from You is all wealth and majesty).
3. narrated by al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say at the end of every prayer:
“Allaahumma inni a‘oodhu bika min al-bukhl, wa a‘oodhu bika min al-jubn, wa a‘oodhu bika min an uradda ila ardhal il-‘umr, wa a‘oodhu bika min fitnat ad-dunya wa min ‘adhaab al-qabr
(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from reaching feeble old age, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave.
4. Abu Dawood (1522) narrated from Mu‘aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took him by the hand and said: “O Mu‘aadh, by Allah verily I love you, by Allah verily I love you.” Then he said: “I urge you, O Mu‘aadh, never to stop saying at the end of every prayer:
Allahumma a‘inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibaadatika
(O Allah, help me to remember You, give thank to You and worship You properly).”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood
An-Nasaa’i (1303) narrated it as follows: “Do not neglect to say in every prayer,
Rabbiy a‘inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibaadatika
(My Lord, help me to remember You, give thank to You and worship You properly).
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh an-Nasaa’i.