Title: As a Hanafi, should we stay at the end of prayer for the dua with the imam or should we just move on with our sunnah and make dua individually?

Question: Assalamoalaykum, As a Hanafi, should we stay at the end of prayer for the dua with the imam or should we just move on with our sunnah and make dua individually?

Answer ID: 501Posted on: Sep 1, 2020

Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

(Fatwa: 212/L)

It is in Hadith:

عن ابی امامة قال: قیل یا رسول اللہ ای الدعاء اسمع؟ قال جوف اللیل الآخر ودبر الصلوات المکتوبات

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallah) was asked: When the supplications are granted more? He said: in the last part of night and after the obligatory prayers. (Mishkatul Masabeeh: 1/89)

There is another Hadith:

عن عقبة بن عامر قال: امرنی رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ان اقرء بالمعوذات دبر کل صلوة۔

Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir (Raziallahu Anhu) said: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallah) ordered me to recite Muawwizaat (the Surahs of Falaq and Naas etc.) after every obligatory prayer. (Abu Dawood: 1/213)

عن علی قال: کان النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم اذا سلم من الصلاة قال: الھم اغفر لی ما قدمت و ما اخرت و ما اسررت و ما اعلنت و ما انت اعلم بہ منی، انت المقدم والمؤخر لا الہ الا انت (ابوداؤد 1/213)

Hazrat Ali says that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallah) used to recite this dua (underlined) after prayer.  (Abu Dawwod: 1/213)

In short, in view of these traditions it is clearly proved that dua after salah is a sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallah) and these duas will be more hopefully answered. As in Noor-ul-Izaah and its commentary Imdad-ul-Fattah:

ثم بعد الفراغ عن الصلاة یدعو الامام لنفسہ و للمسلمین رافعی ایدیھم خذو الصدور و بطونھا مما یلی الوجہ بخشوع و سکون ثم یمسحون بھا وجوھھم فی آخرہ ای عند الفراغ من الدعاء۔

After completing Salah, the imam should pray for himself and for all Muslims while raising hands to chest with the palm towards his face. The dua should be made calmly with complete humility and submission to Allah. Then, he should wipe the hands over his face. (Kifayatul Mufti: 3/344)