Salaat al-Haajah

My question has to do with praying to allah for a need. I know it is called satatul hajah. How many times does a person have to pray it and when should it be prayed. Is it right to pray it at the times when duaas are most likely to be answered

Praise be to Allaah.

It is prescribed for the Muslim to worship Allaah in the ways that He has prescribed in His Book, and in the ways that have been proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The principle concerning matters of worship is tawqeef [i.e., following what is in the Qur’aan and saheeh Sunnah; with no room for individual opinion]. And we cannot say that any act of worship is prescribed unless there is saheeh evidence.

The so-called Salaat al-Haajah was narrated in da’eef (weak) or munkar (denounced) ahaadeeth – as far as we know – which cannot be used as proof and which are not fit to base acts of worship on.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 8/162

The hadeeth narrated concerning Salaat al-Haajah says:

“From ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Awfa al-Aslami, who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out to us and said: ‘Whoever has need of something from Allaah or any one of His creation, let him do wudoo’ and pray two rak’ahs, then let him say, “There is no god but Allaah, the Forbearing, the Most Generous. Glory be to Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne. Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds. O Allaah, I ask You for Your mercy and forgiveness and I ask You for all good things and for safety from all sins. I ask You not to leave any sin without forgiving it, or any distress without relieving it, or any need which it pleases You to fulfil without fulfilling it for me.” Then let him ask Allaah for whatever matter of this world or the Hereafter that he wishes, for it will be fulfilled.”

(Narrated by Ibn Maajah, Iqaamat al-Salaah wa’l-Sunnah, 1374)

Al-Tirmdihi said: this is a ghareeb [strange] hadeeth, and concerning its isnaad it was said: Faa’id ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan is weak in hadeeth.

Al-Albaani said: rather it is da’eef jiddan (very weak). Al-Haakim said: mawdoo’ (fabricated) ahaadeeth were narrated from Abu Awfa.

Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, vol. 1, p. 417

The author of al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada’aat said, after mentioning what al-Tirmidhi said concerning Faa’id ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan: Ahmad said he is matrook (left, i.e., his hadeeth is not to be accepted), and Ibn al-‘Arabi described him as da’eef (weak).

And he said: You know what is said concerning this hadeeth. It is better and more perfect and safer for you to make du’aa’ to Allaah in the depths of the night and between the adhaan and iqaamah and at the end of every prayer before the tasleem; and on Fridays, for then there are times when du’aa’ is answered; and when breaking one’s fast. For your Lord says (interpretation of the meanings):

‘Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation)’[Fussilat 40:60]

‘And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor)’[al-Baqarah 2:186]

‘And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them’[al-A’raaf 7:180].” al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada’aat by al-Shuqayri, p. 124

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Making du’aa’ after the obligatory prayers is bid’ah

After fard salat (i.e. after saying salam), some people make Dua while others say only Tasbih Fatmi. Some people are adament that making Dua after salat is Bidat. This is causing some restraint in the cummunity speacially those who follow Imam Abu Hanifa or Shafai.
Can we make dua'a after salat.
Can we make dua'a with the imama after salat alltogether.

Praise be to Allaah.

It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah:

Making du’aa’ after the obligatory prayers is not Sunnah if it is done by raising the hands, whether that is done by the imam alone or a member of the congregation alone, or it is done by them both together. Rather that is bid’ah, because it was not narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or any of his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) did that. With regard to making du’aa’ without doing that (raising the hands etc.), there is nothing wrong with it, because there are some ahaadeeth concerning that.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 7/103

The Committee was asked about raising the hands for du’aa’ after the five daily prayers – is it proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) raised his hands or not? If it is not proven, is it permissible to raise the hands after the five daily prayers or not?

They replied: It is not proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) raised his hands in du’aa’ after the obligatory prayers as far as we know, so raising them after the salaam of an obligatory prayer is contrary to the Sunnah.

Fataawa al-Lajnah, 7/104

The Committee also stated that saying du’aa’ out loud after the five daily prayers or regular Sunnah prayers, or reciting du’aa’ in unison as a regular practice is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah), because it was not proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) did anything like that. Whoever makes du’aa’ after the obligatory or regular Sunnah prayers in unison is going against the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and for those people to accuse those who disagree with them of being kaafirs and not belonging to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, is misguidance, ignorance and a distortion of the facts.

Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/319

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A