Raising hands after Salaah for supplication


Question 368:

What is the ruling on raising the hands after the Salah for supplication. Is it a bid’ah to regularly raise the hands for supplication everyday after every Salah?

Answer :

Shaykh Muqbil rahimahullah was asked –

What is the ruling on the dua after every salaah and raising hands in it and is there a difference on doing this action all the times and doing it some of the times?

Answer –

The dua with whatever that has been narrated is something good, like

-اللهم أعني على ذكرك ، وشكرك ، وحسن عبادتك –

this is a dua and it has been narrated, as in the sunan, that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said to Mu’adh: ‘By Allah, I love you, Oh Mu’adh. So never leave to recite this supplication after every (prescribed) prayer: “O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well.’

As for as making dua some of the times with something other than it (then) there is no problem with that In shaa Allaah, if he needed to make dua then there is no problem with that and similarly raising the hands – if he raises it some of times due to the saying of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) :-
‘If one of you supplicates then let him raise his both hands. Indeed Allah feels too shy to return them to him empty’

Apart from this, has it been narrated from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that he raised his hands after the prayers?  Narrated and the hadeeth is not established in this (act) but if it is raised in some of the times due to the generality (of the preceding hadith) (no problem in that)

and as for as what many of the people do: reciting Al Fatihah by so and so intention then this is a bid’ah and similarly the raising of hands continually (after every salaah) – It is considered bid’ah. Due to it not being established from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) – i mean raising the hands after the prayers and The Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘If anyone introduces in our matter something which does not belong to it, will be rejected’. Nay! Allah said in His Honoured Book: ‘This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion’. Indeed Allah has completed the religion and we are not in need of this innovation.

Excerpt from the answer found here – http://www.muqbel.net/fatwa.php?fatwa_id=1353

Translated by : Abu Muhammad Nezam Uddin Al Hindi