send blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) thereafter, and supplicate for whatever he wishes. His supplication follows this second act of worship, not because it comes after the prayer (1). For anyone who remembers Allah, praises and extols Him, and sends blessings upon His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is encouraged to supplicate afterwards, as in the hadith of Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (2):
“When one of you prays, let him begin by praising and extolling Allah, then send blessings upon the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), then supplicate for whatever he wishes.”
Al-Tirmidhī said: “This is an authentic hadith.”
Section
Then he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would offer the salutation to his right: “Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah,” and likewise to his left (3).
This was his regular practice, reported from him by fifteen Companions, namely (4):
(1) Ibn Hajar quoted the author’s discussion in al-Fath (11:133–134), from “As for supplication after the salutation” up to this point, then commented: “His categorical denial is refuted, for it is established from Mu‘ādh …” He cited hadiths concerning supplication at the end of every prayer, then said: “If it is argued that ‘at the end of every prayer’ means near its conclusion, namely the tashahhud (testimony of faith), we reply: The command to remember Allah at the end of every prayer has been reported, and this unanimously means after the salutation. The same therefore applies here unless evidence establishes otherwise.” He then said: “Many Hanbalīs whom we have met understood Ibn al-Qayyim to mean that supplication after prayer is categorically denied. This is not so. Rather, the substance of his discussion is that he denied it with the qualifications that the worshipper continues to face the qiblah and offers the supplication after the salutation. But if the worshipper turns his face away or first recites the prescribed remembrances, Ibn al-Qayyim sees no objection to supplication at that point.”
I say: Al-Hāfiz’s discussion is open to question.
(2) Reported by Ahmad (3477), Abū Dāwūd (1481), al-Tirmidhī (3477), al-Nasā’ī in al-Mujtabā (1284) and al-Kubrā (1208), and al-Bayhaqī (2:147, 148). Graded authentic by al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Khuzaymah (710, 709), Ibn Hibbān (1960), and al-Hākim (1:230).
(3) Reported by Muslim (582, 481) from Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās and Jābir ibn Samurah.
(4) All copies except ق, ن read: “minhum” (among them).