He—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

“Is supplication immediately after prayer a Sunnah practice or not? Is someone who censures an imam for not supplicating after the ‘Asr prayer right or wrong?”

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. It was not the practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to supplicate together with those praying behind him after the five daily prayers, as some people do after Fajr and ‘Asr. Nor has this been transmitted from anyone, and none of the imams considered it recommended. Whoever reports that al-Shāfi‘ī considered it recommended has misrepresented him: the wording found in his books contradicts that. Likewise, Ahmad and the other imams did not consider it recommended. However, a group of followers of Ahmad, Abū Hanīfah, and others considered supplication after Fajr and ‘Asr recommended.

They argued: “Because these two prayers are not followed by any prayer, supplication serves as a substitute for prayer.”

Another group of followers of al-Shāfi‘ī and others considered supplication after the five daily prayers recommended. All of them agree that anyone who refrains from supplication should not be censured.