Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues that Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes is being published officially below for everyone’s benefit.
Someone from the UK sent the transcript of an answer given by the respected Mufti of the Jamaat during a question-and-answer session in Canada regarding supplicating [du‘a] with raised hands after the formal prayers [salat] to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, and sought guidance from Huzoor-e-Anwaraa. They asked, “This answer gives the impression that we can supplicate with raised hands after salat; is this correct?”
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa had a detailed note prepared on this matter and sent it for publication in the Ahmadiyya Gazette of Canada on 5 September 2024. In this detailed note, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa stated:
“During a question-and-answer session in Canada, the respected Mufti Sahib gave a brief answer regarding supplicating with raised hands after salat, from which the misunderstanding arises that it is perhaps correct to supplicate with raised hands after salat. Nowadays, a large number of non-Ahmadis, particularly those belonging to the Hanafi school of thought, consider it necessary to supplicate with raised hands after the obligatory [fardh] prayer, whereas in Arab countries, this is not a particularly prevalent custom. However, to convey the correct teaching on this matter to the members of the Jamaat, some references are recorded below:
“Regarding the beginning and end of salat, the Holy Prophetsa states:
’وَتَحْرِیمُہَا التَّکْبِیرُ، وَتَحْلِیلُہَا التَّسْلِیمُ“‘
“That is, salat begins with the saying of ‘Allahu Akbar’ and ends with the saying of the salam. (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab at-taharah, Babu anna miftaha s-salati t-tuhur)
“After the obligatory prayers, the Holy Prophetsa would generally offer the sunnah and other supererogatory prayers at home. However, before going home, after the performance of the obligatory prayers, he would recite istighfar and some other established supplications. Furthermore, he also advised the Companions to recite certain supplications after salat. But we have not been able to find any hadith which mentions that the Holy Prophetsa would obligatorily and consistently supplicate with raised hands along with all the followers after every prayer. However, on some special occasions, the Holy Prophetsa did supplicate with raised hands after salat.
“In this era of the Renaissance of Islam, the most ardent devotee of the Holy Prophetsa, the Promised Messiahas, who was sent in exact accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophetsa for the service and revival of Islam, has stated on numerous occasions that whatever supplications we have to make, we should make them within the salat itself. Moreover, the practice of supplicating with raised hands after salat as a binding custom is not proven from hadith. Accordingly, the son of Hazrat Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib Ludhianvira, Hazrat Sahibzada Pir Iftikhar Ahmad Sahib Ludhianvira, narrates:
“‘By the grace of God, I remember the time when the Promised Messiahas was present in the Mubarak Mosque. We, the humble servants, were seated. Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him, was also present. It was then that Huzooras delivered a discourse concerning supplicating within salat. The gist of it, in my own words, is that it has become a custom that people do not supplicate inside the salat. They offer the salat quickly, as a mere custom and habit. And when they have completed the salam, they then offer long supplications with great and earnest entreaty, whereas the supplication ought to be within the salat. Salat itself is supplication [du‘a]. Salat is so that a servant may ask his Lord for the good things of this world and the next. Their example is that of one who appeared in the court of a king but presented no petition of his own and when he was dismissed from the court and came outside, he began to make his request. It is not proven that the Holy Prophetsa used to supplicate with raised hands after the congregational five daily prayers.
“‘Before this discourse of the Promised Messiahas, supplication was consistently offered with raised hands as a binding custom after the five daily congregational prayers. The imam of salat, Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib, the Promised Messiahas and all the followers would raise their hands and supplicate after completing the salam of the obligatory prayer. I remember this method of everyone supplicating together with raised hands, because I too used to supplicate with raised hands along with everyone else. In this entire discourse, the Promised Messiahas did not so much as hint to Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib as to why he did this, or that he should not do so in the future. However, the moment Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib heard this discourse of Huzooras, he ceased to supplicate with raised hands after the salam of the prayer. And from that time, this is the practice that has continued.’ (Iftikhar-ul-Haq ya In‘amat-e-Khudavand-e-Karim, Nuqush Press, Lahore, pp. 494-495)
“Hazrat Maulvi Syed Mahmud Shah Sahibra, who had come from Saharanpur, submitted to the Promised Messiahas: “‘We generally supplicate after salat, but this is not the case here in Qadian?’ In answer to this question, the Promised Messiahas delivered a detailed discourse, a portion of which is as follows. He said:
“‘The fact is, we do not forbid supplicating and we ourselves also supplicate; and the salat is, in and of itself, supplication. The point is that I have advised my Jamaat that a common innovation [bid‘ah] has spread in India, that they do not properly observe the perfection of the postures and pray a ‘pecking’ prayer, as if salat were a tax, the payment of which is a burden. It is therefore performed in a manner in which aversion is found, whereas salat is such a thing from which spiritual delight, intimate communion and profound bliss are meant to grow. Yet, the manner in which salat is often performed prevents the attainment of heartfelt presence and engenders a state of spiritual insipidity and joylessness. I have given this very advice to my Jamaat: that they should not offer salat in a manner that gives rise to such a lack of spiritual delight and a heartless state, but should instead strive for that conscious devotion of the heart, from which they will obtain serene joy and profound delight. It has generally become the condition that salat is offered in such a way that no effort is made for the presence of the heart; rather, it is finished quickly and outside of the salat, a great deal is done for supplication [du‘a] and they continue to supplicate for a long time. Whereas the objective of salat (which is the means to spiritual ascension for a believer) is precisely that one should supplicate within it. […]
“‘A believer should certainly supplicate at all times, standing and sitting. But the method of supplication after salat that is current in this country is strange. In some mosques, such long supplications are made [after salat] that a person could walk half a mile in that time. I have advised my Jamaat at great length to beautify your salat; this too is a supplication. […]
“‘He who thinks in his heart that it is an innovation not to supplicate after salat, but to supplicate within salat, (should know) this is not an innovation. […] Yes, it is true that God the Exalted has not made supplicating after salat obligatory, nor is it a sunnah established through consistent and binding practice by Allah’s Messengersa; consistent adherence is not proven from him. Had there been consistent adherence and then someone had abandoned it, that would have been an act of disobedience. According to the need of the time, he did supplicate outside of salat as well. And it is our faith that his entire time was spent in supplications, but salat is a special treasure of supplications that has been given to the believer. It is therefore his duty that until he perfects it, he should not turn his attention elsewhere, because when an obligatory act is being neglected for a voluntary one, the obligatory act should be given precedence. If a person offers salat with spiritual delight and presence of the heart, then let him by all means supplicate outside of salat; we do not forbid it. We desire the precedence of the salat and this is our sole purpose.’ (Al Hakam, No. 38, Vol. 6, 24 October 1902, pp. 11-12)
“When the Promised Messiahas had finished this discourse, Hazrat Maulvi Syed Muhammad Ahsan Sahib Fadil Amrohirh addressed the questioner and said that the author of Safar as-Sa‘adah has written to the extent that there is no proof from hadith for du‘a after salat. At this, the Promised Messiahas stated:
“‘My belief is that the Hadith should be greatly revered because it is attributed to the Holy Prophetsa. As long as it does not conflict with the Holy Quran, it is most commendable that it be acted upon. However, regarding supplication after salat, consistent adherence is not proven from the Hadith. Our principle is that even the weakest of hadith should be acted upon, provided it does not oppose the Holy Quran.’ (Al Hakam, No. 39, Vol. 6, 31 October 1902, p. 1)
“Hazrat Sahibzadah Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra writes in his book, Sirat-ul-Mahdi:
“‘Mian Khairuddin Sahib Sekhwani stated to me in writing that (the Promised Messiahas) once said that supplication should be made within salat. In the ruku‘ and sujud, after the prescribed glorifications, one should supplicate in one’s own language. Some people offer salat very quickly and then, after the salat, raise their hands and offer long supplications. The example of this is like one who, when standing in the presence [of a king], does not ask for anything, but when he comes outside, he then begins to knock at the door. At the time of salat, a worshipper stands in the presence of God the Exalted, and at that time, he offers salat quickly and does not present any need or requirement before God the Exalted. But when he finishes the salat and withdraws from the Divine Presence, he then begins to ask. (This would be a form of disrespect). This does not mean that supplication without salat is not permissible; it only means that at the time of salat, a unique communion is experienced. At that time, one should not act in this way. Rather, it is better that one supplicate within salat; that is the time of acceptance.’ (Sirat-ul-Mahdi, Vol. II, Part V, Narration No. 1471, May 2008, p. 261)
“Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra, in his book Zikr-e-Habib, has recorded the following guidance of the Promised Messiahas under the heading, ‘Supplication in One’s Own Language’:
“‘One should supplicate in one’s own language within salat, because supplicating in one’s own language generates complete fervour. Surah al-Fatihah is the Word of God the Exalted; it should be recited in the Arabic language in that very way. And the portion of the Holy Quran that is recited after it should also be recited in the Arabic language. And after that, the prescribed supplications and glorifications should also be recited in the Arabic language in that same way. However, one should learn the translation of all of these. And in addition to these, one should then supplicate in one’s own language, so that presence of the heart may be achieved, because a salat in which there is no presence of the heart is not a salat at all. Nowadays, it is the habit of people that they offer a ‘pecking’ prayer; they perform salat quickly, as if it were some form of forced labour. Then, afterwards, they begin to offer long supplications. This is an innovation. In the noble Hadith, there is no mention anywhere of supplicating again after completing the salam of the prayer. The ignorant consider salat to be a tax and separate the supplication from it. Salat itself is supplication. For all the difficulties of this world and the next, and at the time of every affliction, a person should supplicate within salat. Supplication can be made at every opportunity within salat; in the ruku‘, after the glorification; in the sujud, after the glorification; standing after the tahiyyat and after the ruku‘. Supplicate a great deal, so that you may become spiritually enriched.’ (Zikr-e-Habib, New Edition, pp. 158-159)
“‘He said: ‘The example of those who quickly recite the salat in Arabic, do not understand its meaning, nor feel any sublime delight or deep yearning and then offer long supplications after completing the salam, is that of a person who appeared in the court of a king and, standing before the throne, presented his petition which he had had someone else write for him. Without understanding it, he recited it like a parrot, made his salutation and departed. And upon coming outside the court, he stood outside the royal palace and began to say, ‘I have this request and that request.’ He ought to have presented all his requests at the very moment of being in the royal presence.’’
“‘He said: ‘The example of such people who do not supplicate in salat but offer long supplications after the conclusion of salat is like a person who has placed the axle of a horse-cart upside down on the ground, with the wheels facing upwards and then drives the horse to pull that cart.’’ (Zikr-e-Habib, New Edition, p. 155)
“The Promised Messiahas states:
“‘Nowadays, people have ruined salat. What prayers do they offer? They just strike their heads on the ground. They offer salat very quickly, pecking like a rooster and then sit for a long time for supplication. The true essence and soul of salat is supplication itself. By leaving salat and then supplicating, how can that original purpose be achieved? If a person goes to the court of a king and also has the opportunity to present his condition, but he says nothing at that time and presents his request upon leaving the court, what is the benefit? Such is the state of those who do not supplicate with profound humility and utter submission in salat. Whatever supplications you have to make, you should make them in salat and observe the full etiquette of du‘a. At the very beginning of the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted has taught a supplication and along with it, He has also shown the etiquette of du‘a. The recitation of Surah al-Fatihah is essential in salat and it is itself a supplication, from which it is clearly known that the real supplication is offered within salat.’ (Al Hakam, No. 23, Vol. 6, 24 June 1902, p. 2)
“Therefore, it is proven from the aforementioned references that the method that has become current of quickly performing salat and then offering long supplications with raised hands has an element of innovation and the Promised Messiahas disliked it.
“An occasion is mentioned in the history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh supplicated with raised hands after salat. In this connection, the respected Mufti-e-Silsilah narrates that in 1974, when riots and disturbances were taking place against the Jamaat, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh gave the instruction that a congregational supplication [du‘a] should be made with raised hands in the mosque daily after the Fajr and Maghrib prayers. Accordingly, for several months, a congregational supplication with raised hands was offered daily in the Mubarak Mosque after the Maghrib prayer.
“In this regard, the following announcement from Huzoorrh was also published in the Al Fazl of Rabwah:
“‘Friends will have read my message in yesterday’s Al Fazl and will be engaged in prayers. In addition to individual prayers, in those places where congregational prayer is arranged, members should also, with great abundance, offer humble and heart-rending congregational supplications with insistence before the Gracious Lord, the Most Beneficent, the Ever-Merciful, daily after the Fajr and Maghrib prayers. May Allah the Exalted accept them. Amin.’ (Daily Al Fazl, Rabwah, No. 129, Vol. 28/63, 6 June 1974, p. 1)
“This instruction of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh regarding congregational supplication with raised hands was, in fact, a temporary decision in view of the need of the time and circumstances. Therefore, after some time, during his own Khilafat, its practice was discontinued. And just as, on the occasions of Bi’r Ma‘unah and Raji‘, during the painful hour when a large number of the noble Companions were mercilessly martyred, the Holy Prophetsa performed the qunut [a special supplication] in the Fajr prayer for a month to obtain the help and support of Allah the Exalted against the enemies of Islam and later discontinued this method (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al maghazi, Bab ghazwati r-raji‘…), similarly, in the tumultuous circumstances of 1974, Huzoorrh instructed this congregational supplication on a temporary basis. Therefore, a general permission cannot be deduced from this instruction of his.
“Furthermore, if someone says after a salat, ‘I am going on a journey, so let us supplicate with raised hands,’ these are all temporary matters and to supplicate with raised hands on such occasions is not a sin. However, to supplicate with regularity with raised hands after salat was neither the established practice of the Promised Messiahas nor his consistent adherence. Therefore, he did not continue it but rather said that if you must supplicate, then do it in salat. For this reason, we do not supplicate with raised hands after salat, nor should we do so, because the Promised Messiahas forbade it in the end. Therefore, if someone supplicates in this manner, it will be a disliked act and is forbidden. Hence, members of the Jamaat should abstain from it.”
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London and translated by Al Hakam)