Dhikr after Salah

A: First: It is recommended that a worshipper, after offering the obligatory Salah, say the invocation authentically reported from `Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) who, when he was standing on the Minbar (pulpit), said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: ‘La ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘ala kuli shay’in qadir. La hawla wa la quwata illa Billaah. La ilaha illa Allah wa la na‘budu illa iyah. Lahul ni‘mah wa lahul fadl wa lahul thana’ al-hasan. La ilaha illa Allah mukhlisina lahul-dina wa law kariha al-kafirun (There is no god but Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. His is the Dominion and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all things. There is neither might nor power except with Allah. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. All Blessings and Favor are from Him, and all good praise is due to Him. There is no god but Allah Alone, we make our worship purely for Him (Alone) however much the disbelievers may hate that).’ (Part No. 5; Page No. 415) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say them aloud after ending every Salah. (Related by Imam Muslim and others) It has also been authentically narrated on the authority of Al-Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say at the end of every obligatory Salah: ‘La ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘ala kuli shay’in qadir. Allahuma la mani‘ lima a‘tayt wala mu‘ty lima mana‘t wala yanfa‘u dhal-jid minka aljid (There is no god but Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. His is the Dominion and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all things. O Allah! There is no withholder of what You give, and no giver of what You withhold, and no one’s wealth or might is of any avail before You).’ (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) It has been authentically reported in a Hadith by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The poor (emigrants) came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, ‘The people of affluence have taken over the highest ranks (in Paradise) and everlasting bliss; they pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth with which they perform Hajj, ‘Umarh (lesser pilgrimage), Jihad (striving in the Cause of Allah) and they give Sadaqah (voluntary charity).’ He (peace be upon him) said, ‘Shall I tell you that which if you do you will overtake those who have preceded you, and none after you shall overtake you, and you will be the best of those you are among, except those who will do as it? Say: Tasbih (‘Subhan Allah [Glory be to Allah]’), Tahmid (‘Alhamdu lillah [All praise is due to Allah]’) and Takbir (‘Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]’) thirty-three times after every Salah.’ (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) It is also recommended that a worshiper regularly perform Al-Sunan Al-Rawatib (supererogatory acts that were stressed and regularly performed by the Prophet) and these are ten Rak‘ahs (units of Prayer) as reported in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim) on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said: I memorized from the Prophet (peace be upon him) ten Rak‘ahs (units of Prayer): two Rak‘ahs before the Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer and two after it, two Rak‘ahs after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer in his house, two Rak‘ahs after the ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayer in his house, and two Rak‘ahs before the Subh (Dawn) Prayer. (Part No. 5; Page No. 416) There was also the hour during which none was allowed to enter to see the Prophet (peace be upon him). Hafsah told me that when the Mu’adhin (caller to Salah) made the Adhan (call to Prayer) and the dawn broke he (peace be upon him) would offer two Rak‘ahs. Second: These Adhkar (invocations and remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis), Al-Sunan Al-Rawatib, and other supererogatory Salahs are Mustahab (desirable) not Wajib (obligatory). Accordingly, if someone does not perform them, they are not sinful, but they miss the reward for them although their Salah is valid. This is because Allah (Glorified be He) only obligates five Salahs during the day and night.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.