ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Radiance of the Secrets of Prayer The Post-prayer Supererogatory Devotional Acts {ta‘qibat wa nawafil} Prayer means presence in the Court of God and participation in the spiritual banquet to which God has invited His servants. Just as attendance to a party has some preliminaries and protocol, the same is true in discharging divine obligation.

Prior to the arrival of the time of prayer, our infallible Imams( ‘a ) used to prepare themselves for it, and after the prayer, they also used to engage in other post-prayer devotional acts { ta‘qibat }, such as the remembrance of God, hymning His praises, with their faces toward the qiblah . Were they not considering prayer as the apple of their eye? Does man easily detach his heart and close his eyes from the apple of his eye?

The adhan and iqamah are a form of welcoming prayer while post-prayer devotional acts are its guide. Heedlessness to post-prayer devotional acts and supplications is a sign of lack of interest to the prayer itself.

As recorded in the hadith s, going early to the mosque and waiting for the commencement of prayer have been encouraged and enjoined while the person waiting for the prayer has been described as “guest of God”.[^1] Performance of supererogatory acts and supplications after the prayer is also recommended.

📌The Holy Qur’an says: ﴿ فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فٱنصَبْ ٭ وَ إِلىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرْغَب ﴾ “So when you are done, appoint, and turn eagerly to your Lord.” [^2] Now, we shall deal with some issues pertaining to post-prayer devotional acts { ta‘qibat }: Post-prayer devotional acts {ta‘qibat} Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) says: “As you finish saying your obligatory prayer, engage in supplications and other devotional acts.”[^3] The same Imam ( ‘a ) also says: “Supplication after dawn { subh }, noon { zuhr } and sunset { maghrib } prayers will be accepted { mustajab } (by God).” ^4 The Imam ( ‘a ) also says elsewhere: “The tasbihat of Hadhrat Zahra ( ‘a ) (34 times “ Allahu akbar ,” 33 times “ al-hamdu lillah ,” and 33 times “ subhan Allah ”) is better in the sight of God than a thousand rak‘ah s of recommended { mustahabb } prayer.” ^5 We read in a hadith that anyone who recites this tasbihat has observed the injunction in “Remember Allah with much remembrance.” [^6][^7] Of course, supplication { du‘a’ } and other devotional acts have their merits and so do work and struggle to earn an honest living, and one should not pose as hindrance to the other.

✦ ✦ ✦