Repeated practices of Muslims after prayers

26-1-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am Indian Muslim staying in Oman. Here in our area mosque Imam is shaking hands with all the people and peoples is also shaking hand with everyone just after Fajr prayer, is it correct or innovation?After completing the salah & Dua peoples are putting their hands on their faces and saying 'Ashhado'...... Is it correct or innovation?

---

Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Generally speaking, shaking hands is a recommendable deed in Shari'a. But, it is not legal to take it as a habit and a legal deed after prayers, since it is not specified in Shari'a (i.e. in The Qur'an or Sunnah).
Therefore, scholars state that taking such a habit as a legal deed constitutes an innovation in religion for The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "whoever tries to change or add to; in this matter (of al-Islam), something which does not belong to it, it is to be rejected." [ Bukhari and Muslim ]
Another narration reads: "whoever does an act that is not in accordance with our faith, it is to be rejected."
As for putting hands on face and wiping it after making Du'a, it is a controversial issue. Some scholars legalize it depending on a Hadith recorded by Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "When you ask of Allah, ask Him with the palms of your hands upward and do not ask Him with their backs upward, and rub your face when finish with them."
Another Hadith recorded by al-Tirmizi reads: "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) used to raise his hands while supplicating, and he never returned them before rubbing his face with them."
Both Hadith are weak, but Ibn Hajr said: 'Both narrations may raised to the degree to what is good.'
Other scholars believe such an action is illegal since all forms of worship should be done as done by The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam), and the Hadith reported concerning rubbing face with hands after supplications are weak. In other words, such evidence is not sufficient to rely on.
Anyway, since it is a controversial issue and each group has its own evidence, we are to respect one another and to avoid making such an issue that leads us to differences, especially since in the present situation of Muslims more concern should be directed to big issues.
Allah knows best.