Is it permissible to make dhikr after sunnah prayers?

- Is there a narration from Abu Hanifa and his disciples that one can make dhikr after the sunnah prayers of zuhr (noon), asr (afternoon) and isha (night) prayers; or are they fatwas from the Hanafi scholars of the late periods?

Dear Brother / Sister,

There is nothing wrong with making dhikr and tasbihat after sunnah prayers. A person can say prayers, make dhikr and tasbihat as much as he wishes.

As for the tasbihat at the end of the prayers:

What is sunnah is to say Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu akbar 33 times each. After that, one can say the prayer of la ilaha illallahu wahdahu…, and if he wishes, he can make more dhikr and tasbih; there is nothing wrong with that.

However, as for saying them more than 33 times, which is sunnah:

- According to some scholars, it is makruh to say them more than thirty-three times because it is against adab. They liken it to taking too much medicine or a key with too many grooves. In a way, they regard this number as a cipher and key to the spiritual realms.

- However, some scholars say that it is not makruh and that the thawab will be as much as the addition to 33. There are even those who say that it is not permissible to believe that it is makruh.

The evidence of the scholars who think like that is the following verse: “He that doeth good shall have ten times as much to his credit.” (see al-An’am, 6/160) However, it is best to complete 33 if one is in doubt as to whether he has completed 33 or not. Otherwise, since the number 33 is in the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), it is more appropriate to follow it. (see Raddul-Muhtar, Chapter on Increasing Tasbihat after Prayer)

Accordingly, if we want to make more tasbihat and dhikr, we should make them after the first sunnah or after the last prayer we say, not during the tasbihat that is sunnah. Thus, one will follow the sunnah and say more prayers, tasbihat and dhikr.

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