How much dhikr should be done after each prayer?

The complete prophetic sequence is: 1) Astaghfirullah ×3, 2) Allahumma antas-Salam ×1, 3) Ayat al-Kursi ×1, 4) the three Muʿawwidhat (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas) ×1 each (×3 after Fajr and Maghrib), 5) SubhanAllah ×33, 6) Al-hamdulillah ×33, 7) Allahu Akbar ×34, 8) La ilaha illallah… ×1 to close. Total: 4-6 minutes.

The hadith in Bukhari 843 and Muslim 595 says: “After every prayer, say SubhanAllah 33 times, Al-hamdulillah 33 times, Allahu Akbar 34 times — 100 in all. Whoever does so will have his sins forgiven, even if they are as many as the foam of the sea.” The sum 33+33+34 = 100 stands for completeness. Another valid variant counts 33+33+33 and closes with La ilaha illallah (Muslim 597) — also 100.

Should you wait for the congregation to finish before starting?

The dhikr begins immediately after the taslim (the closing salutation). If you are praying in congregation you may start at once, without waiting for everyone else. Astaghfirullah ×3 comes first (quietly or at a moderate voice), and the rest may be done before or after the sunna ratibah (the attached voluntary prayers).

May a tasbih (prayer beads) or the fingers be used?

Both are permitted. The Prophet ﷺ counted on the joints of his right hand (Abu Dawud 1501, Tirmidhi 3486): “Count on your fingers, for they will be questioned and will speak.” That is the preferred Sunnah. Beads (sibha) of 33 or 99 are acceptable — the Hanafi and other scholars allow them for those who prefer. Apps such as BasiraLife offer a digital tasbih.

What if part of the dhikr is forgotten?

There is no ritual obligation — these adhkar are voluntary (mustahabb). If you forget or are in a hurry, a short version works: Astaghfirullah ×3 + Ayat al-Kursi + the three Muʿawwidhat, without the tasbih. Regularity is what counts: three adhkar done every day are worth more than ten done once. The BasiraLife app prompts the sequence at every prayer.

Adhkar after salat

Dhikr after prayer

The complete sequence of authentic invocations to recite immediately after every obligatory prayer. With the Arabic text, a transliteration, the translation, the count and the source.

فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ
“When you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on your sides.”
— Qur'an, Surah An-Nisa (4), verse 103

The complete sequence (every prayer)

13 times

Source: Muslim 591

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ

Astaghfirullah

“I seek forgiveness from Allah”

Note: Straight after finishing the taslim (the closing salutations).

2once

Source: Muslim 591

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

Allahumma antas-Salam wa minkas-Salam, tabarakta ya dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram

“O Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honour”

3once (in full) OR 10 times after Fajr and Maghrib (short form)

Source: Muslim 594, Nasa'i, as-Sunan al-Kubra 10013

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ʿala kulli shay'in qadir, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah…

“There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and the praise, and He has power over all things. There is no power nor strength except with Allah…”

Note: For the short form after Fajr and Maghrib: reciting it 10 times cleanses every sin and protects from Shaytan all day.

4once

Source: Nasa'i (sahih, al-Albani)

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ، لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ…

Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum, la ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm…

“Allah! There is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him…”

Note: “Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing will keep him from Paradise but death” (Nasa'i, as-Sunan al-Kubra 9928). Verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqara.

5once each (three times after Fajr and Maghrib)

Source: Abu Dawud 1523, Tirmidhi 2903

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ… قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ… قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

Qul huwa Allahu ahad (1×), Qul aʿudhu bi-Rabbil-falaq (1×), Qul aʿudhu bi-Rabbin-nas (1×)

“The three protective surahs: Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas”

Note: After every obligatory prayer. After Fajr and Maghrib: three times each, for stronger protection through the day or the night.

633 times

Source: Bukhari 843, Muslim 595

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ

SubhanAllah

“Glory be to Allah”

733 times

Source: Bukhari 843, Muslim 595

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

Al-hamdulillah

“Praise be to Allah”

834 times (to reach one hundred)

Source: Bukhari 843, Muslim 595

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allahu Akbar

“Allah is the Greatest”

Note: 33+33+34 = 100. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever does this after every prayer, his sins are forgiven, even if they are as many as the foam of the sea” (Muslim 597).

9once (to close the hundred)

Source: Muslim 597

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ʿala kulli shay'in qadir

“There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and the praise, and He has power over all things.”

Note: It completes 33+33+34 = 99; with this last formula it is exactly 100. A fine summary of tawhid.

Extra invocations after Fajr and Maghrib

To be added to the general dhikr after Fajr and after Maghrib (the start and the close of the day), before speaking to anyone.

17 times

Source: Abu Dawud 5079

اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ

Allahumma ajirni minan-nar

“O Allah, save me from the Fire”

Note: After Fajr and Maghrib, before speaking to anyone. Whoever says it seven times and dies that day or night will be protected from the Fire.

27 times

Source: Abu Dawud 5081, Ibn As-Sunni

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Hasbi Allah la ilaha illa huwa, ʿalayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabbul-ʿarshil-ʿazim

“Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but He. In Him I place my trust; He is the Lord of the mighty Throne.”

Note: Whoever says it seven times morning and evening, Allah suffices him in every matter, in this world and the next.

The merits of the dhikr after salat

Forgiveness of sins

Muslim 597

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever glorifies Allah 33 times after every obligatory prayer, praises Him 33 times and magnifies Him 34 times (100 in all), his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as many as the foam of the sea.”

Entering Paradise

An-Nasa'i, as-Sunan al-Kubra 9928

“Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing will keep him from Paradise but death.”

Protection from the Fire

Abu Dawud 5079

“Whoever says, before speaking after Fajr and Maghrib, ‘Allahumma ajirni minan-nar' seven times, and dies that day or night, will be protected from the Fire.”

Catching up with those ahead

Muslim 595

“Those left behind have caught up with those who went ahead, and no one can match them unless he does the same: glorifying, praising and magnifying Allah 33 times each after every prayer.”

The recommended order

0 secEnd of the prayer (taslim: Salam to the right, then to the left)
+0 secAstaghfirullah ×3 (quietly or at a moderate voice)
+10 secAllahumma antas-Salam (×1)
+30 secAyat al-Kursi (×1)
+60 secAl-Ikhlas + Al-Falaq + An-Nas (×1 each, ×3 after Fajr/Maghrib)
+90 secSubhanAllah (×33)
+2 minAl-hamdulillah (×33)
+3 minAllahu Akbar (×34)
+4 minLa ilaha illallah… (×1) to complete the hundred
+4-5 minAfter Fajr/Maghrib: Allahumma ajirni (×7), Hasbi Allah (×7)
+5-6 minSunna ratibah (the attached prayers) or a free du'a

A digital tasbih and reminders in BasiraLife

A tap counter (33/33/34), automatic post-salat sequencing, audio for the invocations (Mishary), adhkar notifications after every prayer, and streak tracking. The Bilal/Fatima assistant can recite any dhikr on request.

Open the tasbih