SUPPLICATION AFTER THE GATHERING:

Abu Hurayrah  reported that the messenger of Allah  said:

“Whoever sits in a gathering and indulges in useless talk and before getting up supplicates: `Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu alla ilaha illa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayka (O Allah, You are free from every imperfection; praise be to You. I testify that there is no true god except You; I ask Your Pardon and turn to You in repentance),’ he will be forgiven for (the sins he may have intentionally or unintentionally committed) in that assembly.”

[At-Tirmithi].

A senseless, boisterous talk, not related to the life to come, is unprofitable and warrants deprecation. But since it is a small sin, it may be pardoned if one sincerely repents of it. Yet, it cannot be classified under the head of major grave sins and human-right violations which are unpardonable. Scholars unanimously agree that those sins which can be forgiven upon sincerely reciting the above-mentioned supplication are minor sins which relate to the violation of Allah’s Rights, as evidenced by other narrations.

Abu Barzah  reported: “Towards the end of his life, the messenger of Allah  would supplicate before leaving an assembly thus: 

“Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu alla ilaha illa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayka 

(O Allah, You are free from every imperfection; all praise is for You. I testify that there is no true god except You, I ask Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance).” 

A man once said to him: “O Messenger of Allah! You have spoken such words as you have never uttered before.” 

He  said: “It is an expiation of that which goes on in the assembly.”

[Abu Dawood].

The Messenger of Allah  would recite this supplication at the end of every assembly to teach Muslims how to gain more rewards and to beseech Allah to forgive the lapses which they might have inadvertently committed during the course of a general conversation. There is no indication in the Hadeeth that he  himself used to engage in idle talk while he was with his Companions.

Ibn ‘Umar  reported: “The messenger of Allah  seldom left a gathering without supplicating in these terms:

“Allahumma-qsim lanaa min khashyatika maa tahoolu bihi baynanaa wa bayna ma`aaseek, wa min taa`atika maa tuballighuna bihi jannataka, wa minal-yaqeeni maa tuhawwinu `alayna masaa’ibad-dunyaa. Allahumma matti`naa biasmaa`inaa, wa absaarinaa, wa quwwatinaa maa ahyaytanaa, waj`alhul-waaritha minnaa, waj`al tha’ranaa `alaa man zalamanaa, wansurnaa `alaa man `aadaanaa, wa laa taj`al museebatanaa fi deeninaa, wa laa taj`alid-dunyaa akbara hamminaa, wa laa mablagha `ilminaa, wa laa tusallit `alainaa man-laa yarhamunaa, (O Allah, apportion to us such fear as should serve as a barrier between us and acts of disobedience; and such obedience as will take us to Your Paradise; and such as will make easy for us to bear in the calamities of this world. O Allah! Let us enjoy our hearing, our sight and our power as long as You keep us alive and let them remain until the end of our lives, and make our revenge restricted to those who oppress us, and support us against those who are hostile to us let no misfortune afflict our religion; let not worldly affairs be our principal concern, or the ultimate limit of our knowledge, and let not those rule over us who do not show mercy to us).”

[At-Tirmithi].

This Hadeeth reveals a supplication through which we may be able to reach all that which is good in this world as well as in the Hereafter.

CONCLUSION:

Abu Hurayrah  reported that the messenger of Allah  said:

“Those people who leave a gathering in which they have not mentioned Allah, will conclude it as if it has foul odour similar to that of a rotten carcass of a donkey. And it will be a cause of grief to them (e.i. in the Hereafter).”

[Abu Dawood].

The Messenger of Allah  has warned us against refraining from the remembrance of Allah because most of the heart diseases are caused by this indifference, and because most of the sins are committed as a result of this indifference.

Abu Hurayrah  reported: “The Prophet  said:

“Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in which they do not mention Allah The Exalted, nor supplicate to exalt the mention (and status) of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a cause of grief to them. If Allah wills, He will punish them, and if He wills He will forgive them.”

[At-Tirmithi].

Any meeting where Allah is not glorified and praised and His blessings are not invoked to exalt the mention of His Prophet  will cause grief and punishment to the participants in the Hereafter.

Abu Hurayrah  reported: The messenger of Allah  said:

“If anyone sits in a gathering where he does not mention Allah, he will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection), and he who lies down in a place where he does not mention Allah, will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection).”

[Abu Dawood].

To sum up what has gone in these mentioned prophetic narrations of this issue, man should mention Allah on all occasions. This will establish and cement his bond with Allah, keeping heedlessness away from his heart and mind. It is heedlessness which prompts man to transgress Divine rules and limits, whereas the remembrance of Allah prevents him from indulging in backbiting and passing slanderous remarks against people in their absence or reproaching and belittling someone at a meeting. Unfortunately, such petty and negative out-pourings are relished at chat sessions in our society. This generates grudge, illwill and hostility in hearts and splits up social cohesion and Islamic solidarity. Every Muslim should, therefore, take care to avoid such gatherings, and if it so happened that he attended any such gathering, then he must fulfill his duty of forbidding people from evil when they indulge in it.