Wiping Forehead after Salah

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدى يا رسول الله وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدى يا نور الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Prayers and peace be upon you, my Master, Apostle of Allah

And upon your Family and Companions, my Master, Light of Allah

One of the beautiful but rare practices one might observe in a congregation after the conclusion of the Salah is someone placing his hand on his head and uttering a Du’a. Some Salafis have declared this practice an innovation, but it is established from the Hadith, therefore I encourage Muslims to revive this practice. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, radi Allahu anhu, narrates that the Prophet, sall Allahu alaihi wasallam:

كَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى وَفَرَغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ مَسَحَ بِيَمِينِهِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ ‌الرَّحِيمُ ‌اللَّهُمَّ ‌أَذْهِبْ ‌عَنِّي ‌الْهَمَّ ‌وَالْحَزَنَ

When he concluded from his Salah he wiped his head with his right hand and said: In the Name of Allah other than whom there is no god but He, the Rahman, the Merciful. Allahumma, remove from me anxiety and sorrow (Mu’jam al-Awsat lit-Tabarani; v.3, p.289, #3178)

In another version:

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَضَى صَلَاتَهُ مَسَحَ جَبْهَتَهُ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الرَّحْمَنُ ‌الرَّحِيمُ ‌اللَّهُمَّ ‌أَذْهِبْ ‌عَنِّي ‌الْهَمَّ ‌وَالْحَزَنَ

When the Messenger of Allah, sall Allahu alaihi wasallam, concluded his Salah he wiped his forehead with his right hand then said: I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful. Allahumma, remove from me anxiety and sorrow (Amal al-Yawm wal-Lailah; #112)