Is it permissible to say Alhamdulellah after having sex?

Question

I've been thinking about this question for some time now: Is it permissible to say Alhamdulellah after having sex?

If someone could please answer and provide reference it would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

As far as i know there is no clear proof or Hadith which allows you to say Alhamdulillah after having sex but on the other side there's no clear reference for not doing this as i will try to proof.

For example there is a well known dikhr or dua' before having sex you can find it in Sahih Muslim and Sahih al Bukhari as follows:

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone intends to have (sexual intercourse) with his wife, he should say: "Bismillah! Allahumma janibnash-Shaitana, wa jannibish-Shaitana ma razaqtana (In the Name of Allah, O Allah! Keep us away from Satan and keep Satan away from what You have bestowed upon us);' and if Allah has ordained a child for them, Satan will never harm him."

وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏لو أن أحدكم إذا أتى أهله قال‏:‏ بسم الله، اللهم جنبنا الشيطان وجنب الشيطان ما رزقتنا، فقضى بينهما ولد لم يضره ‏"‏

and also with slightly differences in both Sahihs and Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami' at-Tirmidi.

Also there are Hadiths which recommends to have wudu if you want to sleep after having sex or want to have sex another time with your wife!

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (rad): Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “If one of you has sexual intercourse with his wife and wishes to repeat he should perform ablution between them” [Reported by Muslim].

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ اَلْخُدْرِيِّ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ إِذَا أَتَى أَحَدُكُمْ أَهْلَهُ, ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ بَيْنَهُمَا وُضُوءًا } رَوَاهُ مُسْلِم

'Abdullah b. Abu'l-Qais reported: I asked 'A'isha about the Witr (prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and made mention of a hadith, then I said: What did he do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath? She said: He did all these. Some- times he took a bath and then slept, and sometimes he performed ablution only and went to sleep. I (the narrator) said: Praise be to Allah Who has made things easy (for human beings). [Sahih Muslim]

وَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ وِتْرِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِي الْجَنَابَةِ أَكَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنَامَ أَمْ يَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فَنَامَ وَرُبَّمَا تَوَضَّأَ فَنَامَ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً ‏.‏

About saying Al Hamdulullah there are many Hadiths here are just a few:

1) Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to his bed, he would say: Praise be to Allah Who has given me sufficiency, has guarded me, given me food and drink, been most gracious to me, and given to me most lavishly. Praise be to Allah in every circumstance. O Allah! Lord and King of everything, God of everything, I seek refuge in Thee from Hell. [Abu Dawud]

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَخَذَ مَضْجَعَهُ ‏ "‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَفَانِي وَآوَانِي وَأَطْعَمَنِي وَسَقَانِي وَالَّذِي مَنَّ عَلَىَّ فَأَفْضَلَ وَالَّذِي أَعْطَانِي فَأَجْزَلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ وَإِلَهَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

2) Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Any matter of importance which is not begun with Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) remains defective." [Abu Dawud].

وعنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏كل أمر ذي بال لا يبدأ فيه‏:‏ بالحمد لله فهو أقطع‏"‏ حديث حسن، ‏(‏‏(‏رواه أبو داود وغيره‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

3) Abu Malik Al-Harith bin Asim Al-Ash'ar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Wudu' is half of Salah; the utterance of (Al-hamdu lillah - all praise belongs to Allah) fills the Scales of good actions; the utterance of (Subhan Allah wa Al-hamdu lillah) (Allah is far removed from every imperfection and all praise belongs to Allah) fills the space between the heavens and the earth, and Salat (prayer) is light; and charity is the proof of Faith; and endurance is light, and the Qur'an is a plea in your favour or against you. Every person departs; he either ransoms it or puts it into perdition". [Muslim].

وعن أبي مالك الحارث بن عاصم الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ "‏الطهور شطر الإيمان، والحمد لله تملأ الميزان، وسبحان الله والحمد لله تملآن -أو تملأ- ما بين السماوات والأرض، والصلاة نور، والصدقة برهان، والصبر ضياء، والقرآن حجة لك أو عليك‏.‏ كل الناس يغدو، فبائع نفسه فمعتقها، أو موبقها‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

4) Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) lay down for sleep at night, he would place his (right) hand under his (right) cheek and supplicate: "Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya [O Allah, with Your Name will I die and live (wake up)]." And when he woke up, he would supplicate: "Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana, wa ilaihin-nushur (All praise is due to Allah, Who has brought us back to life after He has caused us to die, and to Him is the return)." [Al-Bukhari].

وعن حذيفة رضى الله عنه قال‏:‏كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أخذ مضجعه من الليل وضع يده تحت خده، ثم يقول‏:‏ ‏"‏اللهم باسمك أموت وأحيا‏"‏ وإذا استيقظ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏الحمد لله الذي أحيانا بعد ما أماتنا وإليه النشور‏"‏ ‏.‏

5) Abu Umamah narrated that : when the table spread would be lifted from in front of him, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say: “All praise is due to Allah, abundant, good, blessed praise, without being left off, nor being without need of it, O our Lord (Al-ḥamdulillāhi ḥamdan kathīran ṭayyiban mubārakan fīhi, ghaira muwaddain, wa lā mustaghnananhu rabbanā).” [at-Tirmidhi]

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا رُفِعَتِ الْمَائِدَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ غَيْرَ مُوَدَّعٍ وَلاَ مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبُّنَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.

6) Anas bin Malik narrated that: the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a tree with dry leaves, so he struck it with his staff, making the leaves fall. Then he said: “Indeed, ‘all praise is due to Allah, (Al-Ḥamdulillāhh)’ ‘glory to Allah, (Subḥān Allāh)’ ‘none has the right to be worshipped by Allah, (Lā Ilāha Illallāh)’ and ‘Allah is the greatest (Allāhu Akbar)’ cause the sins to fall from the worshipper, just as the leaves of this tree fall.” [at-Tirmidhi]

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ الرَّازِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِشَجَرَةٍ يَابِسَةِ الْوَرَقِ فَضَرَبَهَا بِعَصَاهُ فَتَنَاثَرَ الْوَرَقُ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَتُسَاقِطُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِ الْعَبْدِ كَمَا تَسَاقَطَ وَرَقُ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ ‏.‏ وَلاَ نَعْرِفُ لِلأَعْمَشِ سَمَاعًا مِنْ أَنَسٍ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَآهُ وَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏.‏

7) Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Any matter of importance which is not begun with Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) remains defective." [Abu Dawud].

وعنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏كل أمر ذي بال لا يبدأ فيه‏:‏ بالحمد لله فهو أقطع‏"‏ حديث حسن، ‏(‏‏(‏رواه أبو داود وغيره‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏‏

8) Abdullah bin Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “At-Tasbīḥ is half of the Scale, and All praise is due to Allah (Al-Ḥamdulillāh)’ fills it, and (as for) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah (Lā Ilāha Illallāh)’ - there is no barrier to it from Allah until it reaches Him.” [at-Tirmidhi]

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَرَفَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَنْعُمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ التَّسْبِيحُ نِصْفُ الْمِيزَانِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ يَمْلَؤُهُ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهَا دُونَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ حَتَّى تَخْلُصَ إِلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَلَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِالْقَوِيِّ ‏.‏ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَنْعُمٍ هُوَ الإِفْرِيقِيُّ وَقَدْ ضَعَّفَهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ هُوَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحُبُلِيُّ ‏.‏

9) Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-hamdu lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises." [Muslim].

وعنه رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ لأن أقول‏:‏ سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، أحب إلي مما طلعت عليه الشمس” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

10) Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Purity is half of iman (faith). ‘Al-hamdu lillah (all praise and gratitude belong to Allah)’ fills the scales, and ‘subhan-Allah (how far is Allah from every imperfection) and ‘Al-hamdulillah (all praise and gratitude belong to Allah)’ fill that which is between heaven and earth." [Muslim].

وعن أبي مالك الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ "‏الطهور شطر الإيمان، والحمد لله تملأ الميزان، وسبحان الله، والحمد لله تملآن -أو تملأ- ما بين السماوات والأرض‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

11) Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Every morning charity is due from every joint bone of the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., Subhan-Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of praise of Him (i.e., Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of profession of Faith (i.e., La ilaha illallah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Greatness (i.e., Allahu Akbar) is an act of charity; and enjoining good is an act of charity and forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity; and two Rak'ah prayer which one offers in the forenoon (Ad- Duha) will suffice for all this." [Muslim].

وعن أبي ذر رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ “يصبح على كل سلامى من أحدكم صدقة‏:‏ فكل تسبيحة صدقة، وكل تحميدة صدقة، وكل تهليلة صدقة، وكل تكبيرة صدقة، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة، ونهي عن المنكر صدقة، ويجزي من ذلك ركعتان يركعهما من الضحى‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

These Ahadith show many situations where you can praise Allah and doing it after having sex is at least according to the 11th Hadith in the above list a sadaqa and according to the 1) Hadith one can praise Allah in any circumstances and also it is a way to thank Allah for what he has given you.

So after all it seems that there's no harm saying it in that situation, wa-Allahu-A'lam!