After Prayer, what shall I do (listening to lecture or doing al-dhikr (Zikir)?

Question

In my country, especially after Shubuh prayer, on my mosque, always give a lecture first, and I ask my father about this matter. He said that the al dhikr is the first thing after doing prayer, is doing al dhikr (33 subhallah, alhamdi, allahuakbar and pray) because (my father told me) Allah S.W.T mentioned "Haqulminallah first (relationship to Allah.SWT) then Haqulminannas (relationship to humans) .

Now I'm confused, til' nowaday because the lecture's giver keep his lecture first without al-dhkir(dzkir), I know that al-dhikr is sunnah that according to history,that Muhammad SAW give the good news to The Poor on his time that cannot doing sadaqah because of his limited money or properties, but it's how beautiful islam (on that time) that how the poor Competing on Amal (goodness ofc.)

Answer 1

Basically you are free to do whatever you like: Once the prayer ends, you could listen to the lesson, you could go home and you could choose to sit somewhere apart and perform dhikr (and turn back to the lessen later if you want).

But in case you are at a mosque and the lecture starts right after that the lecture starts it is more preferable to listen to the lecture, especially if your intention about that was sincere. Note that you still could do dhikr at the same time or do dhikr first somewhere apart then join the lesson.

Here some evidences showing that seeking knowledge has a high value in Islam, higher than performing nafl -optional- prayer etc. as seeking knowledge is considered among the highest kinds of worship, see for example:

• "I went to Safwan bin 'Assal Al-Muradi and he said: 'What brought you here?' I said: 'I am seeking knowledge.' He said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "There is no one who goes out of his house in order to seek knowledge, but the angels lower their wings in approval of his action.'" (sunan ibn Majah)

• "Two men were mentioned before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). One of them a worshiper, and the other a scholar. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like my superiority over the least of you.' Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Indeed Allah, His Angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths - even the ant in his hole, even the fish - say Salat upon the one who teaches the people to do good.'" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi)

Some further references:

• A Fatwa (only Arabic) islamqa #203081 on reciting Qur'an instead of listening to a lesson.
• A Fatwa (Arabis and other Langugages -but no English translation so far) islamqa #138959 on whether performing the sunnah after maghrib instead of listening to a lesson.