THE FIQH DEPARTMENT

In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful.
Although every Fiqh opinion is based on evidence, often times, the scholars differ in their views. This room for differences is a mercy from Allah, and as long as there is evidence to support an opinion, then we must respect scholars' views, even if we may not always agree.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
"Whoever performs Ijtihad and errs will receive one reward. Whoever performs Ijtihad and arrives at the correct answer gets double the reward"
(Bukhari) 
When Should I Leave After Congregational Prayer? PDF Print E-mail
Fiqh: Islamic Jurisprudence - Salah
Written by Ibn Taymiyyah   
He was asked of a group who glorify Allah (“Subhan-Allah”), and praise Him (“Alhamdulillah”), and magnify Him (“Allahu Akbar”) after the prayer. Is this Sunnah (preferred), or Makruh (disliked)? And there may be in congregation, those who remain long afterwards unnecessarily.

So he answered:
“Glorifying Allah ('Subhan-Allah') and Magnifying Allah ('Allahu Akbar') after the prayer is preferred, it is not obligatory. Whoever wills to get up before that, then he may, and such should not be rejected. But whoever has desired something preferred should not abandon it.

However, it is not befitting for the one led in prayer to leave before the Imam does - meaning, before he turns away from the Qiblah (the direction of the Ka`aba).

And it is befitting for the Imam (leader of prayer) to remain after the salam (end of prayer) facing the Qiblah except for the time it takes to to ask (Allah) for forgiveness 3 times (Astaghfirullah), and to say:
اللهم أنت السلام، ومنك السلام، تباركت يا ذا الجلال والأكرام
‘Oh Allah, You are the Peace, and from You comes peace, Oh Possessor of Majesty and Honor.’


And once the Imam turns (from facing the Qiblah), then whoever wills to leave can leave, and whoever wills to remain and remember Allah may do so.”

 

Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Rahimahullah

Majmu` Al-Fatawa: 22/505