Is wiping the face after dua bidah?

It is not Bid'ah to wipe the face upon the completion of du'a. This was the sunnah and practice of Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and we are encouraged to do so. 1)

"Umar Bin Khattab (radiyallaahu anhu) reports: When Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) would to raise his hands in du'a, he would not lower them until he passed them over his face" (Sunan AlTirmizhi, #3386) Ibn Hajr Asqalani has classified the above Hadith as sound. (Bulugh Al-Muraam, pg 264, Dar Al-Fikr) 2) Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah [pbuh] said: "Do not cover the walls. He who sees the letter of his brother without his permission, sees Hell-fire. Supplicate Allah (SWT) with the palms of your hands; do not supplicate Him with their backs upwards. When you finish supplication, wipe your faces with them." [Abu Dawud & Musnad-e-Ahmad] The Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA) related by Abi Dawud and others. Put together, they confirm that it (this Hadeeth) is Hasan. Verdict of Shawkani (RA) in Nawlul Awtaar: Imam Shawkani (RA) accepts this narration as Hasan in Mawlul Awtaar Verdict of Shaykh San'ani (RA): Muhammad bin Ismail Al-Sanani (RA) wrote a commentary of Bulughul Maram (printed by DarusSalam publications, Riyadh KSA) in which he writes:

...And it (this Hadeeth) contains a proof for the legitimacy of wiping one's face with the hands after making du`a. Verdict of Nawab Sideeq Hasan Khan (RA): Shaykh Nawab Sideeq Hasan Khan (RA) accepts this narration as Hasan in commentary of Bulughul Maram. Verdict of Shaykh Abdullah Al-Bassam: Shaykh Abdullah Al-Bassam mentions in Taudeehul Ahkaam (his commentary of Bulooghul Maraam) that this Hadeeth has supporting Narrations which strengthen each other, thus the Hadeeth gains strength from these routes and a number of scholars have chosen this position that it is Hasan (Authentic) and from them is Ishaq Ibn Rahwaiyya (RA) (an early scholar of Hadeeth) and Imam Nawawi (in one of the positions which he has adopted), Imam Ibnul Hajr Asqalani (RA), Al-Munawi (RA) in Faidul-Qadeer Fi Sharhil Jami As-Sagheer (commentary of Jami As-Sagheer of Imam Jalulud-deen Suyuti (RA), Imam Shawkani (RA) and others. Verdict of Shaykh Bin-Baaz (RA): Shaykh Bin-Baaz (RA) in his Ta'leeqat of Bulughul Maram comments that in the chain of this Hadeeth

is Hammaad ibn 'Eesaa Al-Juhani whom scholars have declared weak and Shaykh Ibnul Hajr Asqalani (RA) has also followed them and declared him weak in "Tahdhib al-Tahdhib" to the 9th degree; yet he has declared this Hadeeth Hasan and this must be due to Shawahid (supporting Narrations).