What is the ruling on performing the optional night prayer in a congregation during the first ten nights of Dhul-Hijja such as the Tarawih Prayer?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Referring to your question, it was not narrated that the prophet (PBUH) prayed the optional night prayer in a congregation except for the Tarawih Prayer in Ramadan. Therefore, there are different opinions regarding this question.

If there is an optional prayer that the prophet did not use to perform in a congregation, but he kept performing it individually, there is no harm in performing it in a congregation. This is because it was narrated that Ibn Abbas used to follow the prophet in performing the optional night prayer in his aunt’s house; his aunt is Maymoona, one of the prophet’s wives. In addition, it was narrated that Ibn Mas’ud followed the prophet when praying optional prayers.

It is known that praying the optional night prayer in a congregation is an act of Sunnah in Ramadan. However, to pray the optional night prayer in a congregation in other nights is allowed.

Abdullah Ibn Omar RAA narrated: “the Prophet (PBUH) used to go to Quba’ Mosque walking or riding every Saturday” Related by Al-Bukhari

Abdullah used to copy the prophet and go there. This hadith shows that it is acceptable if a Muslim appoints certain days to perform some acts of worship. Al-Hafez Ibn Hijr says that these acts such as appointing days to perform optional acts of worship, or praying optional prayers in a congregation are allowed as long as they do not turn to be obligatory. Otherwise, this will be considered an innovative practice.

Other scholars have a different opinion. They think that to gather people in the mosque continuously to perform the optional night prayer in a congregation is not allowed. Every Muslim should perform that prayer individually. If praying in a congregation happens by chance, without turning it to be an act of Sunnah, then it is allowed.

Another group of scholars thinks that the optional night prayer cannot be performed in a congregation in a mosque, but it could be allowed in a house depending on what was narrated.

Finally, as long as there is no definite ruling, it is acceptable to perform it in a congregation, but, basically, it is preferred to follow the prophetic guidance which is not to perform the optional night prayer in a congregation especially for those who intentionally appoint the Friday night to do that. The prophet (PBUH) said: “Do not choose the Friday night among all other nights for performing the optional prayer (Tahajud). Thus, if it is not desired to choose Friday night, it would be even more undesired to choose other nights.