The Reviewer of this book is Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah Al al-Shaykh (Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Head of the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Ifta)
Shuyookh who endorsed this book
- ʿAbdu ar-Raḥmān ibn Ṣāliḥ Muḥyī ad-Dīn (Professor and former head of the Department of Sunnah at the University of Madinah. Teacher at Masjid An Nabawi.)
- Masʿūdu ibn Musāʿid al-Ḥusaynī (Professor at the University of Madinah and teacher at the Prophet’s Masjid.)
- Ghāzī ibn ʿAwaḍ al-ʿArmanī
- Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṣaghīr ʿAkūr
- Abū Anas Sālim ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Majḥarī
- ʿAbdu al-Ghanī al-ʿAwāsāt
Definition of Group Dhikr and Its Origin
Group dhikr refers to people gathering to say phrases of remembrance aloud in unison, either behind a leader or together without one. In the Sharia, dhikr means any utterance that praises Allah, such as saying His names, glorifying Him, or reciting the Quran. The term group means doing this together in a collective voice.
This practice was not from the time of the Prophet ﷺ or his companions, and when it first appeared, the companions objected to it. It was later revived under the rule of al-Ma’mun (d. 218 AH), who ordered people to say the takbir after the five prayers, which led to group takbir becoming widespread, especially among the Rawafid and Sufis. They also introduced other forms like saying Allah’s name alone in unison.
Al-Maʾmūn was the seventh ʿAbbāsid caliph, he was born in the year 170 AH (786 CE). Al-Ma’mun is known for commissioning the translation of Greek and other works into Arabic. He also played a significant role in promoting the doctrine of the Qur’an being created.
Al-Ma’mun was also known for his intellectual pursuits, his support of the Mu’tazilite belief. When Imam Ahmad refused to accept the belief that the Quran was created, maintaining that the Quran was the uncreated word of Allah. Al-Ma’mun and his officials subjected Imam Ahmad to severe interrogation and physical punishment. He was imprisoned and endured flogging, but he remained steadfast in his belief. Imam Ahmad’s refusal to submit to the mihnah became a symbol of his commitment to the orthodox belief in the uncreated nature of the Quran.
Statements of the Scholars Against Group Dhikr
Al-Shuqayri (d. 1352 AH) said that seeking forgiveness together after prayer and other group phrases like “O Most Merciful of those who show mercy” are innovations. One form still seen today is group takbir during Eid prayers using a microphone, which he also labelled an innovation.
Evidence from the Salaf Condemning Group Dhikr
- The Prophet ﷺ never instructed or encouraged group dhikr. If it was good, it would have been passed down in reports and practised by the companions.
- Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) and Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) both affirmed that the Prophet ﷺ never did group supplication after prayers.
- The Companions rejected this practice.
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- Umar ibn al-Khattab (d. 23 AH) punished people who gathered to make supplication and called it an innovation.
- Ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH) strongly condemned people who gathered in the masjid after Maghrib to repeat dhikr phrases together, saying, “You have brought a harmful innovation.”
- Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (d. 37 AH) criticised those who sat in circles reciting and weeping, calling them arrogant or deceivers.
- The Tabi‘in and Early Imams also disapproved.
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- Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) disliked group Quran recitation and saw it as a newly introduced act not practised by the Salaf.
- He said: “If it was good, the Salaf would have preceded us to it” and questioned whether people today are more eager for good than the early Muslims.
Refutation of Those Who Permitted Group Dhikr
Some people claim Umar ibn Al Khattab and Maymuna bint al-Harith (wife of the prophet) supported group takbir, but their actions were misunderstood:
- These events happened during Hajj, where voices overlapped due to crowds.
- There is no report that Umar led people in repeating takbir after him in a unified voice.
- Even if we assumed it was allowed at Hajj, this cannot be extended to prayers in masjids, homes, or other times.
Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) said any such claim must be supported by a clear report. If not, it is rejected. Innovation, even with good intentions, is still misguidance. He criticised those who wrongly used Arabic grammar to justify group practices, saying they misunderstood comparative language and Islamic principles.
He also said that setting fixed times and forms for dhikr which the Sharia did not set misleads people into thinking it is part of religion, especially when done in public places like the masjid. This is how innovations begin.
Clarifying the Sunnah of Takbir During Eid
Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) explained that the Sunnah during the days of Eid is for each person to say the takbir individually after each of the five prayers, loud enough to hear oneself and those nearby. What is done today with microphones and collective voices is not from the Sunnah.
Other Maliki Scholars on Group Dhikr
- Ali al-Sa‘idi al-‘Adawi (d. 1189 AH) explained that the takbir should be said aloud by each person individually, not in one voice.
- Al-Hattab al-Ra‘ini (d. 954 AH) said the takbir after prayers should not follow one voice, and that what is done today—muezzins repeating it loudly and the people listening—is an innovation that disturbs others.
Contemporary Scholars’ Rulings
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al al-Shaykh (d. 1389 AH) said the group takbir on the Zamzam structure was an innovation.
Ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH) denounced it as an innovation.
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta issued several fatwas stating that collective takbir or dhikr in one voice is not legislated, and it is an innovation. They cite the hadith, “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours what is not from it, it is rejected.”
The Salaf never practised this, and the Prophet ﷺ encouraged individual remembrance.
Takbir and dhikr must be done as taught in the Sunnah—individually and without melody or rhythm.
Reports from the Salaf Reinforcing the Prohibition
- Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (d. 42 AH) and Ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH) both witnessed and condemned group dhikr in the masjid.
- Mujahid (d. 104 AH) narrated from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib (d. 94 AH) and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi ‘Umrah that verses about remembering Allah refer to prayer, not gatherings of storytelling or emotional recitation.
Conclusion Of The Summary
The Sharia encourages dhikr in many places, but not in a form that was not practised by the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, and each Muslim should do dhikr and du‘a individually and quietly, unless the Sharia has allowed saying it aloud, like amin or qunut. Group dhikr resembles practices of Christians and violates the way of the Prophet ﷺ.
Disagreements over this issue should not lead to division. Muslims should advise one another gently and stick to the Sunnah and the way of the Salaf.
Definition of Group Dhikr and Its Origin
The term “group dhikr” is made up of two words, and here is the meaning of each of them:
First: “Dhikr” (remembrance):
With a kasrah vowel, it refers to something said on the tongue, and sometimes it is meant as the retention or preservation of something.
Al-Raghib (d. 502 AH) said in al-Mufradat: Dhikr is sometimes used to mean a state of the self by which a person can retain what he has gained of knowledge. It is like memory (hifdh), except that memory is associated with retention, while dhikr is associated with recalling. Sometimes it is said to mean the presence of something in the heart or on the tongue. For this reason, it is said that there are two types: a dhikr after forgetfulness, and a dhikr not due to forgetfulness but due to continuous retention (al-Qamus al-Muhit p. 507, Lisan al-Arab by Ibn Manzur (d. 711 AH) 48/5. al-Mufradat by al-Raghib p. 328).
As for the meaning of dhikr in the Sharia:
It is every utterance intended for praise and supplication, meaning what the Lawgiver commanded us to say as worship involving glorifying Allah, praising Him through His names and attributes, exalting Him, declaring His oneness, and thanking Him, or by reciting His Book or asking Him and calling upon Him.
Second: The meaning of “group” (jama‘i):
It refers to what is uttered by those gathered for dhikr in one voice, where they match each other in speech.
What is meant by our statement “group dhikr” is what some people do by gathering after the obligatory prayers or at other times and occasions to repeat aloud, as a group, phrases of remembrance, supplications, and devotional recitations behind a particular person or even without a leader, but doing so together in a collective tone. This is the meaning being examined in this research (See: al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah 21/220, al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyyah 1/18. al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah 21/252).
The beginning of the emergence of group dhikr and its appearance was during the time of the Companions, as will be explained in detail in the fourth section, if Allah wills. The Companions condemned this innovation when it first appeared, and its spread weakened and diminished due to the condemnation of the Salaf. Then, during the time of al-Ma’mun (d. 218 AH), he ordered for this practice to be revived. He wrote to Ishaq ibn Ibrahim (d. 235 AH), his deputy in Baghdad, commanding him to instruct people to say the takbir after the five daily prayers.
Al-Tabari (d. 310 AH) mentioned in his Tarikh under the events of the year 216 AH: In that year, al-Ma’mun wrote to Ishaq ibn Ibrahim commanding him to make the soldiers say the takbir when they prayed. So they began this in the mosque of al-Madina and al-Rusafah on the Friday that fell fourteen nights before the end of Ramadan that year (Tarikh al-Umam wa al-Muluk 10/281).
Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH) mentioned in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah: In that year, al-Ma’mun wrote to Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, his deputy in Baghdad, commanding him to instruct people to say the takbir after the five daily prayers (al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah 10/282).
This marked the beginning of the return of group dhikr to open appearance and strength due to the support of the ruler for it. It is well known that if the ruler supports a matter or a statement and spreads it among the people with authority, it must spread widely because people are upon the religion of their kings. This phenomenon continued to spread among the Rawafid and the Sufis and those influenced by them.
They combined two things: group dhikr and dhikr using only the name (of Allah) by itself.
Al-Shuqayri (d. 1352 AH) said: Seeking forgiveness together in one voice after completing the prayer is an innovation. The Sunnah is for each person to seek forgiveness three times individually. Their saying after seeking forgiveness, “O Most Merciful of those who show mercy,” as a group, is also an innovation, and this is not the proper place for such dhikr. (Dirasat fi al-Ahwa p. 282, al-Sunan wa al-Mubtada‘at p. 60).
Among the forms of group dhikr practiced by certain groups of people is their gathering in the masajid and places of prayer, especially during the two Eids, to repeat the takbir in unison behind someone leading with a microphone, repeating after him collectively in a single voice. This too is among the innovations. (Al-Dhikr al-Jama‘i bayn al-Ittiba‘ wa al-Ibtida‘, published online, by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Khamees, may Allah preserve him, Associate Professor in the Department of Creed at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, summarised and slightly adapted).
Those who forbid group dhikr have provided evidences, among them:
First: That the Prophet did not command group dhikr nor encouraged people to do it. If he had commanded it or encouraged it, it would have been transmitted from him, peace be upon him. Likewise, it was never transmitted that he gathered with his Companions for supplication after prayer.
Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) said: Supplicating in the form of a group gathering consistently was not something done by the Messenger of Allah (al-I‘tisam 1/219).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) said: No one has transmitted that the Prophet, peace be upon him, after leading the people in prayer, would supplicate with them all together after the prayer, neither in Fajr nor in Asr nor any other prayer. Rather, it is authentically established that he used to turn to his Companions and remember Allah, and teach them the remembrance of Allah after leaving the prayer (al-Fatawa al-Kubra 2/467).
Second: The actions of the Salaf from the Companions and those who followed them in goodness, for they condemned those who practised this innovation, as will be seen in the following reports from Umar (d. 23 AH), Ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH), and Khabbab (d. 37 AH). If they did not view this act as something in contradiction to the Sunnah, they would not have condemned the one who did it or been so strict in their condemnation.
Among the Companions who condemned this action:
- Umar ibn al-Khattab (d. 23 AH). Ibn Waddah (d. 286 AH) narrated with his chain from Abu Uthman al-Nahdi (d. after 100 AH), who said: A governor wrote to Umar ibn al-Khattab saying that there are people here who gather to supplicate for the Muslims and the governor. Umar wrote back to him: Come to me and bring them with you. So he came, and Umar told the doorman to prepare a whip. When they entered upon Umar, he approached their leader and struck him with the whip. I said, “O Commander of the Believers, we are not those whom you mean.” He said, “Those are people who come from the East” (al-Bida‘ by Ibn Waddah p. 54, and Ibn Abi Shaybah (d. 235 AH) in al-Musannaf 8/558.Footenote #2 in the scan: In its chain is Muʿawiyah ibn Hisham, and he is truthful but has mistakes, as mentioned in al-Taqrib (no. 6771). And ʿAbd Allah ibn Muhammad is Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah. This report was recorded by him in his book al-Musannaf (8/558), and what is between the brackets [ ] is from his version. It was also attributed to him by al-Suyuti in Tahdhir al-Khawas (pp. 197–198), and likewise attributed to Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ʿAli al-Marwazi in his book al-ʿIlm.)
- Among those who condemned the gathering for dhikr was also Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH), and that was in Kufa. Abu al-Bakhtari (d. after 100 AH) said: A man told Ibn Mas‘ud that there are people sitting in the masjid after Maghrib. Among them is a man who says, “Say Allahu akbar such and such times, say Subhanallah such and such times, say alhamdulillah such and such times.”
Ibn Mas‘ud said, “When you see them do that, come to me and inform me of their gathering.” When they gathered, the man came to Ibn Mas‘ud and told him. Ibn Mas‘ud came and said, “By the One besides whom there is no deity, you have brought about an unjust innovation, or you claim to be more knowledgeable than the companions of Muhammad.” Amr ibn Utbah said, “We seek Allah’s forgiveness.” Ibn Mas‘ud said, “You must stick to the path. If you take to the right or left, you will be led far astray” (al-Darimi (d. 255 AH) 1/68–69 with a good chain, Ibn Waddah in al-Bida‘ pp. 8–13 through multiple routes from Ibn Mas‘ud. Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH) in Talbis Iblis pp. 16–17, and al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH) in al-Amr bi al-Ittiba‘ pp. 83–84. The editor of al-Amr bi al-Ittiba‘ said: The report is authentic due to its multiple chains).
3. Among those who condemned this practice was Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (d. 37 AH). Ibn Waddah narrated with a sound chain from Abdullah ibn Abi Hudhayl al-‘Anazi (d. after 100 AH), from Abdullah ibn al-Habbab (d. unknown), who said: While we were in the masjid sitting with a group of people reciting Surah al-Sajdah and crying, my father sent for me. I found him holding a stick, and he approached me. I said, “My father, what is the matter with me?” He said, “Did I not see you sitting with the ‘giants’?”
Giants: the tyrants who were in al-Sham from the remnants of the people of ‘Ad. It is also said about those who deceive people with their words that they are “giants,” and “giant-ness” means deep exaggeration in speech. So the storytellers were likened to them due to the arrogance and domineering nature in some of them or because they deceive people with their words. And this is more likely (al-Nihayah by Ibn al-Athir (d. 606 AH) 3/301. Ibn Waddah in al-Bida‘ wa al-Nahy ‘anha p. 32 no. 32, Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf 8/559).
Many from the Tabi‘in also condemned these innovations. Among the examples is the disapproval of Imam Malik (d. 179 AH) for gathering to complete the Quran in one night of Ramadan, and his dislike for supplicating together after finishing the Quran collectively.
Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) transmitted in his fatawa the dislike of Malik for gathering to recite a portion (hizb) of the Quran, and his saying: “It is something newly introduced, and the Salaf were more eager for good. If it were good, they would have preceded us in it”
Imam Malik (d. 179 AH) was asked about reciting Qur’an as a group, and he disliked it.
He said: This was not from the practice of the people.
And in al-ʿInbiyah: he was asked about reciting in the masjid – meaning in a particular way, like reading in a group or with designated portions – and he said: This was not present during the time of the Sahabah and the Tabiʿin, it is something newly introduced.
He also said: The latter part of this Ummah will not come with something more rightly guided than what the first part was upon.
And he said in another place: Do you think people today are more eager for good than those who came before? (One of the customs brought by the Andalusian migrants to Tunisia is the tradition of reciting the Quran for seven days after burial. In the town of Testour, located in northern Tunisia about 77 kilometres from the capital, some residents of Andalusian origin still maintain this practice today. (al-Miʿyar 11/112, Nawazil al-Jamiʿ. Kitab al-Hawadith wa al-Bida‘ by al-Turtushi (d. 520 AH) pp. 62–68, Fatawa al-Shatibi pp. 206–208).
These transmissions we have presented all show that the Salaf did not consider group dhikr in the form introduced by the later generations as something legislated. How excellent were the Salaf! There was no good except that they preceded others to it, and no condemned innovation except that they were the furthest people from it, warning against it. So anyone who opposes their guidance has turned away from the paths of good and plunged into the doors of misguidance.
If group dhikr had been legislated or recommended, the Salaf would have done it. And if they had done it, it would have been transmitted to us. Since nothing of that was transmitted from them, and instead what has reached us is their opposition to it, like what came from Ibn Umar (d. 73 AH) and Ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH) and others, this indicates that this practice is not legislated at all.
Third: Among the evidences of those who forbid group dhikr is that doing dhikr in one voice resembles the Christians, who gather in their churches to chant hymns and religious songs in one voice. This is in addition to the many legal texts that forbid resembling the People of the Book and command opposing them.
As for the evidences of those who permit group dhikr, the ones who forbid it have responded to them as follows:
As for the reports they cite from Umar ibn Al Khattab and Maymuna (d. 51 AH), they are answered in three ways:
First: They are not explicit in permitting group takbir in the way those who permit group dhikr are calling to. At most, they show that people followed the example of Umar in saying the takbir aloud, and because of the overlapping and mixing of voices with the large number of pilgrims, Mina trembled with the takbir. This cannot be understood to mean that Umar would say the takbir, then pause for people to repeat after him in one voice. Otherwise, the leading imams of the madhhabs did not report this nor approve of dhikr, tasbih, or takbir in one collective voice. If they had understood these reports as those promoting group dhikr do, they would have endorsed it. But they understood these reports, and Allah knows best, in the way just mentioned.
As for the report of Maymuna, the same response is given. It only mentions that women raised their voices in takbir with the men in the masjid.
Second: It is authentically reported from Umar (d. 23 AH) that he punished those who gathered for supplication and dhikr and other such acts, as in the report narrated by Ibn Waddah (d. 286 AH) which has already been mentioned among the evidences of those who forbid group dhikr.
Third: That such takbir from Umar and its repetition by the people was not reported except in the days of Mina during the Hajj. If we were to hypothetically accept the opposing view and generalise the ruling by permitting group dhikr in masajid, homes, after prayers, and at different times, this would clearly contradict the earlier reports from Umar, Ibn Mas‘ud, Khabbab, and others altogether. (Al-Dhikr al-Jama‘i bayn al-Ittiba‘ wa al-Ibtida‘, published online, by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Khamees, may Allah preserve him, Associate Professor in the Department of Creed at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, for important review).
Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) was asked: About the people of a place who were reminded that the Sunnah regarding the takbir of the two Eids is for each person to say the takbir individually to himself, in a way that he hears himself and those next to him, while walking on the road and in the prayer place, without them all being in one unified voice. So the virtuous ones among them, who care about their religion, did this, but a few others did not make takbir, neither on the way nor in the prayer place.
Some people, due to ignorance, criticised this and said: “This will lead to the abandonment of the symbols of Islam, because making takbir in one voice has reward in it, as it is one of the good innovations, whose goodness is acknowledged by the Sharia.” They used as evidence the narration reported from the Salaf: “A time will come at the end of this Ummah…” and the narration from Ibn Masʿud (d. 32 AH), that “Economy in the Sunnah is better than striving in innovation.”
The fact that these wordings from the Salaf include phrases in the comparative form (afʿal min) which, in Arabic, indicate comparison, proves a preferred and less preferred state. And the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever introduces a good Sunnah in Islam…” and so on.
Just as the one who introduces a bad Sunnah bears sin, likewise the one who introduces a good Sunnah has reward.
So is what he said valid, such that they should be returned to their earlier state, or should they be left in the state that Allah guided them to, and should the ones who failed to make dhikr be disregarded?
He answered: Praise be to Allah. As for the one who did not say the takbir in the places where it is Sunnah to do so, he has missed the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the way of the righteous Salaf, and that alone is enough of a loss.
As for the one who said that takbir in one voice has reward in it, then if he can prove that with a clear, unambiguous report from the Salaf, then reward would be affirmed. If not, then there is no reward for an innovation.
As for his saying that “it is among the good innovations which the Sharia recognises as good,” then this is a mistake. There is no innovation in this world which the Sharia recognises as good, rather the ruling is the opposite of that, due to the Prophet’s saying: “Every innovation is misguidance,” and other similar reports.
Perhaps this person has been deceived by the statement of al-Qarafi (d. 684 AH), or by those who narrated from him, but this is a mistake which I have explained in detail elsewhere.
Then, the reasoning he used is very strange.
First: In how he deduced his point from the comparative form (afʿal al-tafdil), thinking that it necessarily implies shared participation in what is being compared. Based on his claim, the people of Paradise and the people of Hell would then be considered to share in the goodness of their final abode, due to Allah’s saying: “The companions of Paradise that day are better in their place and finer in their resting place” (al-Furqan: 24).
And other examples in which the comparative form occurs, with no shared participation whatsoever. In fact, the comparative form is broader in its usage than what he mentioned.
Second: Even if we accept his point, he has chosen the lesser reward in an innovation over the greater reward found in practising the Sunnah. If this objector understands issues like this, then may Allah console him for the loss in his understanding and his deeds.
As for his use of the hadith: “Whoever initiates a good Sunnah…” and “Whoever initiates an evil Sunnah…” this is evidence against him, not for him. Because the terms “good” and “evil” are descriptors for the Sunnah. So how do we know if something is good?
If he says: “We know it by reason,” then reason cannot determine what is good or evil. That is the belief of those who have gone astray.
If he says: “We know it by the Sharia,” then it is not an innovation to begin with, since the Sharia is what affirmed its goodness.
Likewise, the “evil” is whatever the Sharia has judged to be evil. So the one who acts upon an innovation which the Sharia has condemned, he is the one who has introduced an evil Sunnah. And success is from Allah.
That is what al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) He also said, may Allah have mercy on him: After mentioning the definition of innovation and listing its types, he said: Among them is: Adopting specific methods and forms, such as doing dhikr collectively in a single voice.
He also said, may Allah have mercy on him: So if the Sharia, for example, encourages remembrance of Allah, and a group of people then commit to doing that remembrance together, in a single voice or single phrase, or in a specific and distinct time apart from other times, then the Sharia’s encouragement does not include this specific commitment. In fact, what the Sharia indicates is the opposite.
Because adhering to matters that are not required in the Sharia has the nature of implying that these are part of the Sharia, especially when done by people who are followed, and in public places like the masajid.
If such practices are displayed openly in the masajid, and they are placed among the signs and symbols of religion that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established in the masajid and similar places, such as the adhan, Eid prayers, prayers for rain, and eclipse prayers, then there is no doubt that these acts will be understood as being Sunnah. If not even obligatory, then they are thought to be at least legislated.
This makes them newly introduced innovations. What proves this is the Salaf’s lack of commitment to such practices, or their complete abandonment of them. And they were the ones most deserving and worthy of these actions, had they been legislated based on the foundations of the religion.
For dhikr is something that the Sharia has strongly encouraged in many places. No other act of worship has been commanded in such great abundance as dhikr. Like in Allah’s saying: “O you who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance” (al-Ahzab: 41), and His saying: “And seek the bounty of Allah and remember Allah much, so that you may succeed” (al-Jumuʿah: 10), and His saying: “O you who believe, when you meet a group (in battle), stand firm and remember Allah much so that you may succeed” (al-Anfal: 45), unlike other acts of worship.
Al-Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) said: Clarifying the correct method of takbir during the days of Eid: The virtue lies in saying the takbir after the five daily prayers during the days of Eid. The established Sunnah is that the people of the lands say the takbir after each of the five prayers during the days when the pilgrims are staying in Mina. When the imam says the taslim after an obligatory prayer during those days, he says the takbir in a way that he hears himself and those near him.
The people present also say the takbir with him, each one saying the takbir for himself without following another person’s voice, according to the description that he hears himself and those around him. This is the Sunnah.
As for what some people do nowadays, where the muezzins say the takbir together in one voice after the imam finishes the prayer, with their loud voices from the minarets and extending it for long, and the people simply listen to them without saying the takbir themselves, or if any of them does say it, he simply follows their voice, all of that is among the innovations. The Prophet ﷺ never did that, nor did any of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him. (al-Madkhal 2/285, 289–290, Maktabat Dar al-Turath).
Ali al-Sa‘idi al-‘Adawi al-Maliki (d. 1189 AH): In his marginal notes on Kifayat al-Talib al-Rabbani, explaining the Maliki text al-Risalah by Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (d. 386 AH): Regarding the phrase: “the takbir of the days of Tashriq” – it means to mention the takbir which is said after the prayers during the days of Tashriq. Mayyarah (d. 1072 AH) clarified this by saying: Ibn Habib (d. 238 AH) preferred the formula “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd, ‘ala ma hadana. Allahumma aj‘alna laka min al-shakirin.”
The phrase “aloud” means it is recommended (mandub), just like it is recommended to go out to the Eid prayer. The wisdom behind saying it aloud is to awaken the heedless and teach the ignorant. And the intended meaning is that each one says the takbir individually while walking or in the prayer place, and they do not say the takbir together as a group, because that is an innovation. (Hawashi al-‘Adawi 2/187–188, Matba‘at al-Madani, 1407 AH).
Al-Imam al-Hattab al-Ra‘ini (d. 954 AH): In his commentary Mawahib al-Jalil: Takbir is done after fifteen obligatory prayers starting from Dhuhr on the Day of Nahr, not after optional prayers nor made-up ones. One who forgets should say it if still close in time. He said: The author (of the text) did not specify whether the takbir is said loudly or quietly. But in al-Madkhal, it is stated that the Sunnah is for the people to say the takbir after each of the five prayers during the days when the pilgrims are in Mina.
When the imam finishes the obligatory prayer, he says the takbir in a way that he hears himself and those near him, and the people present also say the takbir, each one saying it for himself without following another’s voice, as previously described. This is the Sunnah. As for what some people do today, when the imam finishes his prayer, the muezzins say the takbir in one voice, shouting it out loudly and at length, and the people merely listen and do not say the takbir themselves, or they follow their voices, all of this is among the innovations.
It violates the sanctity of the masjid and causes disturbance to those praying, reciting, or remembering Allah. (Mawahib al-Jalil 2/582, Dar ‘Alam al-Kutub).
Shaykh al-‘Allamah Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al al-Shaykh (d. 1389 AH) said: The group takbir that occurred in the Haram on the Day of Eid involved a person or group of people sitting on top of the Zamzam structure making takbir, while others responded from inside the mosque. Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH) objected to this manner and said that this form is an innovation – not the takbir itself, but the specific form it was taking.
Some of the laypeople in Makkah protested, as they were used to it, and that was the reason behind the telegram sent by ‘Umar Fathi. I personally do not know of any basis for this method of takbir. Whoever claims it is legislated must provide evidence, though this is a minor issue and should not have escalated the way it did. (Fatawa wa Rasa’il Muhammad ibn Ibrahim 3/127–128,.
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta (Saudi Arabia): Fatwa No. 8340, Question 2: Q: Is it valid for the imam to say the takbir after the prayer and the congregation to repeat after him, or should each person say it individually?
A: Each one should say the takbir aloud on their own. It is not established from the Prophet ﷺ that he performed takbir collectively with others. And he ﷺ said: “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with our matter, it is rejected.” (Sahih Muslim 1718b).
Fatwa No. 9887: Q: What is the ruling on the collective takbir after Eid prayers where the imam says the takbir and the congregation repeats after him in a rhythmic, unified voice?
A: Takbir is legislated during the nights of both Eids, during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, and after prayers from the Fajr of the Day of ‘Arafah until the end of the days of Tashriq. But group takbir in one voice is not legislated, and is instead an innovation. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something which is not from it, it is rejected.” This was not done by the righteous Salaf – not by the Companions, the Tabi‘in, nor their followers – who are the example and must be followed. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’ima 24/308–311).
Fatwa No. 21768, Question 5: Q: Is group dhikr in one voice a Sufi practice or part of the way of Ahl al-Sunnah?
A: Group dhikr is an innovation, because it is a newly introduced matter. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every innovation is misguidance.” What is legislated is to remember Allah without group chanting. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’ima 24/236–238).
Fatwa No. 20189: Q: Some scholars argue that collective takbir is Sunnah based on what is attributed to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (d. 23 AH), that he used to make takbir in his tent in Mina and the people would follow. Is this correct?
A: Collective takbir is an innovation because there is no evidence for it. What ‘Umar did was say the takbir himself, and when people heard him, they said the takbir individually – not in one voice together. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’ima).
Fatwa No. 12244: Q: After prayer, or at any time, some people say “Allahu Akbar” together in one voice. Is this permissible?
A: Collective takbir in one voice after prayer or at other times is not legislated. It is an innovation in the religion. What is legislated is remembering Allah abundantly, individually, and not in unison. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged individual remembrance: “To say: Subhanallah, alhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, and Allahu Akbar is more beloved to me than what the sun has risen upon.” (Muslim 2695). The Salaf never engaged in group takbir. Whoever claims otherwise must bring proof. Dhikr is an act of worship, and worship must be based on what is established from the Sharia. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’ima 24/268–269).
Fatwa No. 16816:
Q: In our region in the south, we make takbir on the day of Eid in the masjid in the following way: “Allahu Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Kabiran, wa al-hamdu lillahi kathiran, wa subhana Allahi wa bi-hamdihi bukratan wa asila, la ilaha illa Allah wahdah, sadaqa wa’dah, wa a’azza jundah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa hazama al-ahzaba wahdah, la ilaha illa Allah, la na’budu illa iyyah, mukhlisina lahu al-din wa law kariha al-kafirun, la ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd.”
Half of those in the masjid say this, followed by the other half, and so on until the prayer is established. However, the imam said that group takbir is not permissible and that it is an innovation. What is the ruling on this takbir?
A: Takbir is legislated on the night of Eid al-Fitr and on the day of Eid, before and after the prayer, until the end of the khutbah, and also during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah and the days of Tashriq. It should be done individually by each Muslim.
As for group takbir, it is an innovation, because it has not been transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ said: “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with our matter, it is rejected.”
(Sahih Muslim: al-Aqdiyah 1718, Musnad Ahmad 1/180) (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah – Group 2, vol. 24, pp. 240–241)
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta
Member: Bakr Abu Zayd (d. 1429 AH)
Member: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Aal al-Shaykh (b. 1362 AH)
Member: Salih al-Fawzan (b. 1354 AH)
Chairman: ‘Abd Allah ibn Ghudayyan (d. 1431 AH)
Member: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH)
Fatwa No. 20618
Q: I was in a small town in the United States of America, where over 150 Muslim men and women had gathered to perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer. A major dispute almost broke out among the congregation due to differing opinions on the permissibility of group takbir. Were it not for Allah’s kindness, the Muslims could have become a laughingstock in front of secularists and non-Muslims on their day of celebration.
Those who say group takbir is not allowed argue that the Salaf did not practise it, that remembrance and supplication are meant to be done individually, and that there is no explicit report proving the permissibility of collective takbir, neither a marfu’ report nor even a mawquf one.
On the other hand, those who argue that group takbir is not only permissible but legislated, use the same texts as evidence but interpret them differently, and say the following:
- The claim that supplications are originally individual acts does not necessarily mean that making them in a group is impermissible. Saying “amin” after someone’s supplication is itself a form of collective supplication that aligns with the nature of du‘a.
- The hadiths that mention takbir imply that one person says it and others follow. For example, the narration says: “Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah used to go out to the market during the ten days and say the takbir, and people would say takbir with them” (al-Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapters on the Virtue of Deeds during the Days of Tashriq and Takbir in Mina).
Another narration says: “Umar used to say the takbir in his tent in Mina, and when the people in the masjid heard him, they would say takbir, and the people in the markets would also say takbir until Mina shook with the sound. And the women would say takbir behind Aban ibn ‘Uthman and ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz during the nights of Tashriq” (Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari 2/536).
They argue that these wordings clearly show group takbir for the following reason: the expressions used in those narrations are also found in other narrations describing people joining the Prophet ﷺ in prayer, such as: “The Prophet used to pray at night… then some people stood and prayed with him” (al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Chapter: When there is a Barrier Between the Imam and the People), and: “He prayed at night, and some of his companions prayed with him” (al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Chapter: Night Prayer).
Supplication and dhikr are among the greatest acts of worship, and acts of worship must be based on textual evidence and adherence, not on innovation or invention. The basis in du‘a and dhikr is that each person does it individually and quietly, as indicated by many verses of the Quran and authentic narrations of the Sunnah.
Allah says: “And do not raise your voice in your prayer nor lower it too much, but seek a way in between” (al-Isra: 110). A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “This was revealed about supplication.” (Agreed upon, Sahih Muslim 447a)
And He said: “Call upon your Lord with humility and privately. Indeed, He does not like the transgressors” (al-A’raf: 55). Some of the scholars of tafsir said: “The transgressors” here means those who raise their voices in du‘a.
And He said: “And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and fear, and without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless” (al-A’raf: 205).
In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (d. 42 AH) said: We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on an expedition, and we would raise our voices with takbir whenever we ascended or descended. So the Prophet ﷺ approached and said: “O people, take it easy on yourselves. You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent. Rather, you are calling upon One who is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” (al-Bukhari 6610 Ahmad 4/394; Sahih Muslim 2704a)
If the Prophet ﷺ condemned raising the voice in takbir while outdoors, then how much more blameworthy is doing so in the masjid, especially with synchronised tones and melody?
Second: It has been narrated from many of the Salaf, including Sahabah and those after them, that they condemned gatherings for supplication in one voice or saying takbir and tahlil in unison.
Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi (d. after 100 AH) said: A governor wrote to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (d. 23 AH) informing him that there were people gathering to supplicate for the Muslims and the governor. ‘Umar wrote back: Bring them to me. When they came, he told the doorman: Prepare a whip. He then beat their leader with it.
And ‘Umar ibn Yahya said: I heard my father narrate from his father, saying: We used to sit by the door of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud (d. 32 AH) before the Fajr prayer. When he came out, we would walk with him to the masjid. Then Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari came and sat with us until Ibn Mas‘ud came out. Abu Musa said: O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, earlier in the masjid I saw something that I disapproved of, but I saw only good in it. Ibn Mas‘ud asked: What was it?
Abu Musa replied: You will see it yourself. In the masjid I saw groups sitting in circles, waiting for the prayer. In each circle there was a man with pebbles saying: Say “Allahu Akbar” a hundred times. So they did. He said: Say “la ilaha illa Allah” a hundred times. So they did. He said: Say “Subhanallah” a hundred times. So they did.
Ibn Mas‘ud said: What did you say to them? Abu Musa said: I waited for your opinion. So Ibn Mas‘ud went to them and said: Woe to you, O Ummah of Muhammad! How quickly you are ruined. These are the Companions of your Prophet still alive, and his clothes have not yet worn out, and his vessels have not yet broken.
I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, you are either following a guidance more correct than that of Muhammad, or you are opening a door to misguidance. They replied: O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, by Allah, we only intended good. He said: How many intend good but do not reach it.
This was the reaction of Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari and Ibn Mas‘ud. Both of them condemned this newly invented method of collective dhikr, despite dhikr being generally recommended and praiseworthy. But its method and form must follow that which was transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ and his noble Companions.
Mujahid (d. 104 AH) said: I prayed Fajr with Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib (d. 94 AH). When the imam gave salam, the people rushed to the story-teller. Sa‘id said: How quickly they run to that gathering.
I said: They are acting based on Allah’s statement. He said: What verse? I replied: “Do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening” (al-An‘am: 52). He said: Is this verse about them? That refers to the prayer we just finished.
Mujahid also said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi ‘Umrah prayed in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When he finished, he leaned back against the Prophet’s chamber. The people crowded around him. He said: O people, go away.
They said: May Allah have mercy on you. We came because of the verse: “Keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening” (al-Kahf: 28). He replied: Is that about me? That refers to the prayer.
These and other reports clearly show that the righteous Salaf condemned gathering for collective du‘a and dhikr and turning it into a regular practice – so what if it is also done with loud voices and melody?
Summary: What is legislated in dhikr and du‘a is for each person to do it individually, without raising the voice, except enough to hear oneself or one’s neighbour. Exceptions are those acts specified by the Sharia, like the imam’s du‘a in prayer and the congregation’s saying “amin” after al-Fatihah or during qunut, and similar occasions.
Third: As for the reports narrated from some of the Companions – such as ‘Umar saying takbir in his tent in Mina, and the people of the masjid and the markets saying takbir until Mina echoed, or Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah going to the markets during the ten days and the people saying takbir with them, the answer is: these narrations do not indicate that they raised their voices in a disapproved way.
‘Umar had a naturally loud voice, and his tent was near the masjid. When he said the takbir, the people in the masjid heard him and remembered to say takbir, so they said it individually. The same applies to Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah. It is not reported that they intentionally raised their voices or synchronised in one tone. Far be it from them to go against the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “Take it easy on yourselves. You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent.”
Fourth: All Muslims, at all times and in all places, must offer sincere advice to one another, study issues under the light of the Quran and Sunnah, free themselves from personal desires and biases, love for their brothers what they love for themselves, and strive for unity and harmony, not division and hostility.
All should exert effort to follow the Sunnah and the path of the Salaf of the Ummah. That is where goodness and protection lie. Differences in such matters must not lead to disunity or fighting. Rather, the duty is mutual advice, clarification of the Sunnah, and avoiding division in congregational prayers or elsewhere over such issues.
We ask Allah the Most Generous to guide us and our Muslim brothers, to grant us firmness on the straight path, and to protect us from the path of those who earned His anger and those who went astray. He is All-Hearing, Near, and Responsive.
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta
Member: Bakr Abu Zayd (d. 1429 AH)
Member: Salih al-Fawzan (b. 1354 AH)
Deputy Chairman: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Aal al-Shaykh (b. 1362 AH)
Chairman: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH)
(Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah, Group 2, vol. 24, pp. 156–165)
