The Ruling on Group Fasting and Standing in Night Prayer in Congregation

Question:
The questioner asks about the ruling on one who invites other Muslims to fast on Mondays and Thursdays in a group, and they break their fast together, and then some nights come and they decide to stand in prayer together. Is this from cooperation in righteousness and piety? Perhaps you have heard of group fasting, group breaking of the fast, and group marriage; what is the ruling of Islam in that? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
Is there any basis for this group fasting? Rather, every Muslim fasts voluntarily without being tied to others or agreeing as a group to fast. Every Muslim fasts on his own if it is easy for him to do so. As for being tied to others and agreeing on group fasting, as they call it, this has no basis. This agreement and this action may be from religious innovations (bid'ah). Also, something of social courtesy and lack of sincerity to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) may enter into it, and he only fasts in agreement with others or out of courtesy to others. Every Muslim fasts and hides his deed from others as much as he is able, because this is more conducive to sincerity. Likewise, fasting the night in a group by agreement and by continuity in this, this is also from religious innovations, because congregation is not prescribed in night fasting except in the tarawih. The tarawih; it is established that it is prayed in congregation from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Sunnah of his Rightly Guided Successors. So congregation in night prayer is specifically in the tarawih. As for if they pray in congregation some of the times, there is no harm in that without coordination, but rather some of the times they pray in congregation by agreeing in a place and praying in congregation, or one person stands to pray from the night and then one of the Muslims comes and prays with him, there is no harm in that, but this is without arrangement and without agreement. Because when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray, Ibn Abbas came and he was young, so he stood to his left, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned him and placed him to his right. And because Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) also stood with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from the night in some of the nights, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited in this prayer Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Ali 'Imran, and he would lengthen the bowing and prostration as he would lengthen the standing, (peace and blessings be upon him). So if this is done without arrangement and without continuity, there is no harm. As for the prayer in congregation with continuity, this is only in the prayer of the tarawih specifically. And it is also in the prayer of the eclipse, in the prayer for rain; the evidence has come that these are prayed in congregation. As for standing in night prayer, it is not prayed in congregation except what was mentioned. May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.