Answer to the Evidence of Those Who Claim the Legitimacy of a Second Congregation in the Mosque (Is It Prescribed to Pray Voluntary Prayers in Congregation, Such as the Night Prayer?)

The Shaykh : We now come to another example, which is even further from the minds of people to be called an innovation; in fact, some minds may lean toward saying that it is prescribed. If a group of people wanted to pray the night prayer in congregation and cited as evidence the hadith and so on, is their argument correct or not? The answer now is a test, so I ask: what do you see?

The questioner : As for the evidence, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed, and some of the Companions prayed behind him in his house, so I see it as permissible, and Allah knows best.

The Shaykh : Good. In reality, the person who wants to learn answers the question.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : If he is correct, he has two rewards; if he is wrong, he has one reward. Then this error will inevitably lead him to the truth. Now, a question arises: regarding the details you cited as evidence for permissibility, and you did well when you qualified your statement of permissibility by saying "and Allah knows best"—this is a clarifying question: was that congregation a result of mutual agreement, or was it a coincidence and chance meeting, as far as you know?

The questioner : I do not know, by Allah.

The Shaykh : I do not know.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good. The answer was not a result of mutual agreement, but rather a coincidence and chance meeting. The evidence is the same narrations you are referring to. For example, the hadith of Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) pulled him and placed him on his right. Ibn Abbas was sleeping, but when he saw the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) standing to pray, he got up. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not call him and say, "Come, pray with me." Is this picture clear?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : All right. Similarly, for example, because the recitation is long and unbearable. Also, the story of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman when he followed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in prayer . Boredom or fatigue began to creep into Hudhayfah's mind, but he kept telling himself, "Now he has lengthened it, he has increased the recitation, but when he reaches the head of a hundred verses, he will bow." He kept telling himself this until he finished the entire Surah al-Baqarah, which is what? The longest surah in the Noble Qur'an. Now, when he finishes it, he will bow. So he continued and started Surah Ali 'Imran. He submitted to the reality and stopped saying, "Now, now, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has finished Surah Ali 'Imran completely, then he started Surah al-Ma'idah, then he went back to Surah al-Nisa' and read four long surahs in one rak'ah." This is the end of the hadith. It is a long hadith that we do not imagine today, due to our distance from worship and patience for it. It was not by mutual agreement. Mutual agreement is only for the night prayer in Ramadan. So, if a congregation occurs at night like this, without mutual agreement, it is prescribed. But saying, "Come, let us pray in congregation for the night prayer," that has not occurred.

Another questioner : Well, Shaykh, do we understand from that that the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .

The Shaykh : You rushed the matter. It is clear that you are Hudhayfah's brother, but where are you and where is Hudhayfah? We have only walked a little, and I want to bring you to that hadith. You need to understand that hadith in light of this introduction.

Another questioner : This is it, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Yes?

Another questioner : I want to know if this was a coincidence or from... Please, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Wait, wait.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : The point is that the night prayer in congregation is not prescribed except by coincidence. But saying, "Come, let us pray in congregation," is contrary to the Sunnah. Accordingly, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): The "al" here is not for comprehensiveness and inclusion, because it would open doors to many new matters, most of which have not occurred, and praise be to Allah, even to this day. The previous example is gathering for the voluntary prayers before and after the obligatory ones. Praise be to Allah, the Muslims are still preserving the Sunnah. They are preserving the Sunnah, preserving the Sunnah, and preserving the obligation. The obligation is its congregation, and the Sunnah is its individual performance. Is that clear?

The questioner: Yes.