NAFL SALAH IN JAMA'AH

It is a general rule that Nafl Salahs are performed individually, while Farz Salahs are performed in Jama'ah. The practice of performing the TahajjudSalah in Jama'ah (or Shabina) in the mosque in an organized manner isMakruhTahreemi (abominable – close to Haraam)according to the Shari'ah.

This is a practice that did not exist during the Khairul Qurun [the best eras – the era of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu'Alaihi Wasallam) and that of the Sahaabah (Radiyallahuanhum)], despite the fact that all the conditions and reasons for such a practice were met. This clearly shows that such a practice is contrary to the Shari'ah.

Performing the Salat of Tahajjud,Awwaabeen, or even the Shabina Salah can offer a certain number of advantages, just as Khamr (alcoholic drink) and Maisir (game of chance) can have, a certain number of benefits,according to the very words of the Qur'an-e-Karim. However, these 'benefits' do not justify their permissibility. The so-called advantages proclaimed by the supporters of performing the Salah of Tahajjud in Jama'ah are not sufficient to justify its admissibility. The harms that result from it far exceed the advantages. The first disadvantage of this practice, and not the least, is that it opens the way to a whole series of additions that distort the true face of Islam as it was lived during the Khairul Qurun. A similar case is that of the two days preceding the month of Ramadhan. The Shari'ah prohibits observing the fast on the eve of the day before the month of Ramadhan so that people do not increase the number of Roza of Ramadhan. (And this is to clearly delimit the parameters of the different practices and to avoid any addition and overflow.)
However, it is true that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam), on certain occasions, performed the Nafl Salah in a Jama'ah comprising of three personsat the most, notably Hadhrat Anas (Radiyallahuanhu), an orphan, and Hadhrat Umme-Sulaim (Radiyallahuanha). However, this was not his regular practice.

Based on this, the Fuqaha agreed to the permissibility of performing the Nafl Salah with Jama'ah with 2 or 3 people acting as Muqtadi. However, beyond this number, the practice becomes MakruhTahreemi. Allah has already completed and perfected the Deen. It does not require any addition, reduction, or abrogation.

[English version of "La Salah Nafl enDjamaa'ah" – Al Haadi – Vol. 3 No. 3]