Is Collective Dhikr Permissible and When Can It Be Performed?

Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

Question

Is collective remembrance (dhikr) permissible, and when should it be performed?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His noble messenger, his family, and all his companions.

The Legitimacy of Dhikr in Congregation

Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and supplication (dua) are among the greatest acts of worship and means of drawing closer to Allah. Numerous texts from the Quran and Sunna emphasize their virtues.

Collective dhikr is permissible and even recommended, as supported by various textual evidence.

For instance, in the Quran, Allah commands remembrance in the plural form:

“And men and women who remember Allah often—for (all of) them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” [Quran, 33:35]

Additionally, Allah says:

“When the prayers are over, remember Allah—whether you are standing, sitting, or lying down.” [Quran, 4:103]

In the Sunna, Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Allah (Most High) says: ‘I am as My servant expects Me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me to himself, I remember him to Myself; and if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering better than theirs. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Another hadith, narrated by Abu Hurayra and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with them), states that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“No people gather to remember Allah, but that the angels surround them, mercy envelops them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.” [Muslim; Ibn Hibban; Ahmad]

Raising the Voice in Dhikr

It’s important to note that collective dhikr often involves raising the voice in remembrance, and there are no specific restrictions in the Quran on how dhikr should be performed—whether individually or collectively. Thus, gathering for dhikr in mosques after prayers or at other times, as long as it does not disturb those praying, is permissible and encouraged in Islam.

This is further supported by the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), who said:

“Raising the voice in dhikr after people completed their obligatory prayers was a practice during the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).” Ibn ‘Abbas added: “I used to know that they had finished the prayer when I heard it (the dhikr).” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Scholars’ Views on Collective Dhikr

It is mentioned in Hashiyat al-Tahtawi:

“The scholars, past and present, unanimously agreed on the recommendation of remembering Allah (Most High) in congregation in mosques and elsewhere, without any objection, except if their loud dhikr disturbs someone who is sleeping, praying, or reading the Quran, as outlined in the books of jurisprudence.” [Tahtawi, Hashiyat al-Tahtawi ‘ala Maraqi al-Falah]

In addition, the Maliki scholar, Wansharisi, issued a fatwa, stating: “It is correct to allow supplication after prayer in a customary manner, as long as it is not believed to be part of the sunna of the prayer or one of its virtues or obligations. The same applies to the post-prayer adhkar in the known form, such as reciting the Names of Allah, repeatedly sending blessings upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), seeking Allah’s pleasure for the Companions (Allah be pleased with them), and other forms of dhikr in unison.” [Wansharisi, Mi‘yar al-Mu‘rib]

Imam Nawawi states: “This is evidence for what some of the early scholars said, that it is recommended to raise the voice in takbir and dhikr after the obligatory prayers. Among the later scholars who supported this view is Ibn Hazm al-Zahiri.” [Nawawi, Sharh Muslim]

Nawawi also says:

“It is recommended to engage in dhikr and to sit in circles of remembrance. There are numerous proofs for this, which will be mentioned in their appropriate places, Allah willing. The hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is sufficient, where the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, graze therein.’ They asked: ‘What are the gardens of Paradise, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘The circles of dhikr, for Allah has angels who roam about seeking the circles of dhikr. When they find them, they surround them.’” [Tirmidhi; Ahmad; Abu Ya‘la; Bazzar] [Nawawi, al-Adhkar]

Conclusion

In conclusion, collective dhikr is permissible and recommended, as long as it is not believed to be obligatory. There should be no objection to those who engage in it, especially as it encourages cooperation in righteousness and piety.

May Allah make us among those who remember Him and keep us away from heedlessness, for He is the All-Hearing, the One who responds to supplications.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.

He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.

He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.

Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.