Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
What is the sound position of praying tasbih namaz in congregation? Also other nafila prayers in congregation?
Answer:
Assalamu alaikum,
In the Hanafi school:
1. It is disliked to pray nafl prayers in a large congregation or to make it a habit, except the tarawih prayer in Ramadan. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar, Hashiyat al-Tabyin]
2. This would appear to be somewhat disliked. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
3. The fuqaha termed it a bid`a. [Tahawi, and Kamal ibn al-Humam,Fath al-Qadir]
4. The essential reason for it being disliked is that it entails going against that which is legislated, which is that the obligatory prayers are prayed in congregation, and voluntary prayers alone. The transmitted exceptions relate only to small congregations, and were rare occurrences, as such, the fuqaha explained that:
5. A small congregation, which is less than four people, is not disliked, as long as it is not made a habit. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar, Bazzaziyya]
6. Voluntary prayers are not disliked in the Shafii and Hanbali schools, it appears.
7. Some Hanafi scholars, in Damascus and elsewhere, make the operational exception of the occasional group voluntary prayer. This is their personal reasoning, based on perceived public interest (maslaha), but it is not the transmitted and clearly established position of the madhhab.
And Allah knows best.
Walaikum assalam,
Faraz Rabbani.
