Fatwa ID: 03779

Answered by: Shaykh Tahsin Alam

Question

Did anyone write up a fatwa on collective dhikr *ijtima'i dhikr* when everyone reads in chorus together?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Imām ʿAbd al-Ḥayy al-Lucknawī has discussed this issue in his treatise entitled “sibāhah al-fikr fi al-jahr bi al-dhikr” and has concluded that there is no issue in loud, collective dhikr; as long as it is reasonable (and no person is disturbed or harmed by this).[1]

Some aḥādīth which point to this is:

Abu Hurayra reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are no people who remember Allah without the angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, tranquillity descending on them, and Allah mentioning them to those who are with Him.”[2]

Mu’awiya reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to a circle of his companions and asked, “What is it that has caused you to sit together?” They answered, “We have sat down to remember Allah and praise Him.” He said, “Jibril came to me and reported to me that the angels are boasting about you.”[3]

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah Almighty has angels who travel about seeking out gatherings of remembrance (dhikr). When they come to them, they encircle them.”[4]

Anas also reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you come upon the meadows of the Garden, graze in them.” He was asked, “What are the meadows of the Garden?” “Circles of remembrance (dhikr)” he replied.[5]

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Allah says: ‘I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he makes remembrance (dhikr) of Me. If he makes remembrance of Me to himself, I make remembrance of him to Myself. If he makes remembrance of Me in a gathering, I make remembrance of him in a gathering better than it.’”[6]

Imam al-Jazari RAH said, “this hadith indicates the permissibility of group remembrance.” Imam al-Suyuti said, “group remembrance can only be out loud, so this hadith indicates its permissibility.”[7]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Shaykh Tahsin Alam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham