578. Making Collective Duaa

By Asma bint Shameem 

Making collective duaa itself is not wrong. 

It’s WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW the duaa is made that’s important. 

If it’s done in places and situations that are proven to be from the practice of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam, then it’s good. 

If it’s done In situations where there’s NO proof of it from the practice of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam then it should NOT be done. 

That’s because duaa is an act of worship. 

And every act of worship is TAWQEEFI’. 

That means that we have to have EVIDENCE for that act of worship in the Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah. 

Some examples of when the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam raised his hands and made *collective* Duaa are when he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam made duaa for the prayer for rain, or the eclipse prayer or when praying Qunoot, or in Arafah, etc. 

And an example of when he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

made *collective* Duaa *without* raising his hands is when making duaa during Friday Khutbah. 

However, people have taken certain times and places where they make collective duaa although the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam DID NOT do so. 

And they do it VERY RELIGIOUSLY, THINKING  they’re doing something good, although IT’S NOT. 

Examples when the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam did NOT make *collective* Duaa, although PEOPLE DO IT:

- at the end of EACH and EVERY Dars, halaqah, lecture, gathering or get together etc 

They think the duaa is “part” of the dars, or halaqah and the dars/halaqah is not complete without it. 

or 

- when the Imaam finishes Salaah, he makes collective duaa. 

or

- when someone passes away and people make collective Duaa. 

This should NOT be done on a REGULAR basis. 

If it happens SPONTANEOUSLY or here and there ONCE in a WHILE it’s ok. 

Otherwise, to have a ‘PLANNED’ congregational or collective duaa at the end of EVERY class, or gathering or to make this a HABIT or to think that it’s PART of the DEEN, then that becomes BID’AH. 

Someone asked Imaam Ahmad:

“Is it makrooh for people to gather together, calling upon Allaah and raising their hands? 

He said: 

“I do not regard it as makrooh for the brothers so long as they did not meet DELIBERATELY for that purpose, provided they do NOT DO IT on a REGULAR basis.”

Shaatabi al-Maliki said:

‘Constantly making Duaa in a form of a congregation was NOT from the actions of the Messenger of Allaah -sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, as it was not from the statements of the Messenger, nor was it from that which he allowed.” (al-‘Itissam (1/248)

Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“Meeting together to read Qur’aan, remember Allaah and call upon Him (du‘aa’) is good and mustahabb, so long as it is NOT TAKEN as a REGULAR PRACTICE  like those gatherings that are prescribed in Islaam, and so long as it is not accompanied by any reprehensible innovation.” (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 22/523)

Therefore, if someone makes duaa at the end of a halaqah or gathering “SOME” TIMES and does NOT make duaa at OTHER times, that’s fine. 

However to think that we HAVE to make duaa after completing a lesson or a halaqah or Salaah EVERY SINGLE TIME and to think that it’s part of the Sunnah or something you HAVE to do, each time you meet, then that’s NOT from the Sunnah. 

There’s NO PROOF of this action from the practice of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam or his Sahaabah. 

And Allaah knows best