Is group dhikr permissible?
Gathering to remember Allah is a blessed act with a clear basis in the Sunnah. Remembering Him aloud is also supported by authentic hadith. Scholars have differed over some ways of organising dhikr, particularly when everyone recites the same words in one voice, but it is wrong to dismiss all collective dhikr as an innovation. There is a well-established scholarly view permitting it, provided its proper limits are observed.
Imam Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi examines this subject in his book Sibahat al-Fikr fi al-Jahr bi al-Dhikr, edited by Shaykh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah. He argues that audible dhikr is permissible within its proper limits and rejects the claim that Hanafi scholars unanimously prohibited it. He cites authorities including Khayr al-Din al-Ramli and Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi.
Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا
“O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly.” (33:41)
We need this reminder because it is easy to become absorbed in our daily concerns and forget the One who sustains us. Dhikr brings our attention back to Allah. When people gather sincerely to remember Him, they can help one another maintain that connection.
The Prophet ﷺ once came upon a circle of his Companions and asked why they were sitting together. They explained that they had gathered to remember Allah and praise Him for guiding them to Islam. He told them:
أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُبَاهِي بِكُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ
“Jibril came to me and informed me that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, speaks of you with pride before the angels.” (Muslim)
The Prophet ﷺ approved their gathering and told them of its honour before Allah. This gives us a clear foundation for gathering deliberately to remember Him.
In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا يَقْعُدُ قَوْمٌ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ، وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ
“Whenever people sit remembering Allah, Mighty and Majestic, the angels surround them, mercy covers them, tranquillity descends upon them, and Allah mentions them among those with Him.” (Muslim)
These blessings should encourage us to value gatherings of remembrance. Imam al-Nawawi included these narrations in Riyad al-Salihin in a chapter encouraging people to attend circles of dhikr. Such gatherings include praising Allah and seeking His forgiveness; we should not assume that they can only mean religious lessons.
There is clear evidence for remembering Allah aloud. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says:
وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ
“If he remembers Me in an assembly, I remember him in an assembly better than theirs.” (Bukhari)
Ibn Abbas also reported that people raised their voices in dhikr after the obligatory prayers during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime. He knew the prayer had ended when he heard their remembrance. (Bukhari)
Another example comes after Witr. The Prophet ﷺ would say:
سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ
“Glory be to the King, the Most Holy.”
He repeated this three times, raising his voice on the third occasion. This is further evidence that remembering Allah audibly is a recognised practice in the Sunnah. (Al-Nasa’i)
There are also examples of people joining one another in audible remembrance. Al-Bukhari records, in his chapter on takbir during the days of Mina, that Umar would say takbir in his tent. People in the mosque heard him and began saying takbir, and the people in the marketplace joined them, until Mina resounded with it. This concerns the particular occasion of the days of Mina, but it clearly shows that people encouraging one another to remember Allah aloud was known among the Companions.
Quiet dhikr being better does not mean audible dhikr is forbidden. This is a central distinction in al-Laknawi’s discussion. He recognises the virtue of quiet remembrance for humility and reverence while defending the permissibility of moderate audible dhikr. He understands the instruction to lower the voice in the hadith of Abu Musa as guidance towards gentleness and against excessive volume, rather than a blanket prohibition.
Allah says:
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ
“Remember your Lord within yourself, humbly and fearfully, without loud speech, in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless.” (7:205)
Scholars who permit audible dhikr read this verse alongside the hadith which establish remembrance aloud. Imam al-Suyuti explains that circumstances matter: quiet remembrance is preferable where there is a fear of showing off or disturbing others, while audible remembrance can help awaken the heart and benefit those listening. We should consider what helps us remember Allah sincerely and what is appropriate for the people around us.
Reciting together has recognised scholarly support. Some scholars allow people to say the same words together, understanding this to fall within the general encouragement to remember Allah. Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari discusses group remembrance with voices in harmony in Miftah al-Falah. Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta also supports collective audible dhikr on the basis of the broad evidence encouraging remembrance.
Other scholars require specific evidence for deliberately coordinating each phrase and therefore do not permit this form. Their view should be represented fairly. However, it should not be presented as the only scholarly position, nor should people following the permissive view automatically be accused of abandoning the Sunnah.
There is also a difference between saying that a form of dhikr is permissible and claiming that the Prophet ﷺ performed it in that exact way. The hadith about circles of remembrance establish the virtue of gathering, but do not describe every detail of the recitation. We can recognise the strength of the evidence for collective remembrance without claiming more than the narrations actually tell us.
There is also a report in al-Darimi that Ibn Masud objected to people sitting in circles, counting their dhikr with pebbles while a leader instructed them to repeat particular phrases a hundred times. This is a separate narration from the report about expelling people from the mosque whose reliability al-Laknawi questions. The pebble-counting report concerns a particular organised practice, and scholars differ over how widely its criticism applies. It should be considered alongside the authentic hadith praising gatherings of remembrance, rather than taken as a blanket prohibition of all group dhikr.
A separate report in al-Darimi describes Ibn Masud criticising circles in which a leader instructed people to repeat words of remembrance a hundred times, counting with pebbles. Al-Albani graded its chain authentic. We should not treat criticism of the first report as proof that this separate narration is also unreliable. (Al-Darimi, introduction, report 210; numbering varies.)
Scholars differ over how widely to apply Ibn Masud’s objection. Those who prohibit organised collective repetition cite it in support of their position. Those who permit collective dhikr do not understand the reports attributed to him as cancelling the authentic hadith praising gatherings of remembrance. The evidence needs to be considered together, with attention to the particular practice being discussed.
A permissible gathering must still observe the manners of worship. Al-Laknawi excludes excessive volume, disturbing others and showing off. He also warns that attaching unsupported religious requirements to a permissible practice can change its ruling.
We should therefore avoid claiming that a chosen arrangement is compulsory, or promising a special reward for a particular formula or number without evidence. Choosing a time when people can attend should not become a claim that Allah has given that time a special religious status. Someone who prefers individual dhikr should be free to do so without being made to feel that their faith is lacking.
The Prophet ﷺ also taught us to respect the worship of others. When he heard people raising their voices in Quran recitation, he said:
أَلَا إِنَّ كُلَّكُمْ مُنَاجٍ رَبَّهُ، فَلَا يُؤْذِيَنَّ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا، وَلَا يَرْفَعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ
“Each of you is addressing his Lord, so do not cause one another distress or raise your voices over one another in recitation.” (Abu Dawud, 1332)
Our dhikr should not prevent someone nearby from concentrating in salah. This applies especially when microphones carry the sound beyond the people taking part.
In his introduction to the book, Shaykh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah also distinguishes lawful remembrance from practices involving the staged movements and jumping that he criticises. His point is that permission for audible dhikr does not give unrestricted approval to everything done in its name.
Gathering for dhikr can be a valuable way of helping one another remember Allah. There is sound evidence for such gatherings and for audible remembrance, while reciting in one voice has recognised scholarly support alongside scholarly disagreement. Those who follow the permissive view should keep their gatherings within the limits of worship and respect those who follow another view.
The benefit of dhikr should continue after we leave the gathering. It should help us become more aware of Allah in our dealings and more careful with our words. Remembering Him together should also encourage us to remember Him when we are alone. May Allah make our remembrance sincere and grant us hearts that remain connected to Him.