Can you persistently pray the night prayer in congregation?

There is evidence in the Sunnah that one can occasionally pray the night prayer in congregation in months other than Ramadaan. However, there is no evidence for persistently praying the night prayer in congregation.

 

Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Those prayers for which there it is not a Sunnah to always pray them in congregation include the night prayer, the Rawaatib Sunnah after the obligatory prayers, the Duhaa prayer, two Rak'ah prayed for greeting the mosque and other similar prayers. If one prays these prays in congregation occasionally, then it is permissible. As for praying them in congregation persistently then that is not legislated. Rather, it is a disliked bid'ah.

 


وقد دلت السنة على جواز قيام الليل جماعة في غير رمضان أحيانا، وأما المداومة فلا نعلم لها مستندا شرعيا يمكن الاعتماد عليه، قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية ـ رحمه الله: مَا لَا تُسَنُّ لَهُ الْجَمَاعَةُ الرَّاتِبَةُ كَقِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ وَالسُّنَنِ الرَّوَاتِبِ وَصَلَاةِ الضُّحَى وَتَحِيَّةِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ ـ فَهَذَا إذَا فُعِلَ جَمَاعَةً أَحْيَانًا جَازَ، وَأَمَّا الْجَمَاعَةُ الرَّاتِبَةُ في ذَلِكَ فَغَيْرُ مَشْرُوعَةٍ، بَلْ بِدْعَةٌ مَكْرُوهَةٌ

 


Reference(s):

IslamWeb Fatwaa