Dhikr Performed in a Group
(p. 163, Haqa'iq at-Tasawwuf, Shaykh 'Abdu'l-Qadir 'Isa)
Acts of worship performed in a group – which include dhikru'llah – are more excellent than acts of worship done alone. The hearts meet in the group, and in the group people find mutual help and harmony. The weak can take from the strong, those in darkness from those with light, the dense from the diaphanous, the ignorant from those with knowledge, and so forth.
Anas 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 dhikr," he replied. [at-Tirmidhi)
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah Almighty has angels who travel the highways and by-ways seeking out gatherings of dhikr in the earth. When they find a gathering of dhikr, they enfold them with their wings stretching up to the heaven. Allah asks them, 'From where have you come?' They reply, 'We have come from Your slaves who are glorifying You, praising You, proclaiming Your oneness, asking of You and seeking refuge with You.' He says – and He knows better than them, 'What are they asking Me for?' They reply, 'They are asking You for the Garden.' He says, 'Have they seen it?' They reply, 'No, our Lord.' He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' Then He asks – and He knows better than them, 'What are they seeking refuge from?' 'From the Fire,' they reply. He asks, 'Have they seen it?' 'No,' they reply. Then He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' Then He says, 'I testify to you that I have forgiven them, I have given them what they ask Me for, and I given them the refuge which they ask of Me.' They say, 'Our Lord, among them is a wrongdoer who is sitting with them, but is not one of them.' He says, 'I have forgiven him as well. The one sitting with these people will not be wretched.'" (Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim)
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." (Muslim, at-Tirmidhi)
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." (Muslim, at-Tirmidhi)
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 dhikr. When they come to them, they encircle them." (Al-Bazzar)
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 dhikr." he replied. [at-Tirmidhi)
The scholar Ibn 'Allan, commentator on al-Adhkar, said that this hadith means, "When you pass by a group remembering Allah, do the dhikr they are doing or listen to their dhikr. They are in the meadows of the Garden now or ultimately. The Almighty says, 'For him who fears the Station of his Lord there are two Gardens.' (55:45)" [al-Futuhat ar-Rabbaniyya 'ala'l-Adhkar an-Nawawiyya]
In his gloss, Ibn 'Abdin said about dhikru'llah in a group, "Imam al-Ghazali compared doing dhikr alone and the dhikr of a group to the adhan of someone alone and the adhan of a group. He said, 'As the voices of a group of mu'adhdhins reach further than the voice of a single mu'adhdhin, so the dhikr of a group on one heart has more effect in lifting dense veils than the dhikr of a single person."
In his Hashiyya, at-Tahtawi says: "Ash-Shar'awi states that scholars, both early and modern, agree that it is recommended to remember Allah Almighty in a group in the mosques and elsewhere without any objection unless their dhikr aloud disturbs someone sleeping, praying, or reciting the Qur'an, as is confirmed in books of fiqh."