‘Abbās on one occasion and Hudhayfa ibn al-Yamān on another.” Others also prayed behind him. Likewise, “he led ‘Itbān ibn Mālik in voluntary prayer in congregation in his house,” and “he led Anas ibn Mālik, his mother, and the orphan in prayer in his home.”

Some people use this as a precedent for newly introduced practices such as the “al-Alfiyya prayer” on the night of mid-Sha‘bān, the Raghā’ib prayer, and similar prayers which they regularly perform in congregation. Others disapprove of voluntary prayer in congregation because they consider congregational worship to have been prescribed only for the five daily prayers, just as the call to prayer was prescribed only for those five prayers.

Clearly, the correct position is what the Sunnah teaches: offering voluntary prayer in congregation is not disliked, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself did so. Nor, however, should it be made a regular Sunnah practice—for example, by appointing a regular imam for the mosque to lead people in prayer between the sunset and night prayers, or in the middle of the night, just as he leads them in the five daily prayers. Similarly, one may not institute a call to prayer for the two Eid prayers or other prayers like the call for the five daily prayers. This is why the Companions objected to those rulers of their time who did so.

Somewhat similar is the scholars’ disagreement over the number of units of night prayer in Ramadan. It is established that Ubayy ibn Ka‘b used to lead the people in twenty units of Ramadan night prayer, followed by three units of witr. Many scholars therefore held this to be the Sunnah, because he established this practice among the Emigrants and the Helpers, and no one objected. Others recommended thirty-nine units, on the grounds that this was the longstanding practice of the people of Medina.