A youth group in our city planned an "E`tikaf" program in the local masjid. The program includes few Raka`s of Tahajud or Qiyam. The Imam of the Masjid says that this is Islamically or" Shara`n" not permisseable to plan a Qiyam or tahajud in the Masjid except in Ramadan. My understanding about Qiyam in the Masjid is that as long that we do not assign a specific day of each month to do it, then it is ok to do it. The prophet peace be upon him prayed Qiyam in some of the nights were the companions such as Abdel Rahman bin Aouf  has joined him and the prophet SAW didn`t deny him from doing so. Can you clarify this issue for us? Jazakum Allah Khairan

All praise be to Allah, and may his peace and blessings be on the last and best prophet and messenger, Muhammad.

 

Some scholars consider it an innovation to make arrangements for performing voluntary prayers in congregation.

It appears however, that this would be considered an innovation if the night was fixed for a long time. If they agree on a certain day of the month, they should rotate it after a few months so that it doesn`t become a consistent recurrent action. Part of the definition of bid`ah is the consistency and recurrence.

The prophet led in voluntary prayers many companions such as Anas and his mother and he did with ibn Abbas as well as others. So, it is acceptable to perform a voluntary prayer in congregation without the fixation of time.

 

Allah knows best.