Is it permissible to perform new acts of worship or in new ways that were not in accordance with the methodology of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, such as supplicating in a chanting voice while the Imam ascends the pulpit, or reciting Salat al-Fatih, or a communal recitation from Dala'il al-Khayrat, or a communal Khatmah, or al-Hizb al-Latif, and is it permissible to participate with them?

The fundamental principle regarding acts of worship (ibadah) is strict adherence (tawqif); it is not permissible to worship Allah except through what He has legislated and what the evidence supports. Just as innovation in the essence of worship is not allowed, so too is innovation in its quantity, time, place, manner, or cause.

The Chosen One, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever performs an action that is not in accordance with our matter, it will be rejected," and "Whoever innovates into this matter of ours something that is not from it, it will be rejected," and "Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me. Cling to it with your molars. And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance."

The criterion is not the abundance of worship, but rather its conformity to the Sunnah, far removed from innovation. Ibn Mas'ud indicated that "moderation in the Sunnah is better than exertion in innovation," and that a small innovation is a harbinger of a large innovation. We have seen the majority of those who engaged in the circles that Ibn Mas'ud criticized joining the Khawarij in rebellion on the Day of Nahrawan.

Therefore, commitment to collective dhikr and its continuous practice is an innovation and is not permissible, even if dhikr itself is legitimate.