Is competing in the abundance of prayers upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) on Friday included within the warnings against increasing acts of worship beyond what the Prophet and his companions did, such as the hadith about the Khawarij, and the hadith about the three who wanted to increase their worship, and Ibn Mas'ud's disapproval of the people of remembrance? And are we in danger if we continue to do so? And are absolute acts of worship restricted by the actions of the Prophet and his companions, or is it permissible to perform from them that which has no restriction?

Engaging in abundant unrestricted remembrance (dhikr) and other acts of worship is praiseworthy, and should not be curtailed out of fear of resembling the Khawarij. The Khawarij were condemned for their ignorance and extremism, not for the abundance of their worship. The Prophet, peace be upon him, encouraged a way of life that combines worship with normal daily activities, cautioning against monasticism and extremism in it, stating, "Whoever turns away from my Sunnah (definition) is not of me." As for inviting children to compete in remembrance (dhikr) with a specific number in exchange for a prize, this is not commendable, out of fear of ostentation (riya') and self-admiration (ʿujb). It is better to encourage them to increase their remembrance without specifying a number or competition.