1. Offering salaat with jama’at is wajib according to some ulama, and sunnat-e-mu’akkadah according to others. This will be discussed in more detail, Insha Allah.

2. To offer salaat with jama’at means that at least two people must get together and offer their salaat in such a way that one person leads the salaat and the other person follows him. The person who leads the salaat is called the imam, and the person who follows him is called the muqtadi.

3. If even one person joins the imam, jama’at becomes valid. This is irrespective of whether the person is a man, woman, slave, free person, mature person or a child who has reached the age of understanding. However, for the jumu’ah and eid salaats, there has to be at least three persons apart from the imam.

4. In order for the jama’at to be valid, it is not necessary for the salaat to be a fard salaat. Even if it is a nafl salaat and two people get together and offer it with jama’at, it will be valid. This is irrespective of whether both the imam and the muqtadi are offering nafl salaat, or only the muqtadi is offering nafl salaat and the imam is offering fard salaat. However, it is makruh to make a habit of offering nafl salaat with jama’at or for more than three people to offer nafl salaat with jama’at.