What is the ruling on making congregational Talbiyah (phrase said in Hajj and ‘Umrah) and Takbeer (saying Allaahu Akbar [Allaah is the Greatest])?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If, by 'congregational Talbiyah', the questioner means what some pilgrims do, when they make Talbiyah in one voice or that one person among the group makes Talbiyah and they repeat after him, then this act was not proven based on reports. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-‘Uthaymeen counted it as one of the errors committed during the Hajj in his book Fiqh Al-‘Ibadat. He said:

Some pilgrims make Talbiyah in a congregational voice and someone of them steps ahead or stands in the middle or in the rear and makes Talbiyah and they repeat after him in one voice. The Companions have not been reported to have done so. Anas related, "We were with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the Farewell Hajj. Some of us were making Takbeer, some were making tahleel (saying la ilaaha Illallaah [There is none worthy of worship but Allaah]), and some were making Talbiyah." This is the prescribed manner of making Talbiyah for the Muslims. Everyone makes Talbiyah on their own and without connection in this regard with someone else.

If what is meant is that they make Talbiyah aloud and congregationally without following a certain pattern, then there is nothing wrong with that, for the pilgrims of Hajj and ‘Umrah are required to make Talbiyah at its known timings. They may make it individually or in groups, and sometimes they may make Takbeer. There is nothing wrong with any of these, along with raising voices, for men.

Allaah knows best.