Question:
In a loud prayer, after the main Jama’ah finishes, some people are praying Sunnah. Meanwhile, latecomers form a second Jama’ah and pray with loud recitation. Isn’t this disturbing those praying Sunnah?
Answer:
First, we must understand that the Prophetﷺ did not prohibit a second Jama’ah. There are Hadiths where a person arrived late after the Prophetﷺ had finished the prayer. The Prophetﷺ asked, “Who will give charity to this person?” meaning, who will pray with him so he can get the reward of congregation. A person then stood up and prayed with him. This is an acceptance of a second Jama’ah.
When the Prophetﷺ permitted something, we should not worry about incidental disturbances that may arise from it. The disturbance you experience is not a valid reason to condemn the practice.
Furthermore, the best place to pray Sunnah prayers (other than the obligatory ones) is at home. The Prophetﷺ said that the best prayer is the one a person prays in his home, except for the obligatory prayers (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 731). So, the people praying Sunnah in the mosque are not choosing the best option themselves. Since the latecomers are performing an obligatory prayer in congregation, they have priority. The Sunnah prayer has no such priority. You should not feel disturbed by their prayer; it is a legitimate act in the mosque. The best course of action is to pray your Sunnah prayers at home.