Hadiths Highlighting the Merits of Congregational Prayer
There are several hadiths emphasizing the significance of praying in congregation, as detailed below:
- Narrated by Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “Whoever prays the ‘Isha’ prayer in congregation is as if he has stood for half of the night in prayer, and whoever prays the Fajr prayer in congregation is as if he has prayed the entire night.”
- Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The prayer in congregation is superior to the prayer offered alone by twenty-five degrees.”
Hadiths Regarding Those Who Neglect Congregational Prayer
Several hadiths address the issue of individuals who forsake congregational prayer, as highlighted below:
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I have certainly considered instructing a man to lead the prayer for the people then to go to men who are absent and set their houses on fire with bundles of firewood. If any of them knew that there was a good piece of food available, they would surely attend the ‘Isha’ prayer.”
This indicates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) affirmed that some individuals neglect congregational prayer out of laziness rather than legitimate excuses. However, if they knew that there was food available in the mosque after the prayer, even if it was little, or if they found any worldly benefit, they would attend the prayer and join the congregation, prioritizing worldly gains over what benefits them in the Hereafter.
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “I have seen that none neglects the prayer except for a hypocrite whose hypocrisy is known, or someone who is ill. Even the sick would walk between two men to attend the prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught us the Sunnah of guidance, and among the Sunnahs of guidance is to pray in the mosque where the call to prayer is made.”
Hadiths on Congregational Prayer During Travel
Various hadiths discuss the practice of congregational prayer while traveling, listed as follows:
- Malik ibn al-Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “Two men came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) wishing to travel. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed: ‘When you both set out, let one of you call the adhan, and the other should establish the prayer, and let the elder of you lead the prayer.’”
- Amir ibn Rabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) recounted: “We were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during a journey when it became overcast, and we were uncertain about the qibla. We prayed and made our judgment. When the sun rose, we realized that we had prayed facing the wrong direction. We mentioned this to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and Allah revealed: ‘Wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah.’”
Hadiths on Congregational Prayer in the Mosque
Multiple hadiths are reported concerning congregational prayer in the mosque, as detailed below:
- Narrated by Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever performs ablution for prayer and makes it complete, then walks to the obligatory prayer and prays with the people or in the mosque, all his sins will be forgiven.”
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The prayer of the congregation is more than that of any one of you praying in his house and in his market by twenty-five degrees. When one of you performs ablution well and walks to the mosque only for prayer, he does not take a step except that Allah raises him a degree and removes a sin for him until he enters the mosque. Once he enters the mosque, he is considered to be in prayer as long as he does not break his ablution, and the angels continually pray for him, saying: ‘O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him, as long as he remains in the place where he is praying.’”