Virtue and Rulings of Congregational Prayer

Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when we were young and of about the same age.” That was in the Year of Delegations, 9 A.H. They were young men and they stayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for twenty nights. They came to him to learn the religion of Allah. Mālik said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was merciful and compassionate. He realized our longing for our families. He asked us about our families whom we had left behind and we told him about them. Thereupon, he said: "Go back to your people and stay with them. Teach them (religion) and command them (to adhere to it), pray so-and-so prayer at so-and-so time, and when prayer becomes due, let one of you pronounce the Adhān and let the eldest among you lead you in prayer." Another version by Al-Bukhāri adds: “Pray as you saw me pray.” This indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was famous for his mercy and compassion. He was the most merciful and the most compassionate among people towards people. When he perceived their longing for their families and asked them about their people whom they had left behind and they informed him about them, he ordered them to return home. "And let the eldest among you lead you in prayer" points out that older one should take precedence when it comes to leading prayer. And by the way, this does not contradict the Prophet’s statement: "Let the best reciter of the Book of Allah among the people lead them in prayer.” This is because these young men came to the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at the same time and apparently there was no significant difference between them in terms of the Qur’an’s recitation. Hence, he said: "And let the eldest among you lead you in prayer", because they were equal, or almost equal, in reciting the Qur’an. If they were the same in terms of reciting the Qur’an, knowledge of the Sunnah, and making the Hijrah, then the eldest among them should take precedence and lead the prayer. His statement "Pray as you saw me pray" confirms the fact that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach people their religion by words and deeds. For example, he taught the man who offered prayer hastily, saying: "When you get up to pray, perform ablution perfectly, stand facing the Qiblah, make Takbīr, recite some of what you memorize of the Qur’an, and then bow down." In the case of those young men, he chose to teach by deeds.

رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين، للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي- بيروت - بدون تاريخ. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة - بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. صحيح البخاري، للإمام أبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب - الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا - الطبعة الأولى 1430هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين، للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ.

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ‎reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and ‎blessings be upon him) said: "If your wife asks your permission to go to the mosque, do not prevent her." This is in order not to deprive her of the merit of ‎performing the congregational prayer in the mosque. The ‎Hadīth highlights the ruling on a woman going out to the ‎mosque for prayer, which is permissible. Bilāl, a son of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar, was present when his ‎father was reporting this Hadīth and said: "By Allah! We ‎will prevent them." Bilāl said so without any intention to ‎object to the legislator, as his objection was just out of his ‎jealousy and desire to protect the women, whose behavior ‎differed from what was common during the Prophet's lifetime, ‎especially regarding the wide use of adornments and the like. ‎However, his father believed that his objection was out of ‎rejection of the Prophet's Sunnah. Therefore, he angrily insulted ‎him in an unprecedented manner out of his anger and ‎zeal for Allah, the Almighty, and His Messenger (‎may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "I am ‎telling you that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace ‎and blessings be upon him) said so, and you say: 'By Allah! We will prevent them'!"‎

تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة لأحكام، لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408 هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، 1423هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the reward of the prayer that a man offers in congregation exceeds the reward of the prayer he offers in his home or market, i.e. the prayer which he offers alone, as inferred by comparing it to the congregational prayer, and because the prayers offered at home or in the market are performed individually in most cases. Congregational prayer exceeds the prayer one offers alone by the amount of twenty five times. His statement: "That is because," if "that" here refers to the virtue of prayer in congregation over praying alone, then this necessitates that this virtue is restricted to offering the prayer in congregation in the mosque. His statement: "Because if he," i.e. the person, if he performs ablution thoroughly, i.e. properly by doing the Sunnah acts and observes its etiquettes, then sets out in the direction of the mosque, with nothing causing him to go out but the prayer (if something else causes him to go out, or he goes out because of something else along with the prayer, then he will miss the following merits: He will not take a step except that he is raised one degree by it, and one sin is removed from his account, i.e. the minor sins involving rights of Allah, the Exalted. When he finishes his prayer, the angels continue to supplicate Allah for him, seeking mercy and forgiveness for him, as long as he is in his place of prayer, i.e. sitting therein. It is also probable that it means: as long as he remains in it (the place) even lying down, and does not invalidate his ablution. The praying person remains in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer," i.e. the period of time during which he is waiting for it.

الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، إسماعيل بن محمد الأنصاري، دار الفكر، دمشق، الطبعة: الأولى، 1381هـ. تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، تحقيق: محمد صبحي حلاق، مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة: العاشرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، الطبعة: الأولى، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، الطبعة: الثانية، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري الجعفي، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، الطبعة: 1423هـ.

This Hadīth shows the virtue of praying in congregation over praying alone, because praying in congregation - due to what it contains of great, immense benefit - is more virtuous and increases the reward by twenty-seven times more than praying alone. This is due to the great gap between the two in terms of achieving the target. Without a doubt, whoever misses out on this great profit is deprived.

تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، تحقيق: محمد صبحي حلاق، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة: العاشرة، 1426هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، الطبعة: الأولى، 1426هـ. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم، لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، الطبعة: الثانية، 1408هـ. صحيح البخاري، محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري الجعفي، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، الطبعة: 1423هـ.

Hadīth explanation: The tribe of Banu Salimah wanted to move from their neighborhood, which was far from the mosque, to a place closer to the mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that a part of Madīnah be depopulated (as stated in Al-Bukhāri's version of the Hadīth). He rather wished that Madīnah be expanded so that the hypocrites and polytheists see the increasing number of Muslims. He then asked them: "I heard that you all wish to move closer to the mosque?" They replied in the affirmative, so he said to them twice: "Stay in your neighborhood; your footsteps (to the mosque) are recorded for you." He also clarified that for every step they take to the mosque, they will receive a reward or one higher rank. In a relevant report, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The ones with the most reward amongst you are the ones who live farthest away (from the mosque)." He was asked: "Why is that, O Abu Hurayrah?" He answered: "Because of the many steps (taken to the mosque)." [Narrated by Mālik in al-Muwatta’, no. 33] The farther the house is from the mosque, the more chances of reward one can receive and the more of one’s sins will be erased. Such reward can be realized if one makes ablution at home, perfecting his ablution, then walks to the mosque, not rides, whether it is a short or a long distance. For every step he takes, two things are written for him: he is raised one rank and one sin is erased from his record of deeds. One of the noble Companions reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you makes ablution in the best manner, then goes out for the prayer, every time he lifts his right foot, Allah records one good deed for him, and every time he puts down his left foot, Allah erases one sin from his record of bad deeds. So live near or live far" [Abu Dāwud; classified as Sahīh by Al-Albāni]. In another Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My Lord came to me tonight in the best image - I think he meant in his sleep - and He said to me: 'O Muhammad, do you know what the Higher Assembly (in the heavens) argue about?' I said: 'Yes, they argue about expiation for sins and the raising of ranks.' He asked: 'And what are the expiation of sins and the raising of ranks?' I said: 'Staying in the mosque after the prayers, walking on foot to the congregational prayers, and making ablution when it is difficult.'" [Ahmad; classified as Sahīh by Al-Albāni] This Hadīth indicates that receiving higher ranks is realized by the following: 1. Going to the mosque in the state of ablution. 2. Intending to go to the mosque to receive reward; in accordance with the Hadīth: "Actions are rewarded by intentions, and every person will be rewarded for what he intended." [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim] 3. Leaving one's home with the sole intention of going to the mosque. 4. Walking on foot, not riding, except for someone who has a valid excuse. If a person has a valid excuse, then he may go by car. One full rotation of the car wheel is equivalent to one footstep, since it resembles lifting the foot off the ground then putting it down again. This is yet another benefit of walking to mosques, that every time one goes and returns, his footsteps are rewarded.

كنوز رياض الصالحين، أ. د. حمد بن ناصر بن عبد الرحمن العمار، دار كنوز اشبيليا، الطبعة الأولى، 1430هـ. بهجة الناظرين، الشيخ: سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، الكتاب غير نازل في الشاملة وحملته من المكتبة الوقفية، ولم أجد بيانات غير ما ذكرنا. نزهة المتقين، د. مصطفى سعيد الخن، د. مصطفى البغا، محي الدين مستو، علي الشرجبي، محمد أمين لطفي، مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت، الطبعة الأولى. 1397هـ - 1977م. شرح رياض الصالحين، الشيخ: محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن للنشر، طبع عام 1426هـ. رياض الصالحين، د. ماهر بن ياسين الفحل، الناشر: دار ابن كثير للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع، دمشق - بيروت، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428هـ - 2007م. صحيح البخاري، محمد بن اسماعيل البخاري، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، المؤلف: مسلم بن الحجاج أبو الحسن القشيري، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي - بيروت. شرح الزرقاني على موطأ الإمام مالك، المؤلف: محمد بن عبد الباقي بن يوسف الزرقاني، تحقيق: طه عبد الرءوف سعد، الناشر: مكتبة الثقافة الدينية - القاهرة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1424هـ - 2003م. موطأ الإمام مالك، المؤلف: مالك بن أنس بن مالك الأصبحي، صححه ورقمه وخرج أحاديثه وعلق عليه: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت - لبنان، عام النشر: 1406هـ - 1985م. سنن أبي داود، المؤلف: أبو داود سليمان بن الأشعث الأزدي، المحقق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد، الناشر: المكتبة العصرية، صيدا - بيروت. صحيح أبي داود - الأم، المؤلف: محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، الناشر: مؤسسة غراس للنشر والتوزيع، الكويت، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ - 2002م. مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل، المؤلف: أبو عبد الله أحمد بن محمد بن حنبل الشيباني، المحقق: شعيب الأرناؤوط - عادل مرشد، وآخرون، إشراف: د عبد الله بن عبد المحسن التركي، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى، 1421هـ - 2001م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that when a Muslim prays in a congregation, his prayer is twenty-something times better than his prayer in his house or his market. Then, he mentioned the reason, saying that when a man makes ablution and perfects it and then goes out to the mosque seeking nothing but prayer, with every step he takes, he is raised one degree and rank, and one sin is erased for him. When he enters the mosque and sits waiting for the prayer, he takes the reward and recompense of prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer, and the angels supplicate for him provided that he remains in his place where he performed the prayer, saying: "O Allah forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him! O Allah, accept his repentance!" as long as he does not break his ablution or does not do something that may harm the people or the angels.

1. The prayer of the one who prays alone in his house or workplace is valid; however, he is held sinful for abandoning the congregation without a valid excuse.
2. The prayer in congregation at the mosque is twenty-five, twenty-six, or twenty-seven times better than one's prayer alone.
3. Supplicating in favor of the believers is from the duties of the angels.
4. The merit of performing ablution before going to the mosque.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 103) (477). صحيح مسلم (1/ 459) (649). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 26). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 178). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 72). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص15). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 43). المعجم الوسيط (1/ 60).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the one who ate garlic or onion from going to the mosque so as not to offend his brothers, attending the congregational prayer, with their smell. It is a prohibition of Tanzīh (what is not strictly forbidden) from going to the mosque, not from eating them because they are from the permissible foods. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was brought a pot containing vegetables, and when he sensed an odor therein and was informed of what it contained, he refrained from eating it and brought it near to one of his Companions to eat from it; however, he disliked eating from it in imitation of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said upon seeing him: Eat, for indeed, I converse with the angels through the revelation. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the angels are offended by unpleasant odors just like people.

1. It is prohibited for whoever ate garlic, onion, or leek to go to mosques.
2. The same ruling applies to everything that has an unpleasant odor that those praying find offensive, such as the smell of smoke, tobacco, and the like.
3. The cause of prohibition is the odor. If such an odor no longer exists due to excessive cooking or anything else, then it is no longer disliked.
4. It is disliked to eat these things for one who has to attend prayer in the mosque, so that he does not miss the congregation in the mosque, as long as he does not eat them as a ploy to escape the obligation of attending, in which case it is prohibited.
5. The Prophet's abstention from eating garlic and the like is not by way of prohibition but because of conversing with Jibrīl (Gabriel) (peace be upon him).
6. The Prophet's excellent approach in teaching, as he coupled the ruling with the clarification of its cause to reassure the addressee by letting him know the rationale behind such a ruling.
7. Al-Qādi said: Based on analogy, scholars decided that this applies to places, other than mosques, where people gather for prayer, like the Eid praying area, funerals, and their likes from places where people gather for worship. The same applies to knowledge and Dhikr assemblies, banquets, and the like. However, this does not apply to markets and similar places.
8. Scholars said: This Hadīth includes evidence on forbidding one who has eaten garlic and the like from entering the mosque, even if it is empty because it is the angels' place and given the general indication of the Hadīths.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 170) (855). صحيح مسلم (1/ 394) (564)، (1/ 395) (564). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص204). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 260). تاج العروس من جواهر القاموس، للزَّبيدي (5/ 332).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings to whoever came to the mosque for worship or seeking knowledge or for any other good purpose at any time, be it in the early morning or at the end of the day, that Allah has prepared for him a place and an accommodation in Paradise whenever he goes to the mosque at night or in the morning.

1. The merit of going to the mosque and encouraging Muslims to observe the congregational prayer therein. One who does not go to mosques misses a great deal of goodness, favor, reward, and the accommodation that Allah Almighty prepares for those who come to His house.
2. People treat those who visit them in their houses generously and serve them food, and Allah Almighty is, indeed, more generous than His creation. Hence, whoever comes to His house, He treats him with bounty and prepares for him a great and huge abode.
3. One should feel happy and joyful about going to mosques because an abode is prepared for him every time he goes there in the morning or the evening according to the number of times he goes there.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 133) (662). صحيح مسلم (1/ 463) (669). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 153). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 166). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 204).