Ahadith

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: So long as you continue in the mosque for the purpose of Prayer and are not able to return home solely because of Prayer you will be deemed to be occupied in Prayer (Bokhari and Muslim).

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: The angels call down blessings on everyone of you who continues in his place of Prayer ina state of purity after the Prayer is finished, saying: Allah, forgive him; Allah have mercy. on him (Bokhari).

Anas relates that on one occasion the Holy Prophet was delayed coming to the mosque for the evening Prayer till midnight. After ‘the Prayer finished he turned to us and said: Some people said their Prayer and went and slept, but you who waited were accounted as if you were occupied with Prayer throughout (Bokhari).

Ibn Umar relates that the Holy Prophet said: Prayer with the congregation is twenty seven tirnes more beneficent than Prayer performed by oneself (Bokhari and Muslim).

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: The Prayer of a person with the congregation is twenty five times more beneficent than his Prayer at home or in his shop, and that is because when he performs his ablutions carefully and then proceeds to the mosque for the sole purpose of the Prayer, every step that he takes raises his status and wipes out his sin. While he is in his place of Prayer in a state of purity the angels keep calling down blessings on him saying: Allah, send down blessings on him; Allah, have mercy on him. He is deemed to be occupied in Prayer while he waits for it (Bokhari and Muslim).

Abu Hurairah relates that a blind person came to the Holy Prophet and submitted: Messenger of Allah, I have no one to guide me to the mosque; and he asked his permission that he might say his Prayers at home. The Holy Prophet gave him leave but as soon as he turned away the Holy Prophet called him and asked him: Can you hear the call to Prayer? He answered: Yes. The Holy Prophet said: Then respond to it (Muslim).

Ibn Umm Maktum relates that he said to the Holy Prophet: Messenger of Allah, Medina abounds in reptiles and wild beasts and being blind I cannot see my way to the mosque. He said: If you can hear the words of the call: Come to Prayer; Come to Salvation; then respond to them (Abu Daud).

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: By Him in Whose hands is my life, I have sometimes thought that I would ask for fuel to be collected and the Azan to be called, and would appoint someone to lead the Prayer and then go to those who absent themselves from Prayer and set fire to their houses before their eyes (Bokhari and Muslim).

Ibn Mas‘ud said: He who would love to meet Allah tomorrow in a state of obedience to His will should take care of these Prayers when he is summoned for them. Allah has expounded to your Prophet the ways of guidance and these Prayers are a part of them. If you were to say these Prayers at home as" does this laggard you would depart from the way of your Prophet, and if you depart from it you would have gone astray. I have known a time when only a confirmed hypocrite would stay away from them. Some of us were brought to the mosque supported between two men till they reached their place in the row (Muslim). Another version is: The Messenger of Allah taught us the ways of guidance, and part of them is Prayer in the mosque from which the Azan is called.

Abu Darda'‘ relates that he heard the Holy Prophet say: If there are three in a village or even in the desert and they do not join in Prayer, Satan would surely overcome them. So always gather together for Prayer, for a wolf would rend a solitary sheep (Abu Daud).