Warning Against Not Praying In The Congregation Without A Valid Excuse
Hadith 246:
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever hears the Adhan and doesn’t answer it (by going to the prayer), there is no prayer for him except who has a valid excuse.
(Sunan Ibn Majah 793, Sahih.)
Hadith 247:
Narrated Abud Darda’:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling animal. Sa’ib said: By the word Jama’ah he meant saying prayer in company or in congregation.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 547, Sunan An-Nasai 848, Hasan, Sahih.)
Hadith 248:
Abdullah (b. Mas’ud) reported:
He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man why stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray.*
No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques without Allah recording a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and effacing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.
(Imam Al-Mundhiri quoted only till the asterisked part. Sahih Muslim 654b.)
Hadith 249:
Abu Huraira reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) found some people absenting from certain prayers and he said: I intend that I order (a) person to lead people in prayer, and then go to the persons who do not join the (congregational prayer) and then order their houses to be burnt by the bundles of fuel. If one amongst them were to know that he would find a fat fleshy bone he would attend the night prayer.
(Sahih Muslim 651a.)
Hadith 250:
Narrated Amr ibn Za’dah, Ibn Umm Maktum:
Ibn Umm Maktum asked the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: Messenger of Allah, I am a blind man, my house is far away (from the mosque), and I have a guide who does not follow me. Is it possible that permission be granted to me for saying prayer in my house? He asked: Do you hear summons (adhan)? He said: Yes. He said: I do not find any permission for you.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 552, Hasan, Sahih.)
Hadith 251:
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) who said, “Whoever hears ‘ Come to success’ and doesn’t answer it (by coming to the prayer); then he has abandoned the Sunnah of Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ﷺ “.
(At-Tabrani in Al-Awsat 7986, Sahih.)
An Encouragement To Pray Nawafil At Home
Hadith 252:
Jabir reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
When any one of you observes prayer in the mosque he should reserve a part of his prayer for his house, for Allah would make the prayer as a means of betterment in his house.
(Sahih Muslim 778.)
Hadith 253:
Abu Musa reported Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:
The house in which remembrance of Allah is made and the house in which Allah is not remembered are like the living and the dead.
(Sahih Muslim 779, Sahih Al-Bukhari.)
Hadith 254:
Abdullah bin Sa’d said:
“I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): ‘Which is better prayer in my house or prayer in the mosque?’ He said: ‘Do you not see how close my house is to the mosque?’ But praying in my house is dearer to me than praying in the mosque, apart from the prescribed prayers.’”
(Sunan Ibn Majah 1378, Sahih.)
An Encouragement To Wait For One Obligatory Prayer After The Other
Hadith 255:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
The servant is constantly in prayer so long as he is in a place of worship waiting for the prayer (to be observed in congregation), and the angels invoke (blessings upon him in these words): O Allah! pardon him. O Allah! show mercy to him, (and they continue to do so) till he returns (from the mosque having completed the prayer) or his ablution breaks. I said: How is the ablution broken? He said: By breaking of the wind noiselessly or with noise.
(Sahih Muslim 649i.)
Hadith 256:
(Repeated, Sunan At-Tirmidhi 3234.)
Hadith 257:
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri that :
He heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Shall I not tell you of something by means of which Allah expiates for sins and increases good deeds?’ They said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Performing ablution properly despite difficulties, increasing the number of steps one takes towards the mosque and waiting for the next prayer after prayer.’
(Sunan Ibn Majah 776, Hasan, Sahih.)
Hadith 258:
On the authority of Anas bin Malik that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Three are Kaffaraat (expiators of sins), three are Darajaat (raise levels), three are Manjiyyaat (cause of salvation), three are Muhlakaat (destroyers).
As for the Kaffaraat, they’re- doing wudhu properly when it is extremely cold, waiting for one Salah after the other, raising your steps for the (prayers in) congregation.
As for the Darajaat, they’re- feeding people, giving the Salam, praying at night when people are sleeping.
As for the Manjiyyaat, they’re- being just in anger or while being pleased, being moderate in poverty or richness, having the fear of Allah in private and public.
As for the Muhlakaat, they’re- being stingy, following the desires and being proud about oneself.
(Musnad Al-Bazzar (Kashf Al-Astar): 80.)
Hadith 259:
On the authority of Uqbah bin Aamir-
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The one who waits for Salah is like a Qaanit (devout worshipper) and he is written from amongst the Musalleen, from the time he leaves the house till he returns.
(Sahih Ibn Hibban 2036, Sahih.)
An Encouragement To Preserve The Fajr And Asr Salah
Hadith 260:
Abu Bakr reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
He who observed two prayers at two cool (hours) would enter Paradise.
(Sahih Muslim 635.)
Hadith 261:
Umara b. Ruwaiba is reported to have said on the authority of his father:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who observes prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting, i.e. the dawn prayer and the afternoon prayer, would not enter the (Hell) fire.
(Sahih Muslim 634.)
Hadith 262:
(Repeated, Sahih Muslim 657)
Hadith 263:
(Repeated Sahih Al-Bukhari 555.)
Being In The Masjid After Fajr.
Hadith 264:
Anas bin Malik narrated that :
the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak’ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah.” He said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Complete, complete, complete.'”
(Sunan At-Tirmidhi 586, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 265:
On the authority of Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) that he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever prays Salatus-Subh, then sits in the prayer place till he prays, he is rewarded like an accepted Umrah and Hajj.
(At-Tabrani in Al-Awsat 5598, Sahih Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 266:
Simak b. Harb reported:
I said to Jabir b. Samura: Did you sit in the company of the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him)? He said: Yes, very often. He (the Holy Prophet) used to sit at the place where he observed the morning or dawn prayer till the sun rose or when it had risen; he would stand, and they (his Companions) would talk about matters (pertaining to the days) of ignorance, and they would laugh (on these matters) while (the Prophet) only smiled.
(Sahih Muslim 670a.)
An Encouragement To Sit After Fajr, Asr And Maghrib and Do Dhikr
Hadith 267:
On the authority of Abu Umamah that he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever says after the Fajr prayer,
لا إلَه إلّا اللهُ وحدَه لا شَريكَ له، له المُلكُ وله الحمدُ يُحيي ويُميتُ بيَدِه الخيرُ وهو على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ
a hundred times, before raising his feet from the place of prayer, on that day will be the best of the people of earth in his deeds, except for one who does likewise or says more than that.
(At-Tabrani in Al-Awsat 7196, Hasan.)
Hadith 268:
On the authority of Abdur Rahman bin Ghanm from the Prophet ﷺ that he ﷺ said:
Whoever says (after finishing the prayers) before raising his feet from (the place he prayed) Maghrib and Fajr:
لا إلَهَ إلّا اللَّهُ وحدَهُ لا شريكَ لَهُ لَهُ الملْكُ ولَهُ الحمدُ يحيي ويميتُ وَهوَ على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ
Allah will record for him for every time he said that 10 good deeds, and will erase from him 10 evil deeds, and will raise him by 10 degrees, and protection from every disliked thing, and protection from Satan the accursed, and no sin will harm him except doing Shirk, on that day will be the best of the people of earth in his deeds, except for one who does likewise, saying more than that.
(Musnad Ahmad 4/227, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Warning Against Not Praying Asr Without A Valid Excuse
Hadith 269:
Abu Ad-Darda (رضي الله عنه) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever leaves the Asr Salah purposely his good deeds will be rendered null and void.
(Musnad Ahmad 6/442, Sahih.)
Hadith 270:
Narrated Ibn `Umar:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Whoever misses the `Asr prayer (intentionally) then it is as if he lost his family and property.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari 552.)
Admonishment To Fulfil The Responsibility of An Imam With Diligence And A Warning Against Being Negligent In That
Hadith 271:
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: He who leads the people in prayer, and he does so at the right time, will receive, as well as those who are led (in prayer) will get (the reward). He who delays (prayer) from the appointed time will be responsible (for this delay) and not those who are led in prayer.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 580, Sahih.)
Warning Against Leading The People As An Imam When People Dislike You
Hadith 272:
On the authority of ‘Ata bin Deenar Al-Huzaliy (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Three are such that Allah doesn’t accept from them their Salah, nor are his Salah raised to the sky, not do they (their prayers) raise above their heads. (1) A man who leads a people (as an Imam) and they dislike him, (2) a man who prays the Salatul-Janaza for someone even though he wasn’t ordered (permitted by the guardians), (3) and a woman whose husband calls her at night and she refuses him.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 1518, Sahih. )
Hadith 273:
On the authority of Abu Umamah the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“There are three whose prayers do not go any further than their ears: a runaway slave until he returns, a woman who spent the night with her husband being angry with her, and one who leads people in prayer when they dislike him.”
(Sunan At-Tirmidhi 360, Hasan.)
Virtues Of Praying In The First Row, Straightening and Filling The Gaps In The Rows And An Encouragement To Stand on The Right Side
Hadith 274:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots….
(Part of a Hadith from Sahih Al-Bukhari 615.)
Hadith 275:
It was narrated from ‘Irbad bin Sariyah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness for the first row three times and for the second row twice.
(Sunan Ibn Majah 996, Sahih.)
Hadith 276:
Abu Umamah (رضي الله عنه) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Verily Allah and His Angels supplicate for the first row. And it was asked: O Messenger of Allah! And upon the second? He ﷺ said: Verily Allah and His Angels supplicate for the first row.
And it was asked: O Messenger of Allah! And upon the second? And the Prophet ﷺ said: And upon the second.
(Musnad Ahmad 5/262, Hasan.)
Hadith 277:
On the authority of Al-Bara bin Aazib (رضي الله عنه) who said: The Prophet ﷺ would come till the end of the rows and would correct (make in line) the chests and shoulders of the people. And he ﷺ said: Do not differ (in straightening the rows) or else your hearts will be made to differ. Verily Allah and His Angels supplicate for the first row.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 1557, Sahih.)
Hadith 278:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Straighten your rows as the straightening of rows is essential for a perfect and correct prayer. ”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari 723.)
Hadith 279:
Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten the rows, stand shoulder to shoulder and fill the gaps; be gentle with their hands of your brothers, and do not leave gaps for the Shaytaan. Whoever connects a row, Allah will connect him (with His mercy), and whoever breaks a row, Allah will cut him off (from His mercy).”
(Sunan Abi Dawud 666, Sahih.)
Hadith 280:
Jabir bin Samurah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us (once) and said, “Why do you not stand in rows as the angels do before their Rubb?” We asked: “O Messenger of Allah! how do the angels stand in rows before their Rubb?” He (ﷺ) replied, “They complete each row beginning with the first and filling all the gaps.”
(Sahih Muslim 430.)
Hadith 281:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best of you are those whose shoulders are soft in prayer.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 672, Sahih Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 282:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Once the Iqama was pronounced and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) faced us and said, “Straighten your rows and stand closer together, for I see you from behind my back.’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari 719)
And in another narration- Anas added, “Everyone of us used to put his shoulder with the shoulder of his companion and his foot with the foot of his companion.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 725)
….
An Encouragement To Fill The Gaps In The Rows And Join The Rows
Hadith 283:
On the authority of Al-Bara bin Aazib (رضي الله عنه) who said: The Prophet ﷺ would come from one end of the row till the other end of the row and would correct (make in line) the chests and shoulders of the people. And he ﷺ would say: Do not differ (in straightening the rows) or else your hearts will be made to differ. Verily Allah and His Angels supplicate for the ones who pray in the first row.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 1557, Sahih.) (Check the exact reference in Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah and At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb since the Arabic text differs from Hadith 277.)
Hadith 284:
Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
The best of you are those whose shoulders are soft in Salah. And the most rewarded step from amongst the steps is that step that a man takes to fill the gaps in the rows and fill it.
(Sahih Ibn Hibban 1756, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 285:
On the authority of Aisha (رضي الله عنها) that she said, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever fills the gaps in the prayer, Allah raises his rank, and builds for him a house in Paradise.
(At-Tabrani in Al-Awsat 5797, Sahih Li Ghairihi.)
Warning Against Choosing The Later Rows And Not Straightening The Rows
Hadith 286:
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw (a tendency ) among his Companions to go to the back, so he said to them: Come forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow your lead. People will continue to keep back till Allah will put them at the back.
(Sahih Muslim 438a.)
Hadith 287:
Abu Mas’ud reported:
The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to touch our shoulders in prayer and say: Keep straight, don’t be irregular, for there would be dissension in your hearts. Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them. (Sahih Muslim 432.)
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said: You must straighten your rows, or Allah will certainly put your hearts in disputes. (Sunan Abi Dawud 662, Sahih.)
Saying Aameen Behind The Imam And During Dua And Being Moderate In Prayer
Hadith 288:
It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“The Jews do not envy you for anything more than they envy you for the Salam and (saying) ‘Ameen’.”
And in another narration-
The Jews were mentioned in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, he said:
The do not envy you as much for anything as the Friday to which Allah Guided us, and they were deviated (didn’t accept it) from that. And the Qiblah that Allah has Guided you towards and they were deviated from that. And (they envy) us telling Aameem behind the Imam.
(Musnad Ahmad 6/135, Sahih.)
Hadith 289:
On the authority of Abu Musa Al-Ashari, from a lengthy Hadith, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
When you pray make your rows straight and let anyone amongst you act as your Imam. Recite the takbir when he recites it and when he recites: Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray, say: Amin. Allah would respond you.
(Sahih Muslim 404a.)
Hadith 290:
Ibn ‘Umar reported:
While we said prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), one among the people said: Allah is truly Great, praise be to Allah in abundance. Glory be to Allah in the morning and the evening. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon, him) said: Who uttered such and such a word? A person among the people said: It is I, Messenger of Allah (who have recited these words). He (the Holy Prophet) said: It (its utterance) surprised me, for the doors of heaven were opened for It. Ibn ‘Umar said: I have not abandoned them (these words) since I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying this.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً
(Sahih Muslim 601.)
Hadith 291:
Abu Huraira reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When the Imam says:” Allah listens to him who praises Him.” you should say:” O Allah, our Lord for Thee is the praise.” for if what anyone says synchronises with what the angels say, his past sins will be forgiven.
(Sahih Muslim 409a.)
Warning Against Preceding The Imam While Raising Your Head From Ruko Or Sujood
Hadith 292:
Abu Huraira reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Does the man who lifts his head ahead of the Imam (from prostration) not fear that Allah may change his head into the head of a donkey?
(Sahih Muslim 427.)
A Warning On Not Doing The Ruku and Sujood Properly, and Not Standing Properly In The Qiyam, and Mentioning Khushoo In Salah
Hadith 293:
Narrated AbdurRahman ibn Shibl:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited to peck like a crow, and to spread (the forearms) like a wild beast, and to fix a place in the mosque like a camel which fixes its place.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 862, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 294:
Qatadah (رضي الله عنه) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
The worst of the people is the theif who steals from his Salah.
It was asked: O Messengerof Allah! How can one steal from Salah?
He ﷺ said: He doesn’t complete its Ruku or its Sujood. Or he said- He doesn’t straighten his back in the Ruku or Sujood.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 663, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 295:
On the authority of Abu Abdullah Al-Ashari, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a person not completing (perfecting) his Ruku, and pecking in his Sujood (doing it very quickly) and praying. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If this person dies upon this condition, he would die by not being in the Millah of Muhammad ﷺ.
Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The example of one who doesn’t complete his Ruku, and pecks in his Sujood, is like that of a hungry one, who eats a date or two, and it doesn’t benefit him anything.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 665, Musnad Abi Yala Al-Mawsili 7184, Hasan.)
Hadith 296:
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said that the Prophet ﷺ said: Verily a man prays for sixty years and his prayer is not accepted, for he did complete the Ruku, but he did not complete the Sujood, or, he did complete the Sujood, but he did not complete the Ruku.
(Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaibah 2980, Hasan.)
Hadith 297:
Ali (رضي الله عنه) said that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited me from reciting (the Quran) when I was in Ruku…
(Musnad Abu Yala Al-Mawsilu 315, Sahih Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 298:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) entered the mosque and a person followed him. The man prayed and went to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet (ﷺ) returned the greeting and said to him, “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” The man went back prayed in the same way as before, returned and greeted the Prophet who said, “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” This happened thrice. The man said, “By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I cannot offer the prayer in a better way than this. Please, teach me how to pray.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When you stand for Prayer say Takbir and then recite from the Holy Qur’an (of what you know by heart) and then bow till you feel at ease. Then raise your head and stand up straight, then prostrate till you feel at ease during your prostration, then sit with calmness till you feel at ease (do not hurry) and do the same in all your prayers.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari 757, Sahih Muslim 397.)
Hadith 299:
Huraith bin Qabisah narrated:
“I arrived in Al-Madinah and said: ‘O Allah! Facilitate me to be in a righteous gathering.'” He said: “I sat with Abu Hurairah and said: ‘Indeed I asked Allah to provide me with a righteous gathering. So narrate a hadith to me which you heard from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) so that perhaps Allah would cause me to benefit from it.’ He said: ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) say: “Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat. If it is complete, he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost. So if something is deficient in his obligatory (prayers) then the Lord, Mighty and Sublime says: ‘Look! Are there any voluntary (prayers) for my worshipper?’ So with them, what was deficient in his obligatory (prayers) will be completed. Then the rest of his deeds will be treated like that.”
(Sunan At-Tirmidhi 413, Sahih Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 300:
Ammar b. Yasir said:
I heard the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) say: A man returns after saying his prayer while a tenth part of his prayer, or a ninth part, or an eight part, or a seventh part, or a sixth part, or a fifth part, or a third part, or half of it, is recorded for him.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 796.)
Hadith 301:
On the authority of Abu Al-Yasar (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
From amongst you are people who pray their prayers completely, and some who pray it half, and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth, till the tenth (by rewards).
(An-Nasai in Al-Kubra 613, Hasan Li Ghairihi.)
Hadith 302:
On the authority of Abu Hurairah who said, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The Salah has three parts, Taharah is a third, Ruku is a third, Sujood is a third. Whoever offers them with their due rights (i.e. peoperly) it is accepted of him, and are accepted from him his other good deeds, and whosoever’s is rejected, his other good deeds are rejected.
(Musnad Al-Bazzar 349, Hasan, Sahih.)
Hadith 303:
Narrated Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkhir:
I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying and a sound came from his breast like the rumbling of a mill owing to weeping.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 904, Sahih.)
Hadith 304:
Uqbah bin Aamir said that the Prophet ﷺ said:
There is no Muslim, who performs Wudhu perfectly, and then stands for Salah, and he knows what he says (in Salah), he completes and his similitude (of being sinless) is like that of a newborn child, just delivered by his mother.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah 222, Sahih.)…
Saheehus-Seerah 