My father said, "While we were praying with the Prophet (ﷺ) he heard the noise of some people. After the prayer he said, 'What is the matter?' They replied 'We were hurrying for the prayer.' He said, 'Do not make haste for the prayer, and whenever you come for the prayer, you should come with calmness, and pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed."
Call to Prayers (Adhaan) - Sahih al-Bukhari 635
My father said, "While we were praying with the Prophet (ﷺ) he heard the noise of some people. After the prayer he said, 'What is the matter?' They replied 'We were hurrying for the prayer.' He said, 'Do not make haste for the prayer, and whenever you come for the prayer, you should come with calmness, and pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed."
Commentary on the Hadith
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari contains profound guidance regarding the proper etiquettes of attending congregational prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) heard commotion during prayer caused by companions rushing to join the congregation, which disturbed the tranquility essential for worship.
The prohibition against haste teaches us that the journey to the mosque should be undertaken with dignity and composure, reflecting the solemnity of the act of worship we approach. Rushing demonstrates excessive concern for worldly time rather than spiritual presence before Allah.
The instruction to "pray whatever you get" means joining the congregation in whatever rak'ah one arrives during, then completing the missed portions afterward. This preserves both the virtue of congregational prayer and the completeness of the obligatory prayer.
This teaching emphasizes that quality of worship surpasses mere quantity or timing. The calmness prescribed allows the worshipper to enter prayer with proper presence of heart and mind, fully prepared to stand before the Divine Presence.
Legal Rulings Derived
It is makruh (disliked) to run or rush to the mosque for prayer, as it disrupts the required tranquility.
One who joins congregational prayer late should begin with the takbir al-ihram and immediately follow the imam's movements.
After the imam concludes the prayer with taslim, the latecomer should stand and complete the missed rak'ahs in sequence.
The virtue of congregational prayer is attained even by joining a single rak'ah with the imam, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever catches one rak'ah of the prayer has caught the prayer."