Sahih al-Bukhari

Chapter 31: Superiority of the Fajr (early morning) prayer in congregation.

Narrated Abu Salama bin `Abdur Rahman

Abu Huraira said, "I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'The reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.' " Abu Huraira then added, "Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for "Indeed, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed." (17:78).

Narrated Abu Musa

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The people who get tremendous reward for the prayer are those who are farthest away (from the mosque) and then those who are next farthest and so on. Similarly one who waits to pray with the Imam has greater reward than one who prays and goes to bed. "

Chapter 36: (The reward of a person) who waits for As-Salat (the prayer) in the mosque and the superiority of mosques

Narrated Humaid

Anas was asked, "Did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) wear a ring?" He said, "Yes. Once he delayed the `Isha' prayer till midnight and after the prayer, he faced us and said, 'The people prayed and have slept and you remained in prayer as long as you waited for it.' " Anas added, "As if I were just now observing the glitter of his ring."

Chapter 38: No Salat (prayer) (is to be offered) except the compulsory Salat after the Iqama has been pronounced for that compulsory Salat

Narrated Malik Ibn Buhaina

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed by a man praying two rak`at after the Iqama (had been pronounced). When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) completed the prayer, the people gathered around him (the Prophet) or that man and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him (protesting), Are there four rak`at in Fajr prayer? Are there four rak`at in Fajr prayer?"

Chapter 41: Can the Imam offer the Salat (prayer) with only those who are present (for the prayer)? And can be deliver a Khutba (religious talk) on Friday if it is raining?

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri

A cloud came and it rained till the roof started leaking and in those days the roof used to be of the branches of date-palms. Iqama was pronounced and I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s prostrating in water and mud and even I saw the mark of mud on his forehead.

Chapter 45: Offering Salat (prayer) in front of the people with the sole intention of teaching them the Salat of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Sunnah (legal ways etc.)

Narrated Aiyub

Abu Qilaba said, "Malik bin Huwairith came to this Mosque of ours and said, 'I pray in front of you and my aim is not to lead the prayer but to show you the way in which the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray.' " I asked Abu Qilaba, "How did he use to pray?' " He replied, "(The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray) like this Sheikh of ours and the Sheikh used to sit for a while after the prostration, before getting up after the first rak`a. "

Chapter 46: The religious learned men are entitled to precedence in leading the Salat (prayer)

Narrated Abu Musa

"The Prophet (ﷺ) became sick and when his disease became aggravated, he said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." `Aisha said, "He is a softhearted man and would not be able to lead the prayer in your place." The Prophet (ﷺ) said again, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." She repeated the same reply but he said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. You are the companions of Joseph." So the messenger went to Abu Bakr (with that order) and he led the people in prayer in the lifetime of the Prophet.

Chapter 47: Whoever stood by the side of the Imam because of a genuine cause [in Salat (prayer)]

Narrated Hisham ibn `Urwa's father

`Aisha said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer during his illness and so he led them in prayer." `Urwa, a sub narrator, added, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) felt a bit relieved and came out and Abu Bakr was leading the people. When Abu Bakr saw the Prophet (ﷺ) he retreated but the Prophet beckoned him to remain there. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat beside Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was following the prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr."

Chapter 27: If the Imam is confronted with a problem after the Iqama

Narrated Anas

Once the Iqama was pronounced and the Prophet (ﷺ) was talking to a man (in a low voice) in a corner of the mosque and he did not lead the prayer till (some of) the people had slept (dozed in a sitting posture) .

Chapter 29: Congregational Salat (prayer) is obligatory.

Al-Hassan said that his mother forbade him to dine in the congregation out of pity, which he did not obey.
Narrated Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is I was about to order for collecting firewood (fuel) and then order Someone to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer and then order someone to lead the prayer then I would go from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the (compulsory congregational) prayer. By Him, in Whose Hands my soul is, if anyone of them had known that he would get a bone covered with good meat or two (small) pieces of meat present in between two ribs, he would have turned up for the `Isha' prayer.'

Chapter 30: Superiority of the congregational Salat (prayer)

And the supplies, when the group died, went to another mosque. A people came to a mosque in which I prayed in it, so he authorized and resided in a group.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty five times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

Chapter 31: Superiority of the Fajr (early morning) prayer in congregation.

Narrated Salim

I heard Um Ad-Darda' saying, "Abu Ad-Darda' entered the house in an angry mood. I said to him. 'What makes you angry?' He replied, 'By Allah! I do not find the followers of Muhammad doing those good things (which they used to do before) except the offering of congregational prayer." (This happened in the last days of Abu Ad-Darda' during the rule of `Uthman) .

Chapter 34: The superiority of the 'Isha' prayer in congregation

Narrated Abu Huraira

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No prayer is heavier upon the hypocrites than the Fajr and the `Isha' prayers and if they knew what is in them (in reward), they would have attended them, even if (it was) crawling. Certainly, I felt the urge to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) so that he would pronounce Iqama, then order a man to lead the people (in prayer), then take a flame of fire so that I burn (the houses) upon those who had not left for the prayer yet."

Chapter 36: (The reward of a person) who waits for As-Salat (the prayer) in the mosque and the superiority of mosques

Narrated Abu Huraira

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are) a just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood), a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation), two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears."

Chapter 39: The limit set for a patient to attend the congregational Salat (prayer)?

Narrated `Aisha

"When the Prophet (ﷺ) became seriously ill and his disease became aggravated he asked for permission from his wives to be nursed in my house and he was allowed. He came out with the help of two men and his legs were dragging on the ground. He was between Al-`Abbas and another man." 'Ubaidullah said, "I told Ibn `Abbas what `Aisha had narrated and he said, 'Do you know who was the (second) man whose name `Aisha did not mention'" I said, 'No.' Ibn `Abbas said, 'He was `Ali Ibn Abi Talib.' "

Chapter 40: It is permissible to pray at one's dwelling during rain or if there is a genuine excuse

Narrated Mahmud bin Rabi` Al-Ansari

`Itban bin Malik used to lead his people (tribe) in prayer and was a blind man, he said to Allah's Apostle , "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! At times it is dark and flood water is flowing (in the valley) and I am blind man, so please pray at a place in my house so that I can take it as a Musalla (praying place)." So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went to his house and said, "Where do you like me to pray?" 'Itban pointed to a place in his house and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), offered the prayer there.

Chapter 41: Can the Imam offer the Salat (prayer) with only those who are present (for the prayer)? And can be deliver a Khutba (religious talk) on Friday if it is raining?

Narrated Anas bin Seereen

I heard Anas saying, "A man from Ansar said to the Prophet, 'I cannot pray with you (in congregation).' He was a very fat man and he prepared a meal for the Prophet (ﷺ) and invited him to his house. He spread out a mat for the Prophet, and washed one of its sides with water, and the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed two rak`at on it." A man from the family of Al-Jaruid [??] asked, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray the Duha (forenoon) prayer?" Anas said, "I did not see him praying the Duha prayer except on that day."

Chapter 42: (WHat should one do) if the meal has been served and the Iqama has been pronounced for As-Salat(the prayer)

Ibn 'Umar used to start with dinner. Abu al-Darda' said of one's jurisprudence that one is willing to meet his needs so that he accepts his prayer with his heart empty.
Narrated Ibn `Umar

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you is having his meals, he should not hurry up till he is; satisfied even if the prayer has been started."

Chapter 50: If the Imam visited some people and led them in Salat (prayer)

Narrated `Itban bin Malik Al-Ansari

The Prophet (came to my house and) asked permission for entering and I allowed him. He asked, "Where do you like me to pray in your house?" I pointed to a place which I liked. He stood up for prayer and we aligned behind him and he finished the prayer with Taslim and we did the same.