Prayer said in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer said by a single person.
Hadith Text & Reference
"Prayer said in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer said by a single person."
Source: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, Sahih Muslim, Hadith: Sahih Muslim 650 a
Commentary on the Excellence of Congregational Prayer
This hadith establishes the immense virtue and superior reward of performing the obligatory prayer in congregation (jama'ah) compared to praying individually. The specific number, twenty-seven, signifies a great multiplication of reward, not merely an addition. This indicates the profound spiritual and communal importance Islam places on congregational prayer.
The wisdom behind this excellence is manifold. It fosters unity and brotherhood among Muslims, as they stand shoulder to shoulder, rich and poor alike, before their Lord. It is a public manifestation of the religion and a means of learning the correct rulings of prayer by observing the imam. Furthermore, it requires one to leave their home and business for the sake of Allah, demonstrating submission and devotion.
Scholarly Insights & Rulings
The majority of classical scholars, including Imams Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad, hold that performing prayer in congregation is a confirmed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah), an emphatic recommendation that a Muslim should not abandon without a valid excuse. Some scholars from the Hanbali school and others considered it a communal obligation (fard kifayah), meaning it must be performed by some members of the community.
This tremendous reward is primarily for the five daily obligatory prayers performed in the mosque. The imam, the one who prays behind him, and those who fill the gaps in the rows all share in this excellence. The hadith serves as a powerful motivation to attend the mosque and strengthen the bonds of the Muslim community through this collective act of worship.