The prayer of a person in congregation is twenty-seven times in excess to the prayer said alone.
Hadith Text & Reference
"The prayer of a person in congregation is twenty-seven times in excess to the prayer said alone."
Source: Sahih Muslim, The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, Hadith: 650 b
Meaning & Significance
This hadith establishes the immense spiritual merit and superiority of performing the obligatory prayers in congregation (jama'ah) at the mosque over performing them individually. The specific multiplication of reward—twenty-seven times—serves as a powerful divine incentive from the Merciful Lord, encouraging communal worship and strengthening the bonds of brotherhood among believers.
Scholarly Commentary
The scholars explain that this multiplied reward encompasses the entire prayer, not just specific parts. It reflects the grace (fadl) of Allah, rewarding the extra effort undertaken to attend the mosque—the steps taken, the abandonment of worldly distractions, and the public manifestation of faith.
Imam An-Nawawi, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, states that this hadith is a definitive proof for the superiority of congregational prayer. The number twenty-seven is a precise quantification from the Prophet (ﷺ) himself, and it is to be accepted without delving into its specific wisdom, which is known only to Allah.
This ruling primarily applies to the five daily obligatory prayers. The congregation symbolizes the unity of the Ummah, humility before Allah, and the establishment of a visible, collective act of worship that distinguishes a Muslim community.
Practical Implications
This hadith obligates Muslim men who are able to diligently strive to perform the fard prayers in the mosque. It is a sunnah mu'akkadah (a strongly emphasized tradition), to the degree that some early scholars considered it a communal obligation (fard kifayah).
The seeker of divine pleasure should therefore make a sincere effort to attain this great reward, recognizing that each prayer in congregation is like performing twenty-seven prayers in terms of spiritual recompense, though the obligation of one prayer is fulfilled.