The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the night prayer and the morning prayer. If they were to know the blessings they have in store, they would have come to them, even though crawling, and I thought that I should order the prayer to be commenced and command a person to lead people in prayer, and I should then go along with some persons having a fagot of fuel with them to the people who have not attended the prayer (in congregation) and would burn their houses with fire.
Hadith Commentary: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer
This narration from Sahih Muslim 651 b highlights the immense virtue of congregational prayers, particularly the 'Isha' (night) and Fajr (morning) prayers, while simultaneously exposing the hypocrisy of those who neglect them despite having the ability to attend.
The Burden on Hypocrites
The Prophet (ﷺ) described these prayers as "most burdensome" for hypocrites because they occur at times of comfort and rest. Night prayer requires leaving warm beds, while morning prayer interrupts deep sleep. The hypocrite's faith is weak, prioritizing worldly comfort over divine obligation.
True believers find sweetness in night vigil and dawn prayers, as mentioned in Quran 73:6: "Indeed, the night prayer is more intense and more suitable for recitation." The burden exists only for those whose hearts contain the disease of hypocrisy.
Hidden Rewards & Divine Motivation
The Prophet indicated that if people truly comprehended the blessings (thawab) of these prayers - both spiritual elevation and worldly barakah - they would attend even crawling. This emphasizes that negligence stems from ignorance of divine rewards, not the prayer's difficulty.
Scholars explain these blessings include: Allah's protection throughout the day following Fajr, recording like praying entire night for 'Isha' in congregation, and being under Allah's special care as mentioned in authentic narrations.
Severity in Protecting Congregational Prayer
The Prophet's consideration of burning the houses of absentees demonstrates the seriousness of abandoning congregational prayer without valid excuse. Classical scholars clarify this was to establish the importance of jama'ah, not to literally implement burning.
Imam Nawawi comments this shows the communal obligation (fard kifayah) of congregational prayer and the imam's responsibility to ensure community participation. The severe expression underscores how neglecting prayer damages the Muslim community's spiritual foundation.
Legal Ruling & Contemporary Application
The majority of scholars consider congregational prayer a confirmed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah), while some hold it as obligatory (wajib). This hadith provides evidence for those who consider it obligatory given the severe warning against abandonment.
Today, Muslims should prioritize mosque attendance, especially for Fajr and 'Isha'. Communities should facilitate attendance through neighborhood mosques, transportation for elderly, and educating about virtues. The spiritual consequences of neglect affect both individuals and the ummah's collective consciousness.