He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise.
Hadith Text & Reference
"He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise."
Source: Sahih Muslim, The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, Hadith: Sahih Muslim 669
Commentary on the Meaning
This noble hadith illuminates the immense spiritual reward for those who regularly attend the mosque for congregational prayers, particularly the Fajr (morning) and Maghrib (evening) prayers. The "feast in Paradise" is a magnificent metaphor for the ultimate divine pleasure and eternal bliss that awaits the believer.
The specification of "morning and evening" indicates the consistent, habitual nature of the act. It is not a one-time deed but a sustained practice that demonstrates the sincerity of one's faith and the centrality of the mosque in a Muslim's life.
Spiritual & Legal Implications
This hadith serves as a powerful encouragement (targhib) for performing the five daily prayers in congregation at the mosque. It highlights that the effort expended in walking to the mosque—leaving one's home, business, and worldly affairs—is not overlooked by Allah. Every step is recorded and generously compensated.
Scholars deduce from this that the reward is commensurate with the intention and effort. The greater the distance one traverses, or the more one struggles against personal inclinations or hardships to reach the mosque, the greater the reward and the more magnificent the heavenly feast prepared by Allah, the Most Generous.
The Nature of the Heavenly Feast
The "feast" (naqeeb) in Paradise is beyond human comprehension. The classical scholars explain that it is not merely food and drink as we know it, but a complete, sublime experience of joy, honor, and proximity to Allah. It is a feast that never causes boredom, its delights are eternal, and it is free from any negative consequences.
This promise is a manifestation of Allah's boundless grace, transforming a simple, physical act of walking into an occasion for eternal, divine honor. It affirms that the life of the Hereafter is the true life, for which this worldly life is but a preparation.