The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ

Chapter 42: The virtue of prayer in congregation, and clarifying the stern warning against staying away from it, and that it is fard kifayah

Ibn Numair reported it on the authority of his father (a preference of) more than twenty (degrees) and Abu Bakr in his narration (has narrated it) twenty- seven degrees.

Hammam b. Munabbih reported

This is what Abu Huraira reported to us from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and (in this connection) he narrated some ahadith, one of them is: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: I intend that I should command my young men to gather bundles fuel for me, and then order a person to lead people in prayer, and then burn the houses with their inmates (who have not joined the congregation).

'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying about people who are absent from Jumu'a prayer

I intend that I should command a person to lead people in prayer, and then burn those persons who absent themselves from Jumu'a prayer in their houses.

Chapter 44: Prayer in congregation is one of the sunnah of guidance

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported

He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man why stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques without Allah recording a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and effacing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.

Chapter 46: The virtue of praying `Isha and Subh in congregation

Anas b. Sirin reported

I heard Jundab b. Qasri saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who observed the morning prayer (in congregation), he is in fact under the protection of Allah and it never happens that Allah should make a demand in connection with the protection (that He guarantees and should not get it) for when he asks for anything in relation to His protection, he definitely secures it. He then throws him flatly in the Hell-fire.

Chapter 48: It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers in congregation, and to pray on hasir (palm-fiber mats), khumrah (small mats), cloth, and other pure things

Thabit reported on the authority of Anas

The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) came to us and there was none in our house but I, my mother and my aunt Umm Haram. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Stand up so that I may lead you in prayer (and there was no time for prescribed prayer). He led us in prayer. A person said to Thabit: Where stood Anas with him (the Holy Prophet)? He replied: He was on the right side. He then blessed us, the members of the household with every good of this world and of the Hereafter. My mother said: Messenger of Allah (and then, pointing towards Anas, said), here is your little servant, invoke the blessing of Allah upon him too. He then blessed me with every good, and he concluded his blessings for me (with these words): Allah! increase his wealth, and his children and make (them the source of) blessing for him.

Abdullah b. al-Mukhtar heard Musa b. Anas narrating on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him, his mother or his aunt in prayer. He made me, stand on his right side and made the woman stand, behind us.

Chapter 49: The virtue of offering the obligatory prayers in congregation, the virtue of waiting for prayer and taking many steps towards the masjid, the virtue of walking to the masjid

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Anyone amongst you who sat in a place of worship waiting for the prayer is in prayer and his ablution is not broken, the angels invoke blessing upon him (in these words): O Allah! pardon him. O Allah! have mercy upon him.

Chapter 50: The virtue of taking many steps to the masjid

Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The most eminent among human beings (as a recipient of) reward (is one) who lives farthest away, and who has to walk the farthest distance, and he who waits for the prayer to observe it along with the Imam, his reward is greater than one who prays (alone) and then goes to sleep. In the narration of Abu Kuraib (the words are):" (He waits) till he prays along with the Imam in congregation."

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported

There was a man, and I do not know of any other man, whose house was farther than his from the mosque and he never missed the prayer (in congregation). It was said to him or I said to him: It you were to buy a donkey you could ride upon it In the dark nights and in the burning sand. He said: I do not like my house to be situated by the side of the mosque, for I (eagerly) desire that my steps towards the mosque and back from it, should be recorded when I return to my family. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah has gathered all (rewards) for you.

A hadith like this has been narrated by 'Asim with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah narrated

Our houses were situated far away from the mosque; we, therefore, decided to sell our houses so that we may be able to come near the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade us (to do so) and said: There is for every step (towards the mosque) a degree (of reward) for you.

Chapter 51: Walking to prayer erases sins and raises one in status

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

The similitude of five prayers is like an overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you in which he washes five times daily Hasan said: No filthiness can remain on him.

Chapter 53: Who is more entitled to lead the prayer

A hadith like this has been narrated by Qatida with the same chain of transmitters.

Malik b. Huwairith Abu Sulaiman reported

I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with other persons and we were young men of nearly equal age, and the rest of the hadith was transmitted like the hadith narrated before.

Chapter 54: It is recommended to say qunut in all prayers if a calamity befalls the Muslims – and refuge is sought from Allah (regarding that). It is recommended to say qunut in Subh at all times. And the clarification that it is to be said after raising the head from bowing in the final rak`ah, and it is recommended to say it out loud

Abu Salama b. 'Abd al-Rahman is reported to have said that he had heard Abu Huraira saying

I would say prayer along with you which is near to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). and Abu Huraira recited Qunut in the noon and in the 'Isya' and in the morning prayer, and invoked blessing (of Allah) upon Muslims-and curse upon the unbelievers.

Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) invoked curse in the morning (prayer) for thirty days upon those who killed the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) at Bi'r Ma'una. He cursed (the tribes) of Ri'l, Dhakwan, Lihyan, and Usayya, who had disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Anas said

Allah the Exalted and Great revealed (a verse) regarding those who were killed at Bi'r Ma'una, and we recited it, till it was abrogated later on (and the verse was like this):, convey to it our people the tidings that we have met our Lord, and He was pleased with us and we were pleased with Him".

Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Qunut for a month in the dawn prayer after ruku' and invoked curse upon Bani Usayya.

'Asim reported - I heard Anas saying

Never did I ace the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) so much grieved (at the loss of a) small army as I saw him grieved at those seventy men who were called" reciters" (and were killed) at Bi'r Ma'una; and he invoked curse for full one month upon their murderers.

Khufaf b. Ima' al-Ghifari reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) aid in prayer

0 Allah I curse the tribes of Lihyan, Ri'l, Dhakwan, and 'Usayya for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Allah pardoned (the tribe of) Ghifar and Allah granted protection to (the tribe of) Aslam