There is an angel on every door of the mosque recording him first who (comes) first (to the mosque for Friday prayer). And he [the Prophet] likened him to one who offers a camel as a sacrifice and then he went on in the descending order till he reached the point at which the minimum (sacrifice) is that of an egg. And when the Imam sits (on the pulpit) the sheets are folded and they (the angels) attend to the mention of Allah.
Hadith Text & Context
This narration from Sahih Muslim 850d describes the immense spiritual merit of proceeding early to the mosque for the Friday prayer (Salat al-Jumu'ah). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ uses a powerful analogy of offering sacrificial animals to illustrate the descending scale of reward based on one's timing.
Commentary on the Recording Angels
The hadith establishes that angels are stationed at the mosque's doors to meticulously record the order in which believers arrive. This divine record-keeping underscores the significance Allah places on this communal act of worship and the zeal with which His servants seek it.
The "sheets" or "scrolls" mentioned refer to the records the angels are keeping. Once the Imam ascends the pulpit to deliver the sermon (khutbah), the angels fold these records and themselves join the congregation to listen to the remembrance of Allah (dhikr). This signifies the transition from recording the act of coming to the mosque to the primary objective: engaging in the sermon and prayer.
Exegesis of the Sacrificial Analogy
The Prophet ﷺ likened the reward of the firstcomer to one who sacrifices a camel, the most valuable animal commonly offered. Each subsequent arrival receives a reward equivalent to a lesser sacrifice: a cow, a ram, a chicken, and finally, an egg for the last of the earlycomers.
This analogy serves multiple purposes: It quantifies the abstract spiritual reward in tangible, familiar terms. It creates a strong incentive (targhib) for Muslims to hasten to the prayer. It visually represents the principle that deeds are graded according to their excellence and the effort involved.
Legal & Spiritual Implications
This hadith establishes the confirmed Sunnah (Mu'akkadah) of going early to the Friday prayer. It is not merely about being on time, but about striving to be among the very first, thereby maximizing one's spiritual gain.
The cessation of the angels' recording when the Imam sits indicates that the special merit for early arrival is tied to the time before the sermon begins. After this point, the focus shifts entirely to the obligatory acts of listening to the khutbah in silence and performing the prayer.
The core lesson is that Allah honors and rewards the zeal and earnestness of His servants. The one who organizes their affairs to prioritize the Friday prayer demonstrates the true state of their heart and its attachment to the remembrance of Allah.