Allah's Messenger said: "Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) spend the entire night standing (in prayer)."
Hadith Text & Reference
"Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) spend the entire night standing (in prayer)."
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 221 | Book: The Book on Salat (Prayer) | Author: Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Meaning & Significance
This noble hadith illuminates the immense virtue of performing the Isha and Fajr prayers in congregation (jama'ah). The Prophet ﷺ uses a magnificent analogy of voluntary night prayer (qiyam al-layl/tahajjud) to illustrate the extraordinary reward.
Attending Isha in congregation alone is equated to the reward of standing in prayer for half the night. Combining this with the Fajr congregation multiplies the reward to that of standing the entire night in worship.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam at-Tirmidhi classified this hadith as hasan sahih (good and authentic). Scholars explain that this demonstrates Allah's boundless generosity, granting the reward of immense voluntary worship for the comparatively easier act of obligatory prayer in congregation.
The wisdom behind emphasizing these two prayers specifically includes: 1) Isha is at a time of rest and Fajr is at a time of sleep, making them more challenging to attend, thus greater in reward. 2) They bookend the night, symbolizing the protection and blessing of the entire night. 3) They require overcoming the soul's desires for comfort and sleep.
Practical Implications
This hadith serves as a powerful motivation for Muslims to prioritize congregational prayers, especially Isha and Fajr. It encourages establishing mosque attendance as a consistent habit.
For those unable to attend the mosque due to valid excuses (illness, fear, etc.), the scholars mention that the full congregational reward is specific to mosque attendance. However, one should still strive to pray on time and earn whatever reward is possible according to their circumstance.