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And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [al Baqarah 2:43]

Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah 1 If anyone goes out in themorning or in the evening to the masjid, Allah will prepare for him his food in Paradise as often

as he goes out in the morning or in the evening [Bukhari and Muslim]

- According to a large body of blessed Companions, their successors and Fuqaha, it is necessary

(wcjib) to offer Salah in a congregation, and it is a sin to give up the Jama'ah. According to the

opinion of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanmbal, it is fardh, just as salah is Fardh

- Abu Hurairah reports that a Companion who was blind asked the Holy Prophet for the

permission to offer Salah in his house, for there was no one to take him to the mosque and to

bring him back. The Holy Prophet allowed him to do so, but, as he was leaving,

the Prophet asked him if he could hear the call for the prayers in his house. He said that he could.

The Holy Prophet remarked: "In that case, you must come to the mosque." Another narration of

the same hadith as reported by Abu Dawud adds that the Holy Prophet said: "Then, I see no

room for making a concession in your case." [Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawud]

- The other opinion of numerous other Sahaba, Taabieen, and Fuqaha is that salaah in Jamaah

is Sunnah Muakkada (an emphasized Sunnah), similar to the two rakat before the Fardh in Fajr

salah.

:

The Messenger of Allah said, To those who go to the mosques in darkness,

give the glad tidings perfect light will be granted to them on the Day of Resurrection [Tirmidhi,

Abu Dawud]

- It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: "No Prayer is

more heavy on the hypocrites than Fajr and Isha, and if they knew what reward awaited them'

against these prayers, and what blessings, they would join them even if they had to drag

themselves on their knees. I, sometimes, feel like asking the Muazzin to call the Iqamah, and,

then, appointing someone to lead the prayers in my place, take a torch in my hand and set fire to

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the houses of the people who did not come out of their homes for joining the congregation even

after hearing the Azan." [Bukhari and Muslim]

- The Prophet was the Prophet of Mercy and yet he felt so strongly about

people not joining the salah in Jamaat.

- The statement of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, as reported by Imam Muslim: "The man who wishes to

meet Allah tomorrow (i.e.the Day of Judgment) as a true Muslim, should offer these (five)

prayers regularly and steadfastly in a place where the call for the prayers is habitually made (i.e.

a mosque), for Allah has laid down for your Prophet certain ways of good guidance (Sunnan al-

Huda), and offering the five prescribed prayers with the Jama'ah is one of them. If you offer

these prayers at home," he added pointing towards a man, "as he does, keeping away from the

Jama'ah, you will have forsaken the Sunnah of your Prophet, and if you forsake the Sunnah of

your Prophet, you will go astray. The man who (performs the wudu' or ablution and cleanses

himself in the proper manner, and then) goes to a mosque, for every step that he takes, Allah

forgives one of his sins, adds one good deed to his account and promotes him one rank higher.Our company was such that there was not a single man, except for people known for their

hypocrisy who would offer their prayers at home away from the Jama'ah, so much so that even

when a man was ill or unable to walk, he was brought to the mosque with his hands resting on

the shoulders of two men, and made to stand in the row of those who were praying

- There was a Sheikh who missed Salat in Jamaat. He was so distressed about missing out on the

reward of 27X, that he prayed the salah again 26 times (the 26 were nafl). That night, when he

was asleep, he had a dream. In his dream, he heard a voice call out, that OK, youve gotten your

reward of 27X,but how will you get the reward of saying Ameen?! SubhanAllah. We dont

think of the reward that we miss out on. It comes in the hadith, that when the Imam says Ameen,the angles also say Ameen. If the muqtadis Ameen coincides with the malaikah, all ofhis sins

are forgiven!!!

- We make excuses for not coming to the masjid saying its too far, its too cold, etc. And yet, we

dont have to think twice about going to work, or taking the kids to school, or going to the

mall

But you prefer the worldly life,

While the Hereafter is better and more enduring ]al Ala 87:16-17]