when the Iqamah was pronounced for prayer during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the people would take their seats before the prophet ﷺ came to his seat.  

أَنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ تُقَامُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَيَأْخُذُ النَّاسُ مَقَامَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ  

I asked Thabit al-Bunani whether it was permissible for a man to talk after the qamah had been pronounced. He narrated a tradition on the authority of Anas: (once) the Iqamah was pronounced, and a person came to the apostle of Allah ﷺ and detained him after the Iqamah had been pronounced.  

عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَتَكَلَّمُ بَعْدَ مَا تُقَامُ الصَّلاَةُ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَعَرَضَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَجُلٌ فَحَبَسَهُ بَعْدَ مَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ  

we stood for praying at Mina when the Imam had not come out. Some of us sat down (and I too). An old man from Kufah said to me: Why did you down? I said : Ibn Buraidah, this is Sumud (i.e., waiting for the Imam in the standing condition). The old man then narrated a tradition from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awaajah on the authority of al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib: We would stand in rows during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for a long time before he pronounced Takbir. He further said; Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, sends blessings and the angles invoke blessings for those who are nearer to the front rows. No step is more liking to Allah than a step which one takes to join the row (of the prayer).  

قُمْنَا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ بِمِنًى وَالإِمَامُ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ فَقَعَدَ بَعْضُنَا فَقَالَ لِي شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ مَا يُقْعِدُكَ قُلْتُ ابْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ هَذَا السُّمُودُ فَقَالَ لِي الشَّيْخُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْسَجَةَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ كُنَّا نَقُومُ فِي الصُّفُوفِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ طَوِيلاً قَبْلَ أَنْ يُكَبِّرَ قَالَ وَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلاَئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَلُونَ الصُّفُوفَ الأُوَلَ وَمَا مِنْ خَطْوَةٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ خَطْوَةٍ يَمْشِيهَا يَصِلُ بِهَا صَفًّا  

the Iqamah was pronounced (for the night prayer) and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained engaged in talking (to a person) in the corner of the mosque. He did not begin prayer until the people slept.  

أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَجِيٌّ فِي جَانِبِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَمَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى نَامَ الْقَوْمُ  

when the Iqamah was pronounced and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw that they (the people) were small in number, he would sit down, nd would not pray; but when he saw them (the people) large in number, he would pray.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ تُقَامُ الصَّلاَةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذَا رَآهُمْ قَلِيلاً جَلَسَ لَمْ يُصَلِّ وَإِذَا رَآهُمْ جَمَاعَةً صَلَّى  

This tradition has been transmitted through a different chain of narrators in a similar way by ‘Ali b. Abi Talib.  

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ؓ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ  

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling animal. Sa'ib said: By the word Jama'ah he meant saying prayer in company or in congregation.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلاَ بَدْوٍ لاَ تُقَامُ فِيهِمُ الصَّلاَةُ إِلاَّ قَدِ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَعَلَيْكَ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّئْبُ الْقَاصِيَةَ قَالَ زَائِدَةُ قَالَ السَّائِبُ يَعْنِي بِالْجَمَاعَةِ الصَّلاَةَ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ  

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying; I thought to give orders for arranging prayer in congregation, and then to have the Iqamah called for it, then to order a man to lead the people in prayer, then to go off in company of the people who have bundles of firewood to those people who are not present at the prayer and then to burn down their houses with fire.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَتُقَامَ ثُمَّ آمُرَ رَجُلاً فَيُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ ثُمَّ أَنْطَلِقَ مَعِي بِرِجَالٍ مَعَهُمْ حُزَمٌ مِنْ حَطَبٍ إِلَى قَوْمٍ لاَ يَشْهَدُونَ الصَّلاَةَ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ بِالنَّارِ  

I thought about giving orders to some youths for gathering a bundle of firewood, then going off to some people who their prayers in their homes without any excuse, and burning down their houses over them. I (Yazid b. Yazid) said: I asked Yazid b. al-Asamm: Abu ‘Awf did he mean Friday (prayer) or any other? He replied: may my ears become deaf if I have not heard Abu Hurairah narrating it from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him); He did not mention Friday (prayer) or any other.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ فِتْيَتِي فَيَجْمَعُوا حُزَمًا مِنْ حَطَبٍ ثُمَّ آتِيَ قَوْمًا يُصَلُّونَ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ لَيْسَتْ بِهِمْ عِلَّةٌ فَأُحَرِّقُهَا عَلَيْهِمْ قُلْتُ لِيَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ يَا أَبَا عَوْفٍ الْجُمُعَةَ عَنَى أَوْ غَيْرَهَا قَالَ صُمَّتَا أُذُنَاىَ إِنْ لَمْ أَكُنْ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَأْثِرُهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا ذَكَرَ جُمُعَةً وَلاَ غَيْرَهَا  

Persevere in observing these five times of prayer where the announcement for them is made, because they are from the paths of right guidance. And Allah, the Might, the Majestic, has laid down for his prophet ﷺ the paths of right guidance. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrite was well known. I witnessed the time when a man would be brought swaying between two men till he was set up in the row (of the prayer). Every one of us has a mosque of his in his house. If you were to pray in your houses and stay from your mosques. You would abandon the Sunnah (practice) of your prophet, and if you were Abandon the Sunnah (Practice) of your Prophet, you would become an unbeliever.  

حَافِظُوا عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ حَيْثُ يُنَادَى بِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُنَّ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْهُدَى وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَرَعَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ﷺ سُنَنَ الْهُدَى وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَمَا يَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْهَا إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ بَيِّنُ النِّفَاقِ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُهَادَى بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ حَتَّى يُقَامَ فِي الصَّفِّ وَمَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ وَلَهُ مَسْجِدٌ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَلَوْ صَلَّيْتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَسَاجِدَكُمْ تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ ﷺ وَلَوْ تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ ﷺ لَكَفَرْتُمْ  

If anyone hears him who makes the call to prayer and is not prevented from joining the congregation by any excuse--he was asked what an excuse consisted of and replied that it was fear or illness--the prayer he offers will not be accepted from him.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ سَمِعَ الْمُنَادِيَ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنَ اتِّبَاعِهِ عُذْرٌ قَالُوا وَمَا الْعُذْرُ قَالَ خَوْفٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ الصَّلاَةُ الَّتِي صَلَّى  

Ibn Umm Maktum asked the Prophet ﷺ saying: Messenger of Allah, I am a blind man, my house is far away (from the mosque), and I have a guide who does not follow me. Is it possible that permission be granted to me for saying prayer in my house? He asked: Do you hear summons (adhan)? He said: Yes. He said: I do not find any permission for you.  

أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ ضَرِيرُ الْبَصَرِ شَاسِعُ الدَّارِ وَلِي قَائِدٌ لاَ يُلاَئِمُنِي فَهَلْ لِي رُخْصَةٌ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِي بَيْتِي قَالَ هَلْ تَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ لاَ أَجِدُ لَكَ رُخْصَةً  

Messenger of Allah, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina (so allow me to pray in my house because I am blind). The Prophet ﷺ said: Do you hear the call, "Come to prayer," "Come to salvation"? (He said: Yes.) Then you must come. Abu Dawud said: Al-Qasim al-Jarmi has narrated this tradition from Sufyan in a similar manner. But his version does not contain the words "Then you must come."  

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمَدِينَةَ كَثِيرَةُ الْهَوَامِّ وَالسِّبَاعِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَتَسْمَعُ حَىَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ حَىَّ عَلَى الْفَلاَحِ فَحَىَّ هَلاَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in the dawn prayer one day. And he said: Is so and so present? They said: No. He (again) asked: Is so and so present? They replied: No. He then said: These two prayers are the ones which are most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew what they contain (i.e. blessings), you would come to them, even though you had to crawl on your knees. The first row is like that of the angels, and if you knew the nature of its excellence, you would race to join it. A man's prayer said along with another is purer than his prayer said alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one, but if there are more it is more pleasing to Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic.  

صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمًا الصُّبْحَ فَقَالَ أَشَاهِدٌ فُلاَنٌ قَالُوا لاَ قَالَ أَشَاهِدٌ فُلاَنٌ قَالُوا لاَ قَالَ إِنَّ هَاتَيْنِ الصَّلاَتَيْنِ أَثْقَلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَلَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لأَتَيْتُمُوهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ وَإِنَّ الصَّفَّ الأَوَّلَ عَلَى مِثْلِ صَفِّ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَلَوْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا فَضِيلَتُهُ لاَبْتَدَرْتُمُوهُ وَإِنَّ صَلاَةَ الرَّجُلِ مَعَ الرَّجُلِ أَزْكَى مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ وَحْدَهُ وَصَلاَتُهُ مَعَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ أَزْكَى مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ مَعَ الرَّجُلِ وَمَا كَثُرَ فَهُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى  

‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be him) as saying; if anyone says the night prayer in congregation, he is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) till midnight; and he who says both the night and dawn prayer in congregation is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) the whole night.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ كَانَ كَقِيَامِ نِصْفِ لَيْلَةٍ وَمَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ وَالْفَجْرَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ كَانَ كَقِيَامِ لَيْلَةٍ  

The Prophet ﷺ said: The further one is from the mosque , the greater will be one's reward.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ الأَبْعَدُ فَالأَبْعَدُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا  

There was a certain person, out of all people of Medina, who used to pray in the mosque. I do not know that any one of them lived at a farther distance than that man. Still he never missed the prayer in congregation in the mosque. I said: it would be better if you buy a donkey and ride it in heat and darkness. He said: I do not like that my house be by the side of the mosque. The discourse reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said him about it. He said: I did it so that my walking to the mosque and return to my home when I return be recorded. He said: Allah has granted all this to you; Allah has granted all that you reckoned.  

كَانَ رَجُلٌ لاَ أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ مِمَّنْ يُصَلِّي الْقِبْلَةَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَبْعَدَ مَنْزِلاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ وَكَانَ لاَ تُخْطِئُهُ صَلاَةٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقُلْتُ لَوِ اشْتَرَيْتَ حِمَارًا تَرْكَبُهُ فِي الرَّمْضَاءِ وَالظُّلْمَةِ فَقَالَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ مَنْزِلِي إِلَى جَنْبِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَنُمِيَ الْحَدِيثُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَرَدْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ لِي إِقْبَالِي إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَرُجُوعِي إِلَى أَهْلِي إِذَا رَجَعْتُ فَقَالَ أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ أَنْطَاكَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ مَا احْتَسَبْتَ كُلَّهُ أَجْمَعَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If anyone goes out from his house after performing ablution for saying the prescribed prayer in congregation (in the mosque), his reward will be like that of one who goes for hajj pilgrimage after wearing ihram (robe worn by the hajj pilgrims). And he who goes out to say the mid-morning (duha) prayer, and takes the trouble for this purpose, will take the reward like that of a person who performs umrah. And a prayer followed by a prayer with no worldly talk during the gap between them will be recorded in Illiyyun.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ مُتَطَهِّرًا إِلَى صَلاَةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ فَأَجْرُهُ كَأَجْرِ الْحَاجِّ الْمُحْرِمِ وَمَنْ خَرَجَ إِلَى تَسْبِيحِ الضُّحَى لاَ يُنْصِبُهُ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ فَأَجْرُهُ كَأَجْرِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ وَصَلاَةٌ عَلَى أَثَرِ صَلاَةٍ لاَ لَغْوَ بَيْنَهُمَا كِتَابٌ فِي عِلِّيِّينَ  

Prayer said by a man in congregation is twenty five degrees more excellent than prayer said by him alone in his house or in the market. This is because when any of you performs ablution and does it perfectly, and goes out to the mosque having no intention except praying, and nothing moves him except prayer, then at every step which he takes his rank is elevated by one degree on account of this (walking), and one sin is remitted from him for this (walking), till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be reckoned as praying as long as he will be detained by the prayer. The angels keep on invoking blessing on any of you so long as he remains seated in the place he prayer, saying: O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah, accept his repentance so long as he does not harm anyone, or breaks his ablution.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ تَزِيدُ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَصَلاَتِهِ فِي سُوقِهِ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً وَذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ وَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ لاَ يُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ وَلاَ يَنْهَزُهُ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةُ لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلاَّ رُفِعَ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ كَانَ فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا كَانَتِ الصَّلاَةُ هِيَ تَحْبِسُهُ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ الَّذِي صَلَّى فِيهِ يَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ اللَّهُمَّ تُبْ عَلَيْهِ مَا لَمْ يُؤْذِ فِيهِ أَوْ يُحْدِثْ فِيهِ  

Prayer in congregation is equivalent to twenty-five prayers (offered alone). If he prays in a jungle, and performs its bowing and prostrations perfectly, it becomes equivalent to fifty prayers (in respect of reward). Abu Dawud said: 'Abd al-Walid b. Ziyad narrated in his version of this tradition: "Prayer said by a single person in a jungle is more excellent by multiplied degrees than prayer said in congregation."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الصَّلاَةُ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ تَعْدِلُ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ صَلاَةً فَإِذَا صَلاَّهَا فِي فَلاَةٍ فَأَتَمَّ رُكُوعَهَا وَسُجُودَهَا بَلَغَتْ خَمْسِينَ صَلاَةً  

The Prophet ﷺ said: Give good tidings to those who walk to the mosques in darkness for having a perfect light on the Day of Judgment.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ بَشِّرِ الْمَشَّائِينَ فِي الظُّلَمِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِالنُّورِ التَّامِّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ  

AbuThumamah al-Hannat said that Ka'b ibn Ujrah met him while he was going to the mosque; one of the two (companions) met his companion (on his way to the mosque) And he met crossing the fingers of my both hands. He prohibited me to do so, and said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said: If any of you performs ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then goes out intending for the mosque, he should not cross the fingers of his hand because he is already in prayer.  

وَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَامِدًا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَلاَ يُشَبِّكَنَّ يَدَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ فِي صَلاَةٍ  

Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said: An Ansari was breathing his last. He said: I narrate to you a tradition, and I narrate it with the intention of getting a reward from Allah. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: If any one of you performs ablution and performs it very well, and goes out for prayer, he does not take his right step but Allah records a good work (or blessing) for him, and he does not take his left step but Allah remits one sin from him. Any one of you may reside near the mosque or far from it; if he comes to the mosque and prays in congregation, he will be forgiven (by Allah). If he comes to the mosque while the people had prayed in part, and the prayer remained in part, and he prays in congregation the part he joined, and completed the part he had missed, he will enjoy similarly (i.e. he will be forgiven). If he comes to the mosque when the people had finished prayer, he will enjoy the same.  

إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا مَا أُحَدِّثُكُمُوهُ إِلاَّ احْتِسَابًا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ قَدَمَهُ الْيُمْنَى إِلاَّ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ ﷻ لَهُ حَسَنَةً وَلَمْ يَضَعْ قَدَمَهُ الْيُسْرَى إِلاَّ حَطَّ اللَّهُ ﷻ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَةً فَلْيُقَرِّبْ أَحَدُكُمْ أَوْ لِيُبَعِّدْ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّى فِي جَمَاعَةٍ غُفِرَ لَهُ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا بَعْضًا وَبَقِيَ بَعْضٌ صَلَّى مَا أَدْرَكَ وَأَتَمَّ مَا بَقِيَ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا فَأَتَمَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ  

The Prophet ﷺ said: whoever performs ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then goes to the mosque and finds that the people had finished the prayer (in congregation), Allah will give him a reward like one who prayed in congregation and attended it; The reward of those who prayed in congregation will not be curtailed.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ رَاحَ فَوَجَدَ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ مِثْلَ أَجْرِ مَنْ صَلاَّهَا وَحَضَرَهَا لاَ يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَجْرِهِمْ شَيْئًا  

Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from visiting the mosques of Allah, but they may go out (to the mosque) having no perfumed themselves.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ لِيَخْرُجْنَ وَهُنَّ تَفِلاَتٌ  

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying; Do not prevent the female servant your women from visiting the mosques of Allah.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ  

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying; Do not prevent your women from visiting the mosque; but their houses are better for them (for praying).  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَمْنَعُوا نِسَاءَكُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ  

I tell you that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said: Allow them; yet you say; we shall not allow them.  

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ائْذَنُوا لِلنِّسَاءِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِاللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ ابْنٌ لَهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ فَيَتَّخِذْنَهُ دَغَلاً وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ قَالَ فَسَبَّهُ وَغَضِبَ وَقَالَ أَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ائْذَنُوا لَهُنَّ وَتَقُولُ لاَ نَأْذَنُ لَهُنَّ  

yes.  

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ لَوْ أَدْرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا أَحْدَثَ النِّسَاءُ لَمَنَعَهُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا مُنِعَهُ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ يَحْيَى فَقُلْتُ لِعَمْرَةَ أَمُنِعَهُ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ  

‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud) reported the prophet ﷺ as saying; it is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ صَلاَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي بَيْتِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فِي حُجْرَتِهَا وَصَلاَتُهَا فِي مَخْدَعِهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا  

if we reserve this door for women (it would be better). Nafi' said: Ibn ‘Umar did not enter through it( the door) till he died. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated though a different chain of transmitters by 'Umar. And this is more correct.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَوْ تَرَكْنَا هَذَا الْبَابَ لِلنِّسَاءِ قَالَ نَافِعٌ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ مِنْهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ حَتَّى مَاتَ  

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: When the iqamah is pronounced for prayer, do not come to it running, but come walking(slowly). You should observe tranquility. The part of the prayer you get(along with the imam) offer it, and the part you miss complete it (afterward).  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلاَ تَأْتُوهَا تَسْعَوْنَ وَأْتُوهَا تَمْشُونَ وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا  

Come to prayer with calmness and tranquility. Then pray the part you get (long with the imam) and complete afterwards the part you miss. Abu Dawud said: Ibn Sirin narrated from Abu Hurairah the words: "he should complete it afterwards." Similarly, Abu Rafi' narrated from Abu Hurairah and Abu Dharr narrated from him the words "then complete it, and complete it afterwards." There is a variation of words in the narration from him.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ ائْتُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ فَصَلُّوا مَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ وَاقْضُوا مَا سَبَقَكُمْ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a person praying alone. He said: Is there any man who may do good with this (man) and pray along with him.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبْصَرَ رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي وَحْدَهُ فَقَالَ أَلاَ رَجُلٌ يَتَصَدَّقُ عَلَى هَذَا فَيُصَلِّيَ مَعَهُ  

Yazid prayed along with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he was a young boy. When he (the Prophet) had prayed there were two persons (sitting) in the corner of the mosque; they did not pray (along with the Prophet). He called for them. They were brought trembling (before him). He asked: What prevented you from praying along with us? They replied: We have already prayed in our houses. He said: Do not do so. If any of you prays in his house and finds that the imam has not prayed, he should pray along with him; and that will be a supererogatory prayer for him.  

عَنْ أَبِيهِأَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ غُلاَمٌ شَابٌّ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى إِذَا رَجُلاَنِ لَمْ يُصَلِّيَا فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَعَا بِهِمَا فَجِيءَ بِهِمَا تُرْعَدُ فَرَائِصُهُمَا فَقَالَ مَا مَنَعَكُمَا أَنْ تُصَلِّيَا مَعَنَا قَالاَ قَدْ صَلَّيْنَا فِي رِحَالِنَا فَقَالَ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فِي رَحْلِهِ ثُمَّ أَدْرَكَ الإِمَامَ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ فَلْيُصَلِّ مَعَهُ فَإِنَّهَا لَهُ نَافِلَةٌ  

I said the morning prayer along with the prophet ﷺ at Mina. He narrated the rest of the tradition to the same effect.  

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الصُّبْحَ بِمِنًى بِمَعْنَاهُ  

I came while the Prophet ﷺ was saying the prayer. I sat down and did not pray along with them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned towards us and saw that Yazid was sitting there. He said: Did you not embrace Islam, Yazid? He replied: Why not, Messenger of Allah; I have embraced Islam. He said: What prevented you from saying prayer along with the people? He replied: I have already prayed in my house, and I thought that you had prayed (in congregation). He said: When you come to pray (in the mosque) and find the people praying, then you should pray along with them, though you have already prayed. This will be a supererogatory prayer for you and that will be counted as obligatory.  

جِئْتُ وَالنَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَجَلَسْتُ وَلَمْ أَدْخُلْ مَعَهُمْ فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ فَانْصَرَفَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَرَأَى يَزِيدَ جَالِسًا فَقَالَ أَلَمْ تُسْلِمْ يَا يَزِيدُ قَالَ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ قَالَ فَمَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَعَ النَّاسِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ قَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ قَدْ صَلَّيْتُ فِي مَنْزِلِي وَأَنَا أَحْسِبُ أَنْ قَدْ صَلَّيْتُمْ فَقَالَ إِذَا جِئْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَوَجَدْتَ النَّاسَ فَصَلِّ مَعَهُمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ صَلَّيْتَ تَكُنْ لَكَ نَافِلَةً وَهَذِهِ مَكْتُوبَةً  

if one of us prays in his house, then comes to the mosque and finds that the iqamah is being called, and if I pray along with them ( in congregation), I feel something inside about it. Abu Ayyub replied: We asked the Prophet ﷺ about it. He said: That is a share from the spoils received by the warriors (i.e. he will receive double the reward of the prayer).  

يُصَلِّي أَحَدُنَا فِي مَنْزِلِهِ الصَّلاَةَ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي الْمَسْجِدَ وَتُقَامُ الصَّلاَةُ فَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُمْ فَأَجِدُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ سَأَلْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ سَهْمُ جَمْعٍ  

Sulayman, the freed slave of Maymunah, said: I came to Ibn Umar at Bilat (a place in Medina) while the people were praying. I said: Do you not pray along with them? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Do not say a prayer twice in a day.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ تُصَلُّوا صَلاَةً فِي يَوْمٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ  

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: He who leads the people in prayer, and he does so at the right time, will receive, as well as those who are led (in prayer) will get (the reward). He who delays (prayer) from the appointed time will be responsible (for this delay) and not those who are led in prayer.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَمَّ النَّاسَ فَأَصَابَ الْوَقْتَ فَلَهُ وَلَهُمْ وَمَنِ انْتَقَصَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا فَعَلَيْهِ وَلاَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.  

عَنْ عَقِيلَةَ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي فَزَارَةَ مَوْلاَةٌ لَهُمْ عَنْ سَلاَمَةَ بِنْتِ الْحُرِّ أُخْتِ خَرَشَةَ بْنِ الْحُرِّ الْفَزَارِيِّ قَالَتْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَتَدَافَعَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ لاَ يَجِدُونَ إِمَامًا يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ  

The one of you who is most versed in the Books of Allah should act as imam for the people; and the one who is the earliest of them in reciting (the Qur’an); if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the earliest of them to emigrate (to Medina); if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer in his house (i.e. in the house of a latter) or where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honor without his permission. Shu’bah said: I asked Isma’il: what is the meaning of his place of honor? He replied: his throne.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَأَقْدَمُهُمْ قِرَاءَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا وَلاَ يُؤَمُّ الرَّجُلُ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَلاَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ وَلاَ يُجْلَسُ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ فَقُلْتُ لإِسْمَاعِيلَ مَا تَكْرِمَتُهُ قَالَ فِرَاشُهُ  

“A man should not lead the another man in prayer. Abu Dawud said: Yahya al-Qattan narrated from Shu’bah in a similar way, i.e. the earliest of them in recitation.  

فِيهِ وَلاَ يَؤُمُّ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ  

Hajjaj b. Artata reported from Isma’il: Do not sit in the place of honour of anyone except with his permission.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً وَلَمْ يَقُلْ فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ قِرَاءَةً  

The one of you who knows most of the Qur’an should act as your imam. I knew the Qur’an better than most of them because I had memorized it. They, therefore, put me in front of them, and I would lead them in prayer. I wore a small yellow mantle which, when I prostrated myself, went up on me, and a woman of the clan said: Cover the back side of your leader from us. So they bought an ‘Ammani shirt for me, and I have never been so pleased about anything after embracing Islam as I was about that (shirt). I used to lead them in prayer and I was only seven or eight year old.  

كُنَّا بِحَاضِرٍ يَمُرُّ بِنَا النَّاسُ إِذَا أَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَكَانُوا إِذَا رَجَعُوا مَرُّوا بِنَا فَأَخْبَرُونَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَكُنْتُ غُلاَمًا حَافِظًا فَحَفِظْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قُرْآنًا كَثِيرًا فَانْطَلَقَ أَبِي وَافِدًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَعَلَّمَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَ يَؤُمُّكُمْ أَقْرَؤُكُمْ وَكُنْتُ أَقْرَأَهُمْ لِمَا كُنْتُ أَحْفَظُ فَقَدَّمُونِي فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ وَعَلَىَّ بُرْدَةٌ لِي صَغِيرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَكُنْتُ إِذَا سَجَدْتُ تَكَشَّفَتْ عَنِّي فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَارُوا عَنَّا عَوْرَةَ قَارِئِكُمْ فَاشْتَرَوْا لِي قَمِيصًا عُمَانِيًّا فَمَا فَرِحْتُ بِشَىْءٍ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ فَرَحِي بِهِ فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ وَأَنَا ابْنُ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ أَوْ ثَمَانِ سِنِينَ  

“I used to lead them in prayer with a sheet of cloth on me that was patched and torn. When I prostrated myself, my buttocks were disclosed.  

فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ فِي بُرْدَةٍ مُوصَلَةٍ فِيهَا فَتْقٌ فَكُنْتُ إِذَا سَجَدْتُ خَرَجَتِ اسْتِي  

Messenger of Allah, who will lead us in prayer? He said: The one of you who knows most of the Qur’an, or memorizes most of the Qur’an, (should act as your imam). There was none in the clan who knew more of the Qur’an than I did. They, therefore, put me in front of them and I was only a boy. And I wore a mantle, Whenever I was present in the gathering of Jarm (name of his clan), I would act as their Imam, and lead them in their funeral prayer until today. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by ‘Amr b. Salamah through a different chain of transmitter. This version has: “When my clan visited the Prophet( may peace be upon him) ....” He did not report it on the authority of his father.  

عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُمْ وَفَدُوا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَنْصَرِفُوا قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ يَؤُمُّنَا قَالَ أَكْثَرُكُمْ جَمْعًا لِلْقُرْآنِ أَوْ أَخْذًا لِلْقُرْآنِ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ جَمَعَ مَا جَمَعْتُهُ قَالَ فَقَدَّمُونِي وَأَنَا غُلاَمٌ وَعَلَىَّ شَمْلَةٌ لِي فَمَا شَهِدْتُ مَجْمَعًا مِنْ جَرْمٍ إِلاَّ كُنْتُ إِمَامَهُمْ وَكُنْتُ أُصَلِّي عَلَى جَنَائِزِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا  

when the first emigrants came (to Madina), they stayed at al-‘Asbah (a place near Madina) before the advent of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Salim, the client of Abu Hudhaifah, acted as their imam, as he knew the Qur’an better than all of them, al-Haitham(the narrator) added: and ‘Umar b. al-Khattab and Abu Salamah b. ‘Abd al-Asad were among them.  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ نَزَلُوا الْعَصْبَةَ قَبْلَ مَقْدَمِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَكَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ سَالِمٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَكَانَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ قُرْآنًا زَادَ الْهَيْثَمُ وَفِيهِمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَسَدِ  

When the time of prayer comes, call the Adhan, then call the iqamah, then the one who is oldest of you should act as your imam. The version narrated by Maslamah goes : He said: On that day we were almost equal in knowledge. The version narrated by Isma’il says: Khalid said: I said to Abu Qilabah: where is the Qur’an(i.e. why did the Prophet ﷺ not say: The one who knows the Qur’an most should act as imam)? He replied: Both of them were equal in the knowledge of the Qur’an.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ أَوْ لِصَاحِبٍ لَهُ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَأَذِّنَا ثُمَّ أَقِيمَا ثُمَّ لْيَؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُكُمَا وَفِي حَدِيثِ مَسْلَمَةَ قَالَ وَكُنَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ مُتَقَارِبَيْنِ فِي الْعِلْمِ وَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ خَالِدٌ قُلْتُ لأَبِي قِلاَبَةَ فَأَيْنَ الْقُرْآنُ قَالَ إِنَّهُمَا كَانَا مُتَقَارِبَيْنِ  

Let the best among you call the adhan for you, and the Qur'an-readers act as your imams.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ قُرَّاؤُكُمْ