“When Friday comes, angels stand at every door of the mosque and record the names of the people who come, in order of arrival. When the Imam comes out, they close their records and listen to the sermon. The first one who comes to the prayer is like one who sacrifices a camel; the one who comes after him is like one who sacrifices a cow; the one who comes after him is like one who sacrifices a ram,” (and so on) until he made mention of a hen and an egg. Sahl added in his Hadith: “And whoever comes after that comes only to do his duty with regard to the prayer.”  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ بَابٍ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ مَلاَئِكَةٌ يَكْتُبُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَنَازِلِهِمُ الأَوَّلَ فَالأَوَّلَ فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإِمَامُ طَوَوُا الصُّحُفَ وَاسْتَمَعُوا الْخُطْبَةَ فَالْمُهَجِّرُ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ كَالْمُهْدِي بَدَنَةً ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ كَمُهْدِي بَقَرَةٍ ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ كَمُهْدِي كَبْشٍ حَتَّى ذَكَرَ الدَّجَاجَةَ وَالْبَيْضَةَ زَادَ سَهْلٌ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَمَنْ جَاءَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّمَا يَجِيءُ بِحَقٍّ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ  

It was narrated from Samurah bin Jundab that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ described the likeness of Friday, saying that those who come earliest are like the one who sacrifices a camel, then like one who sacrifices a cow, then like one who sacrifices a sheep, until he made mention of a chicken.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ضَرَبَ مَثَلَ الْجُمُعَةِ ثُمَّ التَّبْكِيرِ كَنَاحِرِ الْبَدَنَةِ كَنَاحِرِ الْبَقَرَةِ كَنَاحِرِ الشَّاةِ حَتَّى ذَكَرَ الدَّجَاجَةَ  

“I went out with ‘Abdullah to Friday (prayer), and he found three men who arrived before him. He said: ‘The fourth of four, and the fourth of four is not far away. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “On the Day of Resurrection people will gather near Allah according to how early they came to Friday (prayer), the first, second, and third.’” Then he said: ‘The fourth of four, and the fourth of four is not far away.’”  

خَرَجْتُ مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ فَوَجَدَ ثَلاَثَةً قَدْ سَبَقُوهُ فَقَالَ رَابِعُ أَرْبَعَةٍ وَمَا رَابِعُ أَرْبَعَةٍ بِبَعِيدٍ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَجْلِسُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى قَدْرِ رَوَاحِهِمْ إِلَى الْجُمُعَاتِ الأَوَّلَ وَالثَّانِيَ وَالثَّالِثَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَابِعُ أَرْبَعَةٍ وَمَا رَابِعُ أَرْبَعَةٍ بِبَعِيدٍ