The Book On The Mosques And The Congregations

It was narrated from Sulaiman bin Burdah that his father said: "The Messenger of Allah performed prayer, then a man said: 'Who was looking for the red camel?' The Prophet said: 'May you not find it! The mosques were built for that for which they were built.'"

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father, from his grandfather that: The Messenger of Allah forbade making lost-and-found announcements in the mosque.

It was narrated from Abu 'Abdullah, the freed slave of Shaddad bin Had that: He heard Abu Hurairah say: "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Whoever hears a man making a lost-and-found announcement in the mosque, let him say: "May Allah not return it to you!" For the mosques were not built for that.'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah said: "If you cannot find anywhere (for prayer) except sheep's resting-places and camels' resting-places, then perform prayer in the sheep's resting-places and do not perform prayer in the camels' resting-places."

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Mughaffal Al-Muzani said: "The Prophet said: 'Perform prayer in the sheep's resting-places and do not perform prayer in the camels' resting-places, for they were created from the devils."

'Abdul-Malik bin Rabi' bin Sabrah bin Ma'bad Al-Juhani said: "My father told me, from his father that the Messenger of Allah said: 'Do not perform prayer in the camels' resting-places, and perform prayer in the sheep's resting-places.'"

It was narrated that Fatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah said: "Whenever the Messenger of Allah entered the mosque he would say: 'Bismillah, was-salamu 'ala Rasulillah, Allahummagh-firli dhunubi waftah li abwaba rahmatika. (In the Name of Allah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, forgive me my sins and open to me the gates of Your mercy).' When he left he would say: 'Bismillah, was-salamu 'ala Rasulillah, Allahummagh-firli dhunubi waftah li abwaba fadlika. (In the Name of Allah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, forgive me my sins and open to me the gates of Your bounty).'"

It was narrated that Abu Humaid As-Sa'idi said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'When anyone of you enters the mosque, let him send peace upon the prophet, then let him say: "Allahummaftah li abwaba rahmatika (O Allah, open to me the gates of Your mercy)." And when he leaves, let him say: "Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlika. (O Allah, I ask of you from Your bounty)."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Mesenger of Allah said: "When anyone of enters the mosque, let him send peace upon the Prophet, then let him say: 'Allahumma aftahli abwaba rahmatik (O Allah, open to me the gates of Your mercy).' And when he leaves, let him send peace upon the Prophet and say: 'Allahumma- simni minash-shaitanir-rajim (O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaitan).'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'When one of you performs ablution and does it well, then he comes to the mosque with no other motive but prayer and not seeking anything other than the prayer, he does not take one step but Allah raises him in status one degree thereby, and takes away one of his sins, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque he is in a state of prayer so long as he is waiting for the prayer.'"

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah said: "When the Iqamah is called for the prayer, do not come running. Come walking with tranquility. Whatever you catch up with, pray, and whatever you miss, complete it."

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri that : He heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Shall I not tell you of something by means of which Allah expiates for sins and increases good deeds?' They said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Performing ablution properly despite difficulties, increasing the number of steps one takes towards the mosque and waiting for the next prayer after prayer.'

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "Whoever would like to meet Allah tomorrow (i.e. on the Day of Judgment) as a Muslim, let him preserve these five (daily) prayer when the call for them is given, for they are part of the ways of guidance, and Allah prescribed the ways of guidance to your Prophet. By Allah, if each of you prays in his house, you will have abandoned the Sunnah of your Prophet, and if you abandon the Sunnah of your Prophet you will go astray. I remember when no one stayed behind from the prayer except a hypocrite who was known for his hypocrisy. I have a man coming supported by two others, until he joined the row (of worshippers). There is no man who purifies himself and does it well, and comes to the mosque and prays there, but for every step that he takes, Allah raises him in status one degree thereby, and takes away one of his sins."

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever leaves his house for the prayer and says: 'Allahumma inni asa'luka bi-haqqis-sa'ilina 'alaika, wa as'aluka bi-haqqi mamshaya hadha, fa inni lam akhruj asharan wa la batran, wa la riya'an, wa la sum'atan, wa kharajtu-ttiqa'a sukhtika wabtigha'a mardatika, fa as'aluka an tu'idhani minan-nari wa an taghfira li dhunubi, Innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta. (O Allah, I ask You by the right that those who ask of You have over You, and I ask by virtue of this walking of mine, for I am not going out because of pride or vanity, or to show off or make a reputation, rather I am going out because I fear Your wrath and seek Your pleasure. So I ask You to protect me from the Fire and to forgive me my sins, for no one can forgive sins except You),' Allah will turn His Face towards him and seventy thousand angels will pray for his forgiveness."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Those who walk to the mosque in the dark are those who are diving into the mercy of Allah.'"

It was narrated that Sahl bin Sa'd As-Sa'idi said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Give glad tidings, to those who walk to the mosques in the dark, of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection.'"

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Give glad tidings to those who walk to the mosques in the dark, of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection.'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'The greater the distance from the mosque, the greater the reward.'"

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "There was a man among the Ansar whose house was the furthest house in Al-Madinah, yet he never missed prayer with the Messenger of Allah. I felt sorry for him and said: 'O so-and-so, why do you not buy a donkey to spare yourself the heat of the scorching sand, to carry over the stony ground, and to keep you away from the vermin on the ground?' He said: 'By Allah! I do not want to live so close to Muhammed.' This troubled me until I came to the house of the Prophet and mentioned that to him. He called (the man) and asked him, and he said something similar, and said that he was hoping for the reward for his steps. The Messenger of Allah said, 'You will have that (reward) that you sought.'"

It was narrated that Anas said: "Banu Salimah wanted to move from their homes to somewhere near the mosque, but the Prophet did not want the outskirts of Al-madinah to be left vacant, so he said: 'O Banu Salimah, do you not hope for the reward of your footsteps?' So they stayed (where they were)."

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: "The houses of the Ansar were far from the mosque and they wanted to move closer. Then the following Verse was revealed: 'We record that which they send before (them), and their traces.'" [Ya-Sin: 12] He said: So they remained (where they were)."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'A man's prayer in congregation is twenty-some levels higher than his prayer in his house or in the marketplace.'"

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah said: "The prayer in congregation is twenty-five times more virtuous than the prayer of anyone of you on his own."

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'the prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five levels higher than his prayer in his home.'"

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-seven levels more virtuous than a man's prayer on his own.'"

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'The prayer of a man in congregation is higher than his prayer on his own by twenty-four or twenty-five levels."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'I was thinking of commanding that the call to prayer be given, then I would tell a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go out with some other men carrying bundles of wood, and go to people who do not attend the prayer, and burn their houses down around them.'"

It was narrated that Ibn Umm Maktum said: "I said to the Prophet: 'I am an old man and blind; my house is far away, and I have no one to lead me. Is there any concession (for me not to have to attend the prayer in the mosque)?' He said: 'Can you hear the call?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then I do not find any concession for you.'"

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that: The Prophet said: "Whoever hears the call and does not come, his prayer is not valid, except for those who have an excuse."

Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn 'Umar narrated that: They heard the Prophet say on his pulpit: "People should desist from failing to attend the congregations, otherwise Allah will seal their hearts, and they will be among the negligent."