Chapter undefined: PART 2, CHAPTER 1 — REWARDS FOR PERFORMING SALAAH WITH JAMAAT

Translation: Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying: “Salaah performed with Jamaat is twenty-seven times better than Salaah performed alone.”

Note: When we perform our Salaah with the intention of receiving reward from Allah Ta’ala, then why should it not be done in the Masjid, where the reward is twenty-seven times more. No one is so foolish to leave a profit that is twenty-seven times greater with a little extra work.

But we are so indifferent about the profits promised for our ibaadaat! This can be due to nothing but our indifference for Deen and the rewards for it. It is a pity that we work so hard to acquire the petty gains of this material world, but are unmindful of the gains in the Aakhirah, which bring us twenty-seven times more reward with a little extra effort. We often argue that by going to the masjid for Jamaat we will have to close the shop and therefore lose business. These and other excuses cannot stand in the way of those who have perfect Imaan in the Greatness of Allah Ta’ala and in His word; and who realise the value of the blessings and reward in the Aakhirah. It is because of such people that Allah Ta’ala says:

Translation: “Men, whom neither their trade nor commerce distracts them from the zikr (remembrance) of Allah Ta’ala and establishment of Salaah.” (Surah Noor – Aayah 37)

In the Stories of Sahaabah (chapter 5) the details of how the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ would react in their businesses at the time of Azaan has been mentioned briefly.

It is said of Saalim Haddaad رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , who was a businessman and a great Sufi that on hearing Azaan he would turn pale and grow restless. He would stand up immediately, leaving his shop open and recite these couplets:

Poetic Translation: “When Your summoner stands up to summon, quickly I stand up.” “To respond to (the summons of) The Mighty Lord Who has no peer.”

Poetic Translation: “I reply to the summons with complete submission and cheer, ‘Here am I, O Bountiful One.’”

Poetic Translation: “My face grows pale with awe and fear, and occupation in You distracts me from all other occupations.”

Poetic Translation: “I swear by You, nothing is dear to me, besides Your remembrance.” “Nothing is more beautiful for me than Your sweet name.”

Poetic Translation: “O, will there be a time for us to be together?” “A lover is happy only when he is with his Beloved.”

Poetic Translation: “He, whose eyes have seen the light of Your beauty, can never be comforted. He must die desiring for You.”

It is said in a Hadith: “People frequenting the Masjid are its pegs. The Malaaikah are their companions, who visit them when they are sick and help them when they are at their jobs.

Translation: Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “Salaah with Jamaat is twenty-five times better than Salaah which is read in a house or in a shop. When a person performs wudhu correctly and walks to the Masjid, with the intention of performing Salaah, then for each step that he takes, Allah Ta’ala gives him a reward and wipes out a sin for him. If he remains sitting in the Masjid with wudhu after the Salaah, the Malaaikah continue making dua for him, “O Allah, Have mercy on him”. As long as he keeps sitting in the Masjid waiting for Salaah, he continues to earn rewards as if he is busy in Salaah.”

Note: In Hadith No. 1, the superiority of Salaah performed with Jamaat compared to Salaah performed alone is described as being twenty-seven times more rewarding, while this Hadith mentions only twenty-five times. Various Ulama have discussed this difference. The following are some of the explanations:

1. This difference from twenty-five to twenty-seven is due to the level of ikhlaas (sincerity) in different individuals.

2. In Sirri (quiet) Salaah (i.e., Zuhr and Asr), it is twenty-five times, while in Jahri (loud) Salaah (i.e. Fajr, Maghrib and Ishaa), it is twenty-seven times.

3. In Fajr and Esha, when it is inconvenient to go out due to the cold and darkness, it is twenty-seven times, but in other Salaahs it is twenty-five times.

4. In the beginning it was twenty-five times, but subsequently, Allah Ta’ala (by special favour on the Ummah of Rasulullah ﷺ ) raised the reward to twenty-seven times. Some others have put forward a still finer explanation. They say that the reward for Salaah with Jamaat mentioned in this Hadith is not only twenty-five times but two raised to the power twenty-five (i.e. 225) which adds up to thirty-three million five hundred and fifty-four thousand four hundred and thirty-two (33 554 432). This is something not beyond the bountiful Mercy of Allah Ta’ala. When leaving out a single Salaah can be a cause of punishment in Jahannam for one Huqb (as we have seen in the last chapter), then the huge reward for one Salaah with Jamaat is also quite possible.

Rasulullah ﷺ has also explained to us how the reward goes on increasing in the case of a person who, after performing wudhu, leaves his house only with the intention of joining the Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid. Each step he takes, brings one reward as well as washes away one sin.

The houses of Banu Salama, a group of people in Madinah Munawwarah, were situated far away from the Masjid. They chose to move closer to the Masjid. Rasulullah ﷺ said to them: “Stay where you are. Every step that you take to the Masjid is a means of Sawaab (reward) for you.”

It is said in a Hadith: “The example of a person who performs wudhu at home and then leaves for the Masjid is like a person who, after wearing the ihraam at home, leaves for Haj.”

Further, in the same Hadith, Rasulullah ﷺ points to another act of great value; i.e., as long as one remains sitting in masjid after the Salaah is over, the Malaaikah make dua for him by asking for forgiveness and mercy. The Malaaikah are the innocent and obedient creation of Allah Ta’ala, so the effect that their Duas will have is obvious.

Muhammad bin Sammaak رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is a famous Shaikh.

He was the student of Imaam Abu Yusuf رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ and Imaam Muhammad رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ . He died at the age of 103. He would perform 200 rakaats of Nafl Salaah daily. He writes: “For forty years, I never missed the first takbeer of Salaah with Jamaat, except once when my mother had passed away.” The same Shaikh writes: “Once, I missed the Jamaat Salaah. I knew that Salaah with Jamaat was twenty-five times more rewarding. I, therefore, repeated the Salaah (on my own) twenty-five times to compensate for it. I heard in my dream, ‘Muhammad! You have repeated your Salaah twenty-five times (to cover up), but what about the ‘Aameen’ by the Malaaikah?’” It is reported in many Ahaadith that when the Imaam says ‘Ameen’ after Surah Faatihah, the Malaaikah also say Aameen. All the past sins of a person, who’s Aameen coincides with that of the Malaaikah, are forgiven. This is possible by performing Salaah with Jamaat. Therefore, Moulana Abdul Hayy رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , when quoting this story about the Shaikh, writes: “If a person repeats his Salaah (by himself) a thousand times, he cannot receive the sawaab of one Salaah with Jamaat.” He not only loses the ‘Ameen’ with the Malaaikah, but also the sawaab of Jamaat and the duas of the Malaaikah after Salaah and many other benefits. The duas of the Malaaikah can only be earned when the Salaah is a proper one. If the Salaah of a person is not as it should be (according to Hadith), it is flung back like a dirty rag at his face. How then can the Malaaikah make dua for him?

Translation: Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “If one wishes to meet Allah Ta’ala on the Day of Qiyaamah as a Muslim, he must perform his Salaah at a place where Azaan is called out (a Masjid). Allah Ta’ala has ordered, through His Nabi ﷺ , such practices which are nothing but complete guidance, and Salaah with Jamaat is one of them. If you start to perform your Salaah at your houses as so and so is doing, then you will be leaving out the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ , and when you leave out his Sunnah, then you will go astray. When a person performs wudhu correctly and then leaves for the Masjid, for each step that he takes, he receives one sawaab (reward) and has one sin wiped out. During the lifetime of Rasulullah ﷺ , no one would miss Jamaat except an open munaafiq (a non-Muslim pretending to be a Muslim) or a really sick person. Even the munaafiq dared not miss the Jamaat. A sick person who could be taken to the Masjid with the help of two men would be helped to join the Jamaat. And he said that Rasulullah ﷺ taught us those sunnats that are acts of Ibaadat. And amongst these sunnats is to perform salaah in a Masjid where Azaan is called out.”

Note: This shows the extreme care the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ took concerning Salaah with Jamaat. Even a sick person would be brought to the Masjid somehow or the other, even if it needed two men to help him. This concern was understandable as they found Rasulullah ﷺ himself so particular about it.

It is said that when Rasulullah ﷺ was on his deathbed, he would often faint. He made wudhu after trying several times. Though he could hardly stand up, he went to the Masjid with the help of Hadhrat Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and another Sahaabi in a condition that his mubaarak feet were dragging on the ground. Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ led the Salaah, and Rasulullah ﷺ himself joined the Jamaat.”

Hadhrat Abu Darda رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that Nabi ﷺ once said to him, “Worship Allah Ta’ala as if you see Him before you. Count yourself amongst the dead. (Don’t even regard yourself to be amongst the living. In this way, nothing will please you and nothing will cause you grief). Beware of the curse of the oppressed. Do not miss Esha and Fajar with Jamaat even if you could crawl to the Masjid.”

It is said in another Hadith, “Esha and Fajr are very hard on the munaafiq. If they knew the reward of Salaah with Jamaat, they would go to the Masjid and join the Jamaat even if they had to crawl.”

Translation: Hadhrat Anas bin Maalik رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “A person who is particular about his Salaah with Jamaat for forty days, without missing the first takbeer, receives two certificates: One of being saved from Jahannam and the other of freedom from nifaaq (being a hypocrite).”

Note: If a person is regular with his Salaah (with sincerity) for forty days and he joins the Jamaat from the very beginning (i.e. when the Imaam says the first takbeer), he shall neither be a munaafiq nor shall he go to Jahannam. A munaafiq is a person who pretends to be a Muslim, but there is kufr (disbelief) in his heart. Changes in a man takes place in periods of forty days (according to the Hadith). The sequence of man’s creation takes place in periods of 40 days. From a drop of liquid to a piece of flesh and in this way changes take place every forty days. This seems to be the significance of forty days in this Hadith. Therefore, the Sufis attach importance to this period (called Chilla in Urdu) for purposes of spiritual discipline.

Fortunate are those who do not miss their first takbeer for years on end.

Translation: Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Nabi ﷺ saying, “A person who performs wudhu properly, and, when he arrives at the Masjid, finds that the Jamaat is over, receives the reward of Jamaat. He will not receive a reward lesser than those who have performed their Salaah with Jamaat.”

Note: It is the favour and kindness of Allah Ta’ala that a slight effort is enough to earn us the reward of Jamaat, although we had missed it. Who is the loser then if we ourselves remain deprived of the gifts of the Most Kind? This Hadith also shows that we should not leave out going to the Masjid thinking that the Jamaat is over. Even if we find, on reaching the Masjid, that the Jamaat is over, we will get the full reward. However, if we are certain that the Jamaat is already over, then there is of course no point in going to the Masjid.

Translation: Hadhrat Qubaas bin Ashyam Allaysi رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “Two people performing Salaah together with one as the Imaam, are liked by Allah Ta’ala more than four people performing Salaah on their own. Similarly four people performing Salaah with Jamaat are liked by Allah Ta’ala more than eight people performing it alone. Similarly, eight people performing Salaah with Jamaat are liked by Allah more than 100 people performing it alone.”

In another Hadith it is said, “A big Jamaat is liked more by Allah Ta’ala than a small Jamaat.”

Note: People think that there is no harm in having a small Jamaat of their own at their houses or at their shops. This is not correct. Firstly, they lose the reward of performing Salaah in the Masjid and secondly, they lose the reward of Salaah with a big Jamaat. The bigger the Jamaat, the more pleasing it is to Allah Ta’ala. When our only aim is to please Allah Ta’ala, why should we not do that which is more pleasing to Him. Allah Ta’ala is pleased to see three things; a row of Musallis offering Salaah with Jamaat, a person busy in Salaah at the time of Tahajjud in the darkness of night and a person fighting in the path of Allah Ta’ala.

Translation: Hadhrat Sahl bin Sa’d رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “Give good news to those who go to the Masjid during the hours of darkness. They will have perfect light on the Day of Qiyaamah.”

Note: The importance of going to the Masjid in the darkness of the night will be realised on the dreadful Day of Qiyaamah. A person going to the Masjid in the hours of darkness in this world will be rewarded greatly in the Aakhirah. He will carry with him a light more brilliant than that of the sun.

In a Hadith it is reported that such people shall sit on thrones of noor, with no worry at all while others will be in total confusion.

In another Hadith it is said, on the Day of Qiyaamah Allah Ta’ala will ask, “Where are My neighbours?” The Malaaikah will ask, “Who are Your neighbours, O Allah?” Allah Ta’ala will reply, “Those who would frequent the Masjid.”

In a Hadith it is said, “Of all the places on this earth, the Masaajid (plural of Masjid) are the dearest to Allah Ta’ala, and the shopping centres are the most hated by Him.”

In another Hadith, the Masaajid are called, “The gardens of Jannah.”

Hadhrat Abu Sa’eed رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates in a Saheeh Hadith that, Rasulullah ﷺ once said, “Bear testimony to the Imaan of the person frequenting the masjid and then he recited the following aayah of the Qur-aan;

Translation: “Only those should attend (and care for) Allah Ta’ala's Masaajid (places for Allah Ta’ala’s worship) who believes in Allah Ta’ala and the Last Day.” (Surah Taubah – Aayah 18)

The following are few more Ahaadith regarding the rewards of Salaah with Jamaat:-1. “Making wudhu when it is difficult, walking towards the Masjid and waiting for Salaah, wipes out one’s sins.”

2. “The further a person lives from the Masjid, the greater the sawaab (reward) he receives.” This is so because a person coming from far will have to walk more. Every step will earn him a reward.

Therefore, some Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ would take small steps in going to the Masjid to earn more sawaab.

3. “There are three things in this world for which people would fight with one another if only they knew their rewards. These are: To call out the Azaan, to go to the Masjid for Zuhr in the scorching heat of the sun, and to be in the first row in Salaah with Jamaat.”

4. “Seven people will be given place under the shade of the mercy of Allah Ta’ala on the Day of Qiyaamah, when everybody will be suffering under the scorching heat of the sun. One of them will be the person whose heart remains attached to the Masjid. He is anxious to return to the Masjid if per chance he had to leave for some reason.” Another Hadith says that, “Allah Ta’ala loves those who love the Masjid.” Every command of the pure Shariah is a source of innumerable blessings and rewards from Allah Ta’ala and carries many benefits which are showered on those who follow it. Besides, no commandment of Allah Ta’ala is void of goodness, blessings and reward. It is often difficult to understand the full benefits of the commandments of Allah Ta’ala, as no one can understand His Knowledge and Wisdom. Some of the Ulama have tried to explain the importance of Salaah with Jamaat, but their explanations differ according to their ability to understand the commands of Allah Ta’ala.

Our respected Shaikh, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , writes in his famous Book ‘Hujjatullahil Balighah’: “To save the people, whether they are learned or illiterate, from the evil effects of their own customs and rituals, we have to make one of the Deeni practices so common that it may be practiced openly by everybody. The people of the city and the villages will both desire to practice it. It should become a “Further, in every community there are a few who have the ability to lead, while the rest of the people just follow. There are some people who can be corrected with a little advice or criticism. Then there is a third group of people with very weak Imaan. If they are not encouraged to make ibaadah in public, they are likely to leave it out altogether. It is therefore in the best interest of the Muslim community that all its members perform Salaah collectively in Jamaat, so that those who neglect their ibaadah may be identified from those that observe their ibaadah. This will also cause the people with less knowledge to follow the Ulama and make the ignorant to learn from the learned the specific requirements of ibaadah. Those who are making ibaadah will differentiate right from wrong and genuine from fake, so that the right and the genuine may prevail and the wrong and the fake may be stopped.”

“That group of people who love Allah Ta’ala, who seek His Mercy, always fear Him and have their hearts and souls turned to Him alone, are a cause of His blessings and Mercy to come down from the skies.”

“The Muslim community has been given the responsibility of establishing the word of Allah Ta’ala which must be held in high regard and our Deen to be dominant over all others. This object cannot be achieved unless all the Muslims, big and small, the rich and the poor, the people of the cities and the villages, all perform the highest service and the most sacred commandment of Islam (i.e., Salaah) by gathering together in one place. It is for this reason that the Shariat (Islamic Law) lays special stress on Jumuah and Salaah with jamaat, by explaining the rewards that one gets for observing it and the punishments for neglecting it. For fulfilling this important duty, two types of Jamaat Salaah are required; one for people at their local Masjid and the other for the people of the whole town. Since gathering at your local Masjid is convenient and that of gathering the entire town is a little difficult, therefore, the five times daily Salaah (with Jamaat) will be performed at their local Masjid, and the weekly Jumuah Salaah will be performed at the common town Masjid (Jaami Masjid).”

CHAPTER TWO WARNINGS FOR NOT PERFORMING SALAAH WITH JAMAAT

Just as Allah Ta’ala has promised rewards and blessings for fulfilling His commandments, He has also warned us of the dreadful punishments for neglecting it. We are the slaves of Allah Ta’ala and, therefore, it is obligatory for us to obey Him. No payment or reward is due to us for our obedience to Him. If He gives us a reward, it is surely His extreme favour on us. Similarly, no punishments can be too much for us if we disobey Allah Ta’ala, because there can be no greater crime for a slave than disobedience to his Master. Thus, no warning was required to be given by Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul ﷺ , yet they have so kindly warned us in different ways of the punishments and explained to us again and again just to save us from disaster. If even then we don’t take a lesson, who could there be to save us from the unavoidable consequences?