Translation: Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا narrates that Rasulullah ﷺ said, “If a person, in spite of hearing the Azaan, does not go to the Masjid (and he prefers to read his Salaah at home) without a strong excuse, then his Salaah is not accepted.” When the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ inquired as to what could be a strong excuse, he replied, “Illness or fear.”
Note: It may perhaps appear from this Hadith that Salaah performed at home (after hearing the Azaan) is no Salaah at all. The Hanafis do not hold this view. According to them, though the reward and blessings promised for Fardh Salaah will not be awarded, but the person performing Salaah at home frees himself of this obligation. But in the opinion of some of the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ and their successors, Salaah with jamaat (after hearing the Azaan) is fardh, and not to join the jamaat is haraam. According to many other Ulama, such a person has not even fulfilled the obligation of that particular Salaah. However, he is surely committing the sin of leaving out jamaat. In another Hadith narrated by Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا , it is stated that such a person is guilty of disobedience to Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul ﷺ . Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا also says, “The person who does not join the jamaat after hearing the Azaan, did not intend to do good nor was any good intended for him.”
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says, “It is better to pour hot lead into the ears of a person who does not join the Jamaat.”
Translation: Hadhrat Mu’aaz bin Anas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Nabi ﷺ saying, “A person who does not go for Salaah after hearing the Azaan is doing a great wrong. He is doing an act of kufr and nifaaq.”
Note: According to this Hadith, not to join the Jamaat after hearing the Azaan is improper for a Muslim. It is the practice of a kaafir or a munaafiq. What a strong warning!
In another Hadith, it is said, “Not to join Jamaat after hearing the Azaan causes a person to be the most unfortunate and the most worthless.”
Hadhrat Sulaymaan bin Abi Hasamah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ is one of the famous people of the early days of Islam. He was born during the lifetime of Nabi ﷺ , but was too young at that time to have had the honour of listening to any Hadith directly from him. During the khilaafat of Hadhrat Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ he was made in charge of the market. One day, Hadhrat Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ found him missing in Fajr Salaah. Hadhrat Umar رضِمالله عَنا went to his house and asked his mother why Sulaymaan was not present for Fajr Salaah. She replied, “He kept on reading Nafl Salaah throughout the night, and sleep overpowered him at the time of Fajr Salaah.” At this, Hadhrat Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ said, “I would prefer reading Fajr Salaah with Jamaat than reading Nafl Salaah all night long.”
SETTING FIRE TO THE HOUSES OF THOSE WHO PERFORM THEIR SALAAH AT HOME
Translation: Hadhrat Abu Hurairah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “I desire to ask the boys to collect a huge amount of firewood. I would then go around and set fire to the houses of those who perform their Salaah at their homes without any excuse.”
Note: Rasulullah ﷺ , who was most kind and merciful towards his followers and who would be greatly pained to see them even in a little difficulty, becomes so angry that he is ready to set fire to the homes of those who read their Salaah at home.
Translation: Hadhrat Abu Darda رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying, “If there are (even) three people in a village or in a desert and they do not read their Salaah with Jamaat, shaytaan gets hold of them. Remember that Salaah with Jamaat is very necessary for you. Surely a wolf eats up a lonely sheep, and shaytaan is the wolf for the people.”
Note: People busy in farming etc. should make arrangements to read their Salaah with Jamaat when they are three or more in number. Even if they are two, it is better to read with Jamaat. The farmers in our country are generally negligent of Salaah and consider their farming a sufficient excuse for their neglect and even those who are considered pious prefer to perform their Salaah individually. If the farmers working in the fields get together and perform Salaah with Jamaat, they will receive the blessings of Allah Ta’ala. Despite the sun, rain, heat and cold, they remain busy for the sake of small worldly gains, but lose a huge amount of reward given by Allah Ta’ala by neglecting their Salaah. They could earn a reward fifty times more by reading their Salaah with Jamaat in the fields.
It is stated in a Hadith, “When a shepherd calls out the Azaan at the foot of a hill (or in the fields) and begins his Salaah, Allah Ta’ala is greatly pleased with him. He says proudly to the Malaaikah, Look at My slave! He has called out the Azaan and is performing his Salaah. He does all this out of fear for Me. I therefore grant him forgiveness and announce his entrance into Jannah.”
Translation: Somebody asked Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا , “What about a person who keeps fast all day and performs Nafl Salaah all night, but does not go to the Masjid for Jamaat and Jumu’ah?” “He is doomed to Jahannam,” replied Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا .
Note: Such a person, being a Muslim, may finally be freed from Jahannam, but who knows after how long? The ignorant Sufis and Shaikhs are very particular about Zikr and Nafl Salaah and consider this important in attaining piety, while they are not particular about Salaah with jamaat. It must be clearly borne in mind at all times that no person can achieve piety without holding on to the Sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ .
It is stated in a Hadith that Allah Ta’ala curses three people:
1. An Imaam who insists on leading the people in Salaah, although they are unhappy with him for a valid reason;
2. A woman whose husband is angry with her; and 3. A person who hears the Azaan but does not go to the Masjid for Salaah with Jamaat.
HADITH 6 – AAYAAT REVEALED ABOUT FARDH SALAAH IN THE SCRIPTURES OF ALLAH TA’ALA
Translation: Ka’b Ahbaar (rahimahullah) says, “By Him who revealed the Taurah to Moosa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ , the Injeel to Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ , the Zaboor to Dawood عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ , and the Qur-aan to Muhammad ﷺ , the following aayaat were revealed in respect of saying the Fardh Salaah in those places (masjids) where the Azaan is called out:
Translation: “On the day when the glory of Saaq is revealed (this is a special kind of tajalli) and people are ordered to make sajdah, but they will be unable to do so, their gazes will be lowered with shame and they will be covered in disgrace. This will be because they had been commanded to make sajdah when they were quite well and healthy.” (Surah Qalam -Aayaat 42-43).
Note: The ‘glory of Saaq’ refers to a particular type of glory to be displayed on the Day of Qiyaamah. All the Muslims will fall into sajdah on seeing this glory, but there will be some whose backs will turn stiff and they will not be able to fall into sajdah. Different interpretations have been given by different commentators as to who these unlucky people will be. According to this Hadith, which is also supported by another which is narrated by Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا , those shall be the people who were called for Salaah with jamaat, but did not go for it. A few other interpretations of the same are given below:
1. Hadhrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates on the authority of Rasulullah ﷺ that these shall be the people who used to perform Salaah so that they could be seen by other men.
2. These shall be the disbelievers who did not perform their Salaah at all.
3. These shall be the munaafiqeen. (Allah Ta’ala knows best and His knowledge is most perfect).
What a terrible thing to be so humiliated and disgraced on the Day of Qiyaamah that, while all the Muslims will fall into sajdah on seeing the shall be of any help.