Six reasons to stop praying at home and start coming to the Mosque
There are many virtues of performing prayers in congregation, and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stressed its importance in many instances. Here are six reasons why every Muslim brother should stop praying at home and start praying in congregation at the Mosque.
1. It is twenty seven times the reward
The Prophet ﷺ informs us in the authentic narration that the obligatory prayer in congregation is better than an individual prayer by twenty seven times.
صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً
“The reward of the congregational prayer is twenty seven times greater (than that of the prayer offered by a person alone).”
Sahih Al Bukhari
Another narration labels it as twenty five times better. Regardless, you get the point, it’s extremely more virtuous.
2. The Angels will pray for you
In an incredibly amazing narration of the Prophet ﷺ, he says that the Angels will continue to supplicate for the one who remains in his prayer position so as long as he remains in Wudu’.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“The angels supplicate in favour of one of you so long as he remains in the place where he has performed Salat (prayer) in a state of Wudu’. They (the angels) say: ‘O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! Have mercy on him.”‘
Sahih Al Bukhari
3. Some scholars actually say it’s compulsory
After commanding us in the Quran to establish the prayer, Allah specifically says:
واركعوا مع الراكعين
“Establish prayer, pay alms-tax,1 and bow down with those who bow down.”
Quran 2:43
To “bow down with those who bow down”. Many reputable scholars understood from this verse that congregational prayer was an obligation on every male Muslim. Although not all scholars hold this view, rather saying it is a highly preferred Sunnah, it should still be enough to encourage you to increase your prayers in the Masjid.
4. It is a safeguard from hypocrisy
The Prophet warned us specifically that the hardest prayers upon the hypocrites were the Isha’ and Fajr congregational prayers. Nevertheless he advised us that had they known what was in them both, in terms of virtues and reward, they would have came to pray them even if they had to crawl.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“‘The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the ‘Isha’ prayer and the Fajr prayer. If only they knew what (reward) there is in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.'”
Bukhari & Muslim
5. You get reward of praying the whole night
Speaking of Isha’ and Fajr prayer, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that if anyone were to pray Isha’ in congregation, he would be rewarded for praying half the night, and if he were to follow it up with Fajr in congregation, it would be as though he has prayed the entire night.
Allah’s Messenger said:
“Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) spend the entire night standing (in prayer).”
Tirmidhi
6. It forgives your sins and elevates you
The Prophet informed us that one of the ways to have our sins removed and our ranks elevated is through increasing our footsteps to the Masjid.
Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri 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.’
Sunan Ibn Majah
These are just six of the many virtuous reasons why you should be praying in congregation in the Masjid. It’s never too late to start.
May Allah make us of those who regularly attend His houses. Ameen.