Do you hear the Adhān?" He replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, he said: "Then respond to it
Authenticعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلٌ أَعْمَى، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِي قَائِدٌ يَقُودُنِي إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُرَخِّصَ لَهُ فَيُصَلِّيَ فِي بَيْتِهِ، فَرَخَّصَ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا وَلَّى دَعَاهُ، فَقَالَ: «هَلْ تَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ بِالصَّلَاةِ؟» فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: «فَأَجِبْ».
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A blind man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have no one to lead me to the mosque." He asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to allow him to pray at home, which the Messenger of Allah did. When the man was leaving, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called him back and said: "Do you hear the Adhān?" He replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, he said: "Then respond to it."
Explanation
A blind man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I am blind and have no one to help me and take me by the hand to the mosque for the five prayers. He sought a dispensation from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to not attend the prayer in congregation. As he gave him the dispensation and the man turned his back to leave, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called him and asked: Do you hear the Adhān? The man replied in the affirmative. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then, respond to the caller to prayer.
Benefits
- The Hadīth highlights the obligation of the congregational prayer, for a dispensation can only be sought for something due and obligatory.
- His words "Then respond" for those who hear the Adhān indicate that praying in congregation is obligatory, for a command basically denotes obligation.
Source · Narrated by Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).