A man's prayer in congregation is twenty-something degrees higher than his prayer in his house and market
Authenticعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ تَزِيدُ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَصَلَاتِهِ فِي سُوقِهِ بِضْعًا وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ لَا يَنْهَزُهُ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةُ، لَا يُرِيدُ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةَ، فَلَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلَّا رُفِعَ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ، وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ، حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ، فَإِذَا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ كَانَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مَا كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ هِيَ تَحْبِسُهُ، وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ الَّذِي صَلَّى فِيهِ، يَقُولُونَ: اللهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ، اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، اللهُمَّ تُبْ عَلَيْهِ، مَا لَمْ يُؤْذِ فِيهِ، مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ فِيهِ».
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man's prayer in congregation is twenty-something degrees higher than his prayer in his house and market. When one performs ablution and perfects it, then goes out to the mosque, nothing motivates him except prayer and seeking nothing but prayer. For every step he takes, he is raised one degree and one sin is erased for him until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he remains in prayer as long as prayer is what keeps him therein. The angels will keep invoking the blessings of Allah on you as long as you are in the place where you performed prayer, saying: 'O Allah, have mercy on him! O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, accept his repentance!' as long as you do not harm anyone therein and do not break your ablution."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that when a Muslim prays in a congregation, his prayer is twenty-something times better than his prayer in his house or his market. Then, he mentioned the reason, saying that when a man makes ablution and perfects it and then goes out to the mosque seeking nothing but prayer, with every step he takes, he is raised one degree and rank, and one sin is erased for him. When he enters the mosque and sits waiting for the prayer, he takes the reward and recompense of prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer, and the angels supplicate for him provided that he remains in his place where he performed the prayer, saying: "O Allah forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him! O Allah, accept his repentance!" as long as he does not break his ablution or does not do something that may harm the people or the angels.
Benefits
- The prayer of the one who prays alone in his house or workplace is valid; however, he is held sinful for abandoning the congregation without a valid excuse.
- The prayer in congregation at the mosque is twenty-five, twenty-six, or twenty-seven times better than one's prayer alone.
- Supplicating in favor of the believers is from the duties of the angels.
- The merit of performing ablution before going to the mosque.
Source · Agreed upon
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).