Allah The Exalted and Most Honored ,has required Muslim men to join congregational prayers in the mosque: "...and bow down along with Ar-Raki'un (Those who bow down in prayer)."(2:43)
Also,The Messenger of Allah(pbuh) and his companions preserved the prayer at the mosque so perfectly that it was as if attending congregational prayer became a part of the prayer itself. For instance, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) preserved the congregational prayer even when he was travelling and during illness that preceded his death.
Presently, this dedication to the congregational prayer has almost disappeared from our mosques,except for Friday prayer,for the mosques are usually packed during the prayer.However,these crowds are now here to be seen during other prayers ,as if they were given permission to be absent from the rest of the daily prayers for which they hear the Adhan,five times a day.Do they think that they will not be questioned about this shortcoming and plain error?
The Adhan is the call to Tawhid and it should bring happiness to the heart,since it is Allah's call for Muslims to join the ranks of faithful believers in the mosque.This is why when the call to prayer was pronounced,Abu 'Imran Al-Jazni used to cry. Before that,as 'Aishah(ra) narrated of the Messenger of Allah(pbuh):
"He used to talk to us and we to him,but when the time for prayer came,it would be as if he did not know us."
Also when Ali bin Husain used to perform Wudhu, his color would change .His family asked him why this happenend to him everytime he performed Ablution,said:
"Do you know before Whose Hands i am about to stand (in prayer)?"
When Sulaiman bin Al-A'mash used to wake up at night to answer the call to nature and did not find much water for Wudhu, he would wipe his hand on the dusty wall and perform Tayammum,saying,"I fear that i might die while not in state of Wudhu. "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"Know that prayer is your best act,and only a believer would preserve Wudhu." [Ahmad,Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Hakim;Al-Albani rendered this hadith sahih]
When Mansur bin Zadhan performed Wudhu;his eyes became overflowing with tears .He was asked: "Why are you crying?
"He said,"What matter is greater than this?I am about to stand before the Hands of He Who never sleeps nor succumbs to slumber,and He might turn away from me." [Sifatu As-Safwah'vol.2,p.12]
They had these soft feelings because their hearts were righteous and their inner-selves were pure.When Yazid bin Abdullah was asked:
"Should we make a roof for our mosque?"He said, "Purify you hearts and your mosque will be sufficient for you."[Hilayatu Al-Auliya,vol.2,p.312]
Surely their mosque not having a roof will not bother those who have pure hearts and sincere intention .Rather they will be dedicated to perfectly performing the prayer so that Allah might accept it from them.
Adi bin Hathim (ra) said:
"Ever since I became Muslim, i always made sure to have Wudhu ' when the Adhan is called." [As-Siyar,vol.3,p.160]
Answering the Adhan promptly and perfectly was an integral part of the Life of Salaf, so much so, that they did not succumb to laziness nor did it become tiresome for them,even though they sustained an exalted level of vitality and vigor in this regard.They respond to the Adhan by heading towards the mosque and in the meantime ,leaving the affairs of this life behind them.
For instance, when Ibrahim bin Maymun Al-Marwazi' a jewler ,would hear the Adhan while holding up his tools his hand would not come down on the jewelry! He would then rush to the mosque to pray.They were men whose hearts were eager to answe the Adhan in obedience to the Lord of the worlds and imitating the Sunnah of the master of all the Messengers.When they heared the Adhan ,they left the affairs of this life and rushed to the obedience of Allah ,the Exalted,the Most Honored,walking to the mosque calmly and with grace.
In the present time,Muslims have lost interest in the congregational prayer as compared to our Salaf. There is a big difference between the worshippers of today and the worshippers of of yesterday. Many men today do not enter the mosque either before,during or after the Adhanis pronounced. Some might live and die without once entering the mosque to pray, except for the time when he is taken to the mosque to be prayed for! In contrast, our Salaf implemented the Prophet's statement that encouraged them to go to the mosque early to pray, so that they are able to be in the first line:
"If the people but knew the reward of (answering) the Adhan and attendance in the first line,and had to draw lots to be in it,they would do so." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Salaf were so dedicated in preserving this great command,that it was reported that Bishr bin Al-Husain made sure to be in the first line in the mosque for fifty consecutive years.However,things have changed since that time! Nowadays,you rarely see those who are adamant on preserving the congregational prayer,which is an important obligation and a great act of righteousness. There has been a loss of interest in being behind the Imam when he recites the first Takbir that starts the act of prayer,i.e., Takbir Tahrimah: Allahu Akbar, Allah is the Most Great.As for Salaf, Sa'id bin Al-Musayyab , a great scholar from the Tabi,in the second generation of Islam demonstrated their exalted mannerism in this regard when he said:
"For the past fifty years , I have never missed Takbir Tahrimah, nor have i stood behind a man in the prayer(indicating that Sa'id made sure to be in the first line behind the Imam,the leader of the prayer)." [Hilayatu Al-Auliya Wa Tabaqatu Al-Asfiya vol.2,p.163]
Allah said: "...And for this let(all) those strive who want to strive (i.e. hasten earnestly to the obedience of Allah)." Indeed the congregational prayer is a worthy prize that men should compete to earn and a noble goal to reach and attain.
Those who compete in collecting world possessions ,no matter how valued and sought after these possessions are, will be competing in collecting an insignificant prize in a world, all of which is worth less than the wing of a mosquito with Allah. In contrast, the Hereafter is heavy in Allah's scale and is the prize that should be vigorously sought to earn.
Why is it, then that some of us might not attend the first Takbir for a full year, unlike Sulaiman bin Mahran, who made sure to be behind the Imam for TAkbir Tahrimah for seventy years(except,of course, when he was travelling or very ill.)
It is a shame to see that only a few people attend the prayer with the congregation from beginning to end,in the present time, for we witness few people who do not continue the prayer after the Imam is finished with it because they started late.
Usayd bin Ja'far said: "I never saw my uncle Bishr bin Mansur miss the first Takbir , and whenever any person stood up in our mosque to ask people for help, my uncle gave him something." [Sifatus-Safwah vol.3,p.376]
Furthermore ,Waki'bin Al-Jarrah said that for almost seventy years ,Al-A'mash did not missed Takbir Tahrimah behind the Imam. Some of the Salaf would miss Takbir Tahrimah only once or twice over a span of many years.
For instance, Ibn Sama'ah said: "For forty years I only missed Takbir Tahrimah when my mother died." [As-Siyar,vol.10,p.646]
This is how dedicated they were praying and attending the congregational prayer from the beginning In this context, we could understand why Ibrahim An-Nakha'i said that:
"If you know a man's disinterest in Takbir Tahrimah, then wash your hands of him." [As-Siyar,vol.5,p.65]
Furthermore,Ibrahim At-Taymi emphasized the dedication of the Salaf to the congregational prayer when he said similar words to those stated by An-Nakha'i. Also, our Salaf were well aware of the importance of coming early to the prayer, as demonstrated by the statement of Sufyan bin uyaynah:
"Honoring the prayer includes coming before the Iqamah is recited."[Sifatu As-Safwah,vol.2,p.235]
People whowere such dedicated to the congregational prayer would certainly feel grief if they missed attending the congregational prayer,even once.Sulaiman bin Hamazah Al-Maqdisi , who was a judge in the area of Syria, said:
"Only two times I prayed alone , and I consider myself as if I did not perform these prayers at all."
He was ninety years old when he said this.They used to feel pain for missing the prayer with the congregation ,aggrieved that they lost the tremendous rewards of this righteous act.Muhammad bin Al-Mubarak As-Suri said that when sa'id bin Abdul Aziz missed the congregational prayer ,he would cry!
To them congregational prayer was worth more than any part of this life that we compete in collecting and might be lured by it to ignore praying on time.Once, Maymun bin Mahran came to the mosque late and when he was told that the people had already finished the prayer ,he said:
"WE all belong to Allah an to Him shall be our return!I prefer the congregational prayer to being the governor of Iraq." [Mukashafatu Al-Qulub ,p.364]
Some of us might miss the congregational prayer for an insignificant matter of this life,let alone being the governor of Iraq!
The Salaf so sad when they missed the congregational prayer ,that some of them, like Abdullah bin 'Umar (ra) for instance, would stand in voluntary prayer for the entire night if he missed the ISha prayer in congregation. Congregational prayer had an exalted status with these righteous men and they felt the pain of losing it, just as if they lost a loved one.They considered it a great matter and had knowledge of its essence and true value. For instance, when HAtim Al-'Asam missed the congregational prayer one time, Abu Ishaq Al-Bukhari alone gave him condolences. Hatim said:
"Had I lost a son, more than ten thousand people would have given me condolences, because religious loss to people is less important than material loss!" [Mukashafatu Al-Qulub,p.364]
This is a wise lesson of tremendous importance. We see many people condoling those who have lost loved ones, but very few , if any, give condolences for losing or missing a religious act. O Allah! Do not make us among those who fall victim to calamities and trials in religion, nor make this life the subject of our concern. Yunus bin Abdullah once said:
"What is the matter with me? When I lose a chicken I feel concerned, but when I miss the prayer in congregation ,it does not grieve me."Hilayatu Al Auliya ,vol.3, p.19]
How many among us indulge in the affairs of work and livelihood so deeply, anticipating salary increases and other prizes of life, and have trouble going to sleep because of this and other worldly concerns? In the morning, we see these people tire themselves working and doing this and that, calculating the material significance of this matter and that matter, and in the process miss the congregational prayers, yet they do not feel sad for this great loss. Some of them might attribute this shortcoming to being busy at work and sustaining their livelihood!
The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Give glad tidings of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection to those who walk in the dark to the Mosque." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]
This is a great news to those who wake up at night ,leave the delight of sleep and the softness of their beds ,recite the Adhan after the Muadhin and then walk to the mosque in calmness, during the coldness of night and in total darkness. Allah will record the steps they take to the mosque and Allah willing ,they are worthy of the glad tidings that the Prophet (pbuh) has conveyed .Therefore,neither let Satan overcome you with sleep, nor hesitate to wake up for the prayer. Wake up and rush to Paradise, as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the pious. In it, there is what no eye has ever seen , nor ear has heard and no heart has ever imagined of delights. May Allah bring you to this destination and make Paradise your final dwelling.
The Salaf used to spend much of their time performing acts of obedience and worship, even though they carried great responsibilities and work to earn their living.
For instance, Abu Yusuf, who was a judge, used to pray voluntary prayers daily , even after he was appointed a judge. Also Caliph Harun Ar-Rashid used to pray voluntarily every night , from the time he became caliph until he died, except when he was ill.
The mosque assumed a Pivotal role in their life , because it is a place to worship Allah. This is why , when 'Ata bin Yasar saw a man selling in the mosque , he said to him:
"This is the marketplace of hereafter. If you are seeking this life, then go to the marketplace of this life."
