Walk towards the Mosque

The prophet(pbuh) said,” He who goes to the mosque in the morning or in the evening, Allah prepares for him a place in Jannah whenever he goes to mosque in the morning and returns from it in evening” [Muslim]

The above Hadith stresses on the merit of going to Mosque, no matter in the morning or the evening. A Muslim’s heart must be attached to the mosque and he should perform his daily Salat in congregation in mosque. The Prophet(pbuh) said

“He who purifies (perfoms Wudu) himself in the house and then walks to one of houses of Allah (mosques) for perfoming an obligatory Salat, one step of his will wipe out the sins and another step will elevate rank in Jannah”  [Muslim]

SubhanAllah, just walking on foot towards the mosque are the cause of elevation of rank in Jannah and removal of minor sins.

At another place, Prophet (pbuh) said,” The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat(prayer) is the one who comes to perfom it in the mosque from the farthest distance…”

So a greater distance earns a greater reward. That means people living further away from mosque will earn more reward then those who live near the mosque, if they come to mosque to pray Salat.

The prophet (pbuh) also said,” Convey glad tidings to those who walk to the mosque in darkness, For they will be given full Light on the Day of Resurrection”. [Abu Dawud]

In the darkness here it means prayers of Isha and Fajr. The merit mentioned here for attending these prayers in mosque is that they will be endowed with perfect light on the Day of Resurrection by means which they will easily cross As-Sirat, while those who deprived of this light will be facing great trouble in crossing it.

Praying in mosque is a sign of Imaan. Prophet(pbuh) said, “When you see a man frequenting the mosque, testify that he is a believer because Allah says,’ Allah’s mosques are visited only by those who believe in Allah and Last Day’”  [At-Trimdhi]

Whether going to Mosque is compulsory?

Abdullah bin Umm Maktum, the Muadhdin(R.A) reported: I said to Prophet(pbuh) “There are many poisonous insects and wild beasts in Madinah and I am blind. Please grant me permission to perform Salat at home” He (pbuh) inquired whether I can hear “ Hayya alas Salah; Hayya alal Falah” (come to prayer,come to salvation). When I replied in affirmative, the prophet(pbuh) directed me to come (to mosque) for prayer” [Abu Dawud]

Despite the fact, Abdullah(R.A) was blind, he was not allowed to perform Salat at home by Prophet(pbuh). So how can we, who have eyes make excuses of not going to mosque?.

At another place Prophet(pbuh) said,” By Him in Whose Hands is my life, I sometimes thought of giving orders for firewood to be collected, then proclaiming the Adhaan for Salat. Then I would appoint an Imam to lead Salat, and then go to the houses of those who do not perfom Salat in congregation, and set fire to their houses on them”  [Muslim]

In above Hadith, the houses of those whom Prophet(pbuh) wished to burn are of those, who despite being healthy, fit and with no valid reason, pray Salat at home.

So walking towards Masjid with the intention of perfoming Salat is actually obligatory on Muslims.

Women

In the time of Rasulullah (pbuh), women had permission to perform their salat in mosque, but Rasulullah (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) also expressed that it is better for women to perform salat at home instead of the mosque.

Umm Humayd, the wife of Abu Humayd, narrates that she went to Prophet (pbuh) and said, “O Rasulullah, I wish to perform salat with you.” Rasulullah (pbuh) replied, “I know well that you wish to perform salat with me. However, the salat you perform in your room is better than perform it in your flat, and the salat performed in your flat is better than it performed in the building, and the salat perform in the building is better than it performed in the local masjid, and the salat performed in the local masjid is better than it performed in my masjid. The narrator says that she ordered that a prayer area be build for her in the farthest and darkest corner of the house and she performed her salat there until she met her Lord.

A woman can perform salah at home without any decrease in the rewards. In fact, as stated above, it is more virtuous to perform at home.

Jahanzaib Jamshed