Have you ever prevented from performing prayer at the Masjid? Have you ever imagined that you will not be able to gather with your Muslim friends in Ramadan (the fasting month) or in the two Eids (the Muslim festivals) to pray in congregation? It is due to the COVID-19 Pandemic that Muslims were prevented from praying together in order to keep social distance and be safe.
Many people may wonder if there is a difference between the individual prayer and performing prayer at the masjid so let us discuss some of the congregational prayer benefits.
- A spiritual benefit: the reward of the congregational prayer is multiplied:
The congregational prayer has a great importance in Islam for all Muslims and has more spiritual benefits than offering prayers individually. Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Salat in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually.”
عن ابنِ عمَر رضي اللَّه عنهما أَنَّ رسولَ اللَّه قَالَ: “صَلاةُ الجَمَاعَةِ أَفضَلُ مِنْ صَلاةِ الفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ درَجَةً.”
This shows that anyone who performs prayer in congregation has a multiple reward.
- protection of man from the Satan:
Satan is careful to spoil Muslim’s worship especially prayer so a Muslim should seek refuge in Allah from Satan, neglect his whispers, make Duaa, recite the Qur’an and keep memorization of Allah in the morning, at night and whenever it is possible.
Satan has control over the neglector of the congregation who prays alone and does not pray with the congregation. As a result, the congregational prayer protects man from the evils of the devil.
A text from the traditions of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shows that if at least three men in a village or in the desert do not perform prayer in congregation, Satan must have certainly overcome them. So one should observe Salah in congregation to avoid the devil and protect himself.
- A reason for the perfection of man’s Islam and faith:
Performing prayer is an obligation on every Muslim, both men and women and who deserts it will be unfair to himself. Allah the Almighty ordered people and guided them to observe the five obligatory prayers on time in congregation and has expounded to our Prophet the ways of right guidance, and these (the prayers) are part of the right guidance.
If people perform prayer in their houses and stay away from the mosque, they will abandon the Sunnah (practice) of your Prophet and the departure from the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) will lead to delusion. Thus, following the traditions of the prophet (PBUH) will help them be good Muslims and increases their merits.
قال تعالى : { وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ }
(البقرة : 43)
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- fostering the feeling of equality and the breaking down the social differences:
When people gather in the mosque the rich next to the poor, the prince next to the ruler, the ruler next to the ruled, the young next to the great, and so on, people will feel that they are equal and thus familiarity is achieved. That is why the Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered that the rows be equal. This increases the feelings of love, brotherhood, happiness between them and urges them to support each other when they need help.
Abu Mas’ud reported that The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to touch people’s shoulders in prayer and order them to Keep straight; don’t be irregular, for there would be dissension in their hearts. In addition, those who are sedate and prudent shall be near the prophet, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.
- protection of man on the Day of Judgment:
On the day when Allah will gather all the creatures from the Day of Creation to the end, He will protect from the hardships of the Day of Judgment one who has taken even a step to go and join the Congregational Prayer. To such a person Allah will provide a place in the Heaven.
- Forgiveness of sins:
When someone make sins, they need to atone for them and in Islam, the most suitable way for this is performing prayer in congregation as prayer draws man closer to Allah the Almighty and Allah is the only one who forgives these sins by his will as Allah is the most Merciful.
When one performs ablution and does it well, then he comes to the mosque for no other purpose than prayer, Allah raises him in status one degree thereby and takes away one of his sins, until he enters the mosque. When he offers the prescribed prayer with a group, congregation, or in the mosque has his sins forgiven by Allah.