Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:
Is the reward for praying in congregation twenty-five times that of a single prayer, or twenty-seven times? Both meanings are narrated in the ahadith.

Regarding this, the scholars have stated that it depends on the excellence of performing the prayer, the presence of humility and submissiveness (khushu‘ and khudu‘), and the fulfillment of its etiquettes and conditions.

Some receive a reward multiplied by twenty-five, and some by twenty-seven.

Some scholars have said that initially Allah, the Exalted, promised a reward multiplied by twenty-five, so the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) informed the ummah accordingly. Later, Allah, the Exalted, increased the reward to twenty-seven times, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) conveyed this accordingly.

And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Just as in our material world there are differences in the properties and effects of things, due to which their value and benefit also differ, similarly, there are varying degrees among our deeds as well. Among these is the performance of prayer in congregation (salah bi’l-jama‘ah). Its virtue has been described in these words: compared to praying alone, its virtue is twenty-seven degrees greater, meaning that the one who is regular in it receives twenty-seven times more reward. Now, the status of a believer is that, having full conviction in this virtue, he should make it a point to perform every prayer in congregation. Furthermore, due to differences in sincerity, piety, and humility among those who pray in congregation, the reward also varies accordingly; most likely, the mention of twenty-five degrees in the next hadith is for this reason. This does not mean that, without a valid excuse, praying alone without congregation is correct; rather, the virtue of an obligatory act is greater than that of a non-obligatory one.
Wallahu a‘lam (Allah knows best).

(2)
Compared to individual prayer, congregational prayer is twenty-seven degrees more virtuous because it contains twenty-seven qualities, each of which has been mentioned as virtuous in separate hadiths. Their details are as follows:
• Responding to the call to prayer (adhan) with the intention of performing prayer in congregation.
• Hastening to reach the mosque at the earliest time.
• Proceeding towards the mosque with calmness and dignity.
• Entering the mosque while reciting the prescribed supplication.
• Upon reaching the mosque, performing the greeting of the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid).
• Waiting for the congregation.
• The angels supplicating for mercy for him.
• The angels bearing witness for the worshipper before Allah.
• Responding to the iqamah.
• Being protected from satanic whispers at the time of iqamah, for Satan flees at that time.
• Waiting for the imam’s opening takbir (takbir al-tahrimah).
• Joining in the opening takbir (takbir al-tahrimah).
• Taking care to fill the gaps in the rows and arranging the rows properly.
• Responding to the imam’s tasmi‘ (i.e., saying “sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah”).
• Being protected from forgetfulness and error; if the imam forgets, alerting him by saying “subhan Allah.”
• Being protected from distracting thoughts during prayer due to humility and submissiveness.
• Taking care to adorn oneself with the required Islamic adornment while performing prayer.
• Being enveloped by the angels of mercy.
• Practicing the correct performance of the pillars of prayer and excellent recitation.
• Manifesting the symbols of Islam.
• Gathering for worship and thereby humiliating Satan.
• Being safe from the attribute of hypocrisy.
• Responding to the imam’s salam.
• Engaging collectively in remembrance and supplication.
• Maintaining the order of congregation for the five daily prayers.
• Listening attentively to the imam’s recitation.
• Saying “Amin” aloud.
These twenty-seven qualities are such that their virtues have been mentioned individually in hadiths, and all these qualities are collectively found in the observance of congregational prayer.
(Fath al-Bari: 2/174)

«باب فضل صلاة الجماعة»

Chapter: Explanation of the Virtue of Congregational Prayer.

Benefit:

The meaning of this chapter is not that performing prayer in congregation is not obligatory, and is merely a virtuous or rewardable act, because virtue is not exclusive to only supererogatory (nafl) or recommended (mustahabb) acts, but also applies to the fulfillment of obligatory (fard) acts. In fact, the fulfillment of an obligation (fard) possesses greater virtue and merit than supererogatory acts, as is evident from the Qudsi hadith in which Allah, the Exalted, says:

«مَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِيْ بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ» [بخاري: 6502] “My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him.”

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Just as in our material world there are differences in the properties and effects of things, and based on this distinction and differentiation, there is a difference in the value and usefulness of things, similarly, there are also degrees of difference in our deeds. And this knowledge is possessed only by Allah Ta’ala, and it is revealed to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) by Allah Ta’ala’s informing him. And the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The virtue of prayer in congregation is twenty-five or twenty-seven times greater than prayer performed alone.” That is, sometimes the reward is twenty-five times greater, and at other times it is twenty-seven times. The reason for this difference may be the sincerity, humility, and submissiveness (khushu‘ and khudu‘) of the one coming to prayer, or the distance traveled, or the preoccupation and hardship of the one coming—that is, what kind of work he left for the sake of joining the congregation, and how much difficulty he had to endure for it. Or, the reward for prayers with loud recitation is twenty-seven times, and for those with quiet recitation, it is twenty-five times. Or, the prayers in which there is a gathering of angels have a reward of twenty-seven times, and the rest have twenty-five times.

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith): [وأخرجه البخاري 645، ومسلم 650، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Explanation (Tafaqquh):
➊ For jurisprudential benefits, see: [ح11]
➋ Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit (radi Allahu anhu) said: Apart from the obligatory prayer, your (supererogatory) prayer is superior in your house. [الموطا 130/1 ح289 وسنده صحيح]

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الأذان، باب فضل صلاة الجماعة، حديث:645، ومسلم، المساجد، باب فضل صلاة الجماعة، حديث:650 و حديث أبي هريرة أخرجه البخاري، الأذان، حديث:647، ومسلم، المساجد، حديث:651، وحديث أبي سعيد الخدري أخرجه البخاري، الأذان، حديث:646.»©Explanation:
Is performing the prayer in congregation (jama‘ah) obligatory (fard), compulsory (wajib), or an emphasized Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah)? There is a difference of opinion on this matter.

Apparently, this hadith supports those scholars who say that performing the prayer in congregation is not obligatory or compulsory, because the reward for performing the prayer individually or collectively varies due to different reasons, which implies that the prayer of the one who prays alone is still valid, even if its rank and reward are less.

If congregational prayer were obligatory, then the prayer of the one who prays alone would not be valid at all; however, this is not the case. Therefore, it is understood that performing the prayer in congregation is an emphasized Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah).

According to the viewpoint of those who hold the obligation or compulsion of congregational prayer, the above reasoning is questionable for several reasons:

➊ Firstly, mentioning the virtue of something does not negate its obligation or compulsion.

➋ Secondly, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself maintained regularity and constancy upon it throughout his life.

➌ Thirdly, there are severe warnings in the hadiths regarding those who are negligent in performing the prayer in congregation, to the extent that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) even intended to burn such people alive in their homes. Furthermore, in some narrations, the prayer performed alone without a valid Islamic excuse is described as: “There is no prayer for him (fa la salata lahu).”

Therefore, the preferred opinion seems to be that performing the prayer in congregation is necessary.

Yes, if there is a valid Islamic excuse, then the one who prays alone without congregation will also be rewarded, and the obligation will be fulfilled on his part. But leaving the congregation without an excuse will be sinful.

And Allah knows best.