2/56. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 563 — Reward for Every Step to Prayer
The Etiquette Of Walking To The Masjid
Hadith About Every Step to the Mosque for Congregational Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 563
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 563
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُعَاذِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، قَالَ حَضَرَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ الْمَوْتُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا مَا أُحَدِّثُكُمُوهُ إِلاَّ احْتِسَابًا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ قَدَمَهُ الْيُمْنَى إِلاَّ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ حَسَنَةً وَلَمْ يَضَعْ قَدَمَهُ الْيُسْرَى إِلاَّ حَطَّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَةً فَلْيُقَرِّبْ أَحَدُكُمْ أَوْ لِيُبَعِّدْ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّى فِي جَمَاعَةٍ غُفِرَ لَهُ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا بَعْضًا وَبَقِيَ بَعْضٌ صَلَّى مَا أَدْرَكَ وَأَتَمَّ مَا بَقِيَ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ فَإِنْ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا فَأَتَمَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ " .
Narrated A person from the Ansar: Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said: An Ansari was breathing his last. He said: I narrate to you a tradition, and I narrate it with the intention of getting a reward from Allah. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If any one of you performs ablution and performs it very well, and goes out for prayer, he does not take his right step but Allah records a good work (or blessing) for him, and he does not take his left step but Allah remits one sin from him. Any one of you may reside near the mosque or far from it; if he comes to the mosque and prays in congregation, he will be forgiven (by Allah). If he comes to the mosque while the people had prayed in part, and the prayer remained in part, and he prays in congregation the part he joined, and completed the part he had missed, he will enjoy similarly (i.e. he will be forgiven). If he comes to the mosque when the people had finished prayer, he will enjoy the same.
[1] Meaning one good merit.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 563In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 173English translation : Book 2, Hadith 563
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 563
This hadith about walking to the mosque gives a detailed picture of reward connected to prayer. After a person performs ablution well and goes out for prayer, every step matters. The right step is linked with a good deed being recorded, and the left step is linked with a sin being removed. The hadith also speaks to people who live near the mosque and those who live far away. If someone comes to the mosque and prays in congregation, forgiveness is mentioned. If he catches part of the prayer and completes what he missed, he receives the same. Even if he arrives after the people have prayed, the hadith still mentions the same generous outcome.
What we learn from this hadith
- Performing ablution well before going to prayer is praised.
- Each step toward prayer is described as meaningful in reward and sin removal.
- Joining the congregation, even after missing part of it, is still valued in this hadith.
- Living near or far from the mosque does not remove the chance to seek this reward.
