2/62. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 577 — Join the People Even After Praying
The One Who Prays In His House, Then Catches The Congregation, He Should Pray With Them
Hadith About Joining Congregational Prayer After Praying at Home
Sunan Abi Dawud : 577
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 577
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنُ بْنُ عِيسَى، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ نُوحِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ جِئْتُ وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَجَلَسْتُ وَلَمْ أَدْخُلْ مَعَهُمْ فِي الصَّلاَةِ - قَالَ - فَانْصَرَفَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَأَى يَزِيدَ جَالِسًا فَقَالَ " أَلَمْ تُسْلِمْ يَا يَزِيدُ " . قَالَ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَسْلَمْتُ . قَالَ " فَمَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَعَ النَّاسِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ " . قَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ قَدْ صَلَّيْتُ فِي مَنْزِلِي وَأَنَا أَحْسِبُ أَنْ قَدْ صَلَّيْتُمْ . فَقَالَ " إِذَا جِئْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَوَجَدْتَ النَّاسَ فَصَلِّ مَعَهُمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ صَلَّيْتَ تَكُنْ لَكَ نَافِلَةً وَهَذِهِ مَكْتُوبَةً " .
Yazid ibn Amir Narrated from:
I came while the Prophet (ﷺ) was saying the prayer. I sat down and did not pray along with them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned towards us and saw that Yazid was sitting there. He said: Did you not embrace Islam, Yazid? He replied: Why not, Messenger of Allah; I have embraced Islam.He said: What prevented you from saying prayer along with the people? He replied: I have already prayed in my house, and I thought that you had prayed (in congregation). He said: When you come to pray (in the mosque) and find the people praying, then you should pray along with them, though you have already prayed. This will be a supererogatory prayer for you and that will be counted as obligatory.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 577In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 187English translation : Book 2, Hadith 577
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 577
This hadith about joining congregational prayer after praying at home gives a direct answer through the story of Yazid ibn Amir. He came while the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was praying, but he sat and did not join. When asked, he explained that he had already prayed at home and thought the people had prayed. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him that when he comes to prayer and finds the people praying, he should pray with them even if he has already prayed. The text says this will be a supererogatory prayer for him, while the earlier prayer is counted as obligatory. The main lesson is to join the congregation when one arrives and sees them praying.
What we learn from this hadith
- Already praying at home was not treated as a reason to sit while the people were praying.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told Yazid to pray with the people when he finds them praying.
- The second prayer is described as voluntary, while the first remains the obligatory prayer.
