5/44. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 654b — Steps to the Mosque and Guidance
Prayer in congregation is one of the sunnah of guidance
Hadith About Steps to the Mosque and Preserving the Sunnah
Sahih Muslim : 654b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 654b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعُمَيْسِ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَلْقَى اللَّهَ غَدًا مُسْلِمًا فَلْيُحَافِظْ عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ الصَّلَوَاتِ حَيْثُ يُنَادَى بِهِنَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَرَعَ لِنَبِيِّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُنَنَ الْهُدَى وَإِنَّهُنَّ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْهُدَى وَلَوْ أَنَّكُمْ صَلَّيْتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ كَمَا يُصَلِّي هَذَا الْمُتَخَلِّفُ فِي بَيْتِهِ لَتَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ وَلَوْ تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ لَضَلَلْتُمْ وَمَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يَتَطَهَّرُ فَيُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ يَعْمِدُ إِلَى مَسْجِدٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَسَاجِدِ إِلاَّ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ خَطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا حَسَنَةً وَيَرْفَعُهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً وَيَحُطُّ عَنْهُ بِهَا سَيِّئَةً وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَمَا يَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْهَا إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ مَعْلُومُ النِّفَاقِ وَلَقَدْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يُؤْتَى بِهِ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ حَتَّى يُقَامَ فِي الصَّفِّ .
Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported: He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man why stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques without Allah recording a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and effacing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 654bIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 321USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1376
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 654b
This hadith about going to the mosque gives a rich lesson from Abdullah b. Mas'ud. He says that whoever wants to meet Allah as a Muslim should keep these prayers when the call is announced for them. He calls them part of the paths of right guidance. He also warns that praying at home like one who stays away would mean leaving the practice of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The hadith then mentions a person who purifies himself well and walks to a mosque: for every step, Allah records a good deed, raises him a degree, and removes a sin. The report ends with the strong practice of the early community, even when some needed help reaching the row.
What we learn from this hadith
- Keeping prayer where the call is announced is described as a path of guidance.
- Walking to the mosque after good purification is linked with reward in the text.
- The companions showed strong care for joining the prayer row.
