Hasten to the House of Allah

Salaah in the Masjid

If we look at the era of the Sahaaba R.A. we will find that great importance was given to the Masjid for Salaah, Mashura etc. One reason why the Sahaaba R.A. frequented the Masjid is because they all had a desire to become friends of Allah. Frequenting the Masjid will assist a person in becoming a friend of Allah. A Hadith mentions…

“It is only those who frequent the Masaajid who are the household (special servants) of Allah.”

Another great virtue of frequenting the Masjid is Jannat. Sahaaba R.A. understood that this life is a temporary abode and the everlasting life is for the hereafter. A Hadith states that one who goes to the Masjid in the morning and evening will have his abode in Jannat prepared…

منْ غدَا إِلَى المَسْجِدِ أَوْ رَاحَ، أعدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ في الجنَّةِ نُزُلاً كُلَّمَا غَدا أوْ رَاحَ
“The one who goes to the Masjid in the morning and evening, then every time he proceeds to the Masjid, Allah prepares for him his abode in Jannah.”

During the era of Nabi S.A.W. extreme importance was shown to males performing their Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid – to the extent that even the person who was sick would exert himself in trying to come to the Masjid for Salaah.

Abdullah bin Mas’ood R.A. reports, “During the Mubaarak lifetime of Nabi S.A.W., none would omit the Jamaat Salaah in the Masjid except an open Munaafiq (an open hypocrite), to such an extent that even a sick person would not remain absent from the congregational Salaah in the Masjid. Rather, he would be taken to the Masjid while being supported on the shoulders of two men.”

We also learn from the narrations the warnings of abandoning the Fardh Salaah in the Masjid…

Abdullah bin Mas’ood R.A. mentioned that each of the Sahaabah had a specified place in his home reserved for performing Nafl Salaah, etc. However, they would perform the Fardh Salaah in the Masjid. He said, “If you begin performing your Fardh Salaah at home and leave attending the congregational prayer in the Masjid, then you will be abandoning the emphasized Sunnah of Nabi S.A.W. As soon as you will abandon his Mubaarak Sunnah, you will certainly go astray.”