Virtues of coming early for prayer

We will remind ourselves and you of some of the virtues of coming early for prayer in congregation and hastening to do that. 

Firstly: 

Ibn al-Mundhir narrated – as reported in al-Durr al-Manthoor (2/314) –  from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) about the meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord” [al-Hadeed 57:21], that it refers to the first takbeer. This was narrated by some of the mufassireen from Mak-hool and Sa’eed ibn Jubayr among the Taabi’een. 

Secondly:

‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated in al-Musannaf (1/528) via a saheeh isnaad from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: Whoever does not miss the first rak’ah of prayer for forty days, he will be saved from two things: he will be saved from the fire and will be saved from hypocrisy.”                                                                                 

And it was narrated that Meetham, one of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I heard that the angel comes with his banner accompanying the first one who comes to the mosque, and he stays with him until he goes back, and he enters his home with him, carrying the banner. 

Narrated by Ibn Abi ‘Aasim in al-Ahaad wa’l-Mathaani (5/183); classed as saheeh by Ibn Hajar in al-Isaabah (6/148) and by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb (1/242). 

Thirdly: 

By coming early for prayer in congregation you will earn the reward of waiting for the prayer and of staying in the mosque, and the du’aa’ of the angels. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When he enters the mosque, he is in a state of prayer so long as the prayer is what is keeping him there, and the angels send blessings on any one of you so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, saying, ‘O Allaah, forgive him, O Allaah, have mercy on him…’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (477) and Muslim (649). 

It also brings the virtue of praying in the first row, and of saying Ameen with the imam. It says in the saheeh hadeeth: “When the imam says ‘Ameen’ then say ‘Ameen,’ for if a person’s saying Ameen coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (780) and Muslim (410).  

The one who comes early to pray in congregation can also make good use of the time between the adhaan and iqaamah by offering regular Sunnah prayers or praying tahiyat al-masjid (two rak’ahs to greet the mosque), and he can spend the time in saying du’aa’ and seeking the good of this world and the Hereafter, because the time between the adhaan and the iqaaamah is one of the times when du’aa’s are answered. 

Fourthly: 

In the practice of the salaf there are examples which stir the heart and make one resolute, and call everyone who is negligent or falling short to feel shy before the Lord of the Worlds, as righteous people are competing to attain reward whilst he is negligent about reward.  

Ibn Shaheen narrated in his book al-Targheeb fi Fadaa’il al-A’maal wa Thawaab dhaalika (no. 107) from al-Hasan that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: 

The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), including Hudhayfah, gathered together and a man said: I would not like to miss the first takbeer with the imam even if I were to have fifty sheep. Another man said: I would not like to miss (the first takbeer) with the imam even if I were to have one hundred sheep. Another man said: I would not like to miss (the first takbeer) with the imam even if I were to have everything on which the sun rises. Another man said: I would not like to miss (the first takbeer) with the imam even if I prayed from ‘Isha’ until Fajr. 

It was narrated from Abu Harmalah that Ibn al-Musayyab said: I have not missed the first takbeer for fifty years, and I have not looked at a man’s back whilst praying for fifty years. End quote. Al-Siyar (4/30), i.e., he used to pray in the front row. 

Fifthly: 

There is the fear for the one who is always late in coming to pray in congregation and who neglects the virtue of the first takbeer that Allaah may delay reward, virtue and goodness for him, until he is content to come late, so his reward will be akin to his action. 

Some of the scholars said, commenting on the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Come forward and follow me (in the prayer), and let those who are behind you follow you, for people will keep moving to the back until Allaah puts them back (away from His mercy or Paradise)” (narrated by Muslim, 438), that what is meant is the one who keeps away from the first row and the first takbeer. 

Sixthly: 

I think that from the above you can understand the mistake that you are making by deliberately coming late to prayers in congregation, and that the fear which is making you do that is something that comes from the shaytaan, who wants to deprive you of reward and virtue. 

We understand that the position of imam is a position that may make one nervous, but that should not make you fall short with regard to it. If you go to the mosque and you are the most qualified to lead the people in prayer, then you should go forward and not hold back, because the sin will be on you if the people appoint someone who does not recite al-Faatihah properly or does not do all the pillars or essential parts of the prayer properly. 

We assure you that the fear which you feel when leading the prayer is a temporary fear which will soon go away when you get used to leading the prayers. You have to put up with the hardship at the beginning, then Allaah will open the door to goodness for you as a reward for your patience and forbearance.