The Salaf and Congregational Prayers

Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) wrote:

The pious predecessors used to pay great attention to their prayer and hasten towards it no matter what the situation is, because they knew its importance in the sight of their Lord. Truly, they are excellent models after our prophet and model Muhammad bin Abdullaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). Below are some of their narrations:

Sa’eed bin al-Musayyib used to be present in the masjid before the Adhaan and he persisted in that for a period not less than thirty years. Imaam Ibn Abee Shaybah reported from Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib that he said: ‘For the past thirty years, the Mu’adhdhin has never pronounced the Adhaan except that I was in the masjid.’[1]

He did not miss congregational prayer throughout forty years. Ibn Sa’d reported from him that he said: “For the past forty years, I did not miss congregational prayers nor look at their back.”[2] What this means is that he used to be in the first row and not in the second row whereby he would be looking at the back of the worshippers.

In spite of his old age, al-A’mash used to strive for the first takbeer. Wakee’ said: “I visited him frequently for almost two years and I did not see him making up a rak’ah. And he did not miss the first takbeer [with the Imaam] in spite of the fact that he was close to ninety years.”[3] [4]

The reliable scholar of hadeeth, Bishr al-Hasan used to be called, as-Saffee because, for fifty years, he used to stick to the first row in the masjid of Basrah.[5]

The Qaadee of Shaam Sulaymaan bin Hamzah al-Maqdisee, who was among the offspring of Ibn Qudaamah the author of al-Mughnee, said: “I have never performed the obligatory prayers alone except twice and it was as if I didn’t perform them,” even though he was close to ninety years

Source: Ahkaam Hudoor al-Masaajid, p. 45-46 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)

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[1] Al-Musannaf, 1/351

[2] Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d, 5/131

[3] Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 4/151

[4] Benefit of Catching the First Takbeer with The Imaam:  The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Whoever prays to Allaah for forty days in congregation, catching up with the first takbeer, he will be recorded as being free from two things: free from the Fire and free from hypocrisy.” Recorded by at-Tirmidhee (241) and classified hasan (sound) by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee.

[5] Tahdheem at-Tahdheeb, 1/391