Explanation of the congregation that has the virtue of twenty-seven degrees.

The Shaykh : It is necessary here to draw attention to a matter on which the scholars have differed in the past, and the position of the Salaf is what clarifies the disagreement and resolves it. That is, the understanding of the congregation that has this virtue: , and in the other wording: . Is this congregational prayer every congregational prayer held in any mosque at any time, or is it one specific congregation that does not repeat or multiply?
This is an issue of disagreement, and what is stronger when the evidence for the issue is reviewed is that the congregation that has this virtue is the first congregation, which is prayed behind the regular imam. It is not sufficient for it to be merely the first congregation; for a group might come to the mosque in a hurry, start the prayer, take the lead, and encroach upon the regular imam, so they pray in congregation, then they leave, and then the regular, official congregational prayer is held. This congregation would not be the first one that has this virtue; because it is a congregation that is aggressive and encroaching upon the regular congregation. So the congregation that has this virtue is the first congregation and the congregation restricted to the imam who was appointed as the imam for this mosque.
So this first congregation is the one that has this virtue of twenty-seven degrees. It is not the first one that precedes the regular congregation, nor is it the second, third, fourth, or more than that which follows the regular congregation. The evidence for this restriction is the reality of practical communal life in the era of Prophethood and Messengership and in the era of the righteous Salaf.