Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in what he quoted from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

That the prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-seven times better than his prayer in his home or in his market

أنَّ صلاة الرجل في جماعة تفضل على صلاته في بيته أو في سوقه سبعا وعشرين ضعفا

This is because praying with the congregation is fulfilling what Allah has made obligatory regarding congregational prayer. The stronger opinion among the scholars is that congregational prayer is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), and that it is obligatory for a person to pray with the congregation in the mosque. This is based on the hadiths that have been reported on this matter, and what Allah the Exalted indicated in His Book when He said:

And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you

وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ

[An-Nisa 4:102]

to the end of the verse. Thus, Allah made the congregation obligatory in a state of fear. If He made it obligatory in a state of fear, then in a state of safety it is even more so and more certain. Then he mentioned the reason for this:

That when a man performs wudu in his home and perfects his wudu, then leaves his home to the mosque with nothing urging him out or driving him out but prayer, he does not take a step except that a degree is raised for him thereby and a sin is removed from him thereby

بأن الرجل إذا توضأ في بيته فأسبغ الوضوء ثم خرج من بيته إلى المسجد لا يُنهزه أو لا يخرجه إلا الصلاة ، لم يخط خطوة إلا رفع له بها درجة وحط عنه بها خطيئة

: Whether his place is near the mosque or far, every step yields two benefits. The first benefit is that Allah raises him by it a degree, and the second benefit is that Allah removes by it a sin from him. This is a great favor.

until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque

حتى يدخل المسجد ، فإذا دخل المسجد

Sunan Ibn Majah 774Sahih (Darussalam)

: So he prayed what was written for him, then sat waiting for the prayer. He remains in prayer as long as he waits for the prayer. This is also a great blessing. If he remained waiting for the prayer for a long time, and you are sitting and not praying after you have prayed the greeting of the mosque and what Allah wills, the reward of prayer is calculated for you. He remains in prayer as long as he waits for the prayer. There is also a fourth thing:

That the angels pray for him as long as he is in the place where he prayed, saying: O Allah, pray upon him. O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him. O Allah, accept his repentance

أن الملائكة تصلي عليه ما دام في مجلسه الذي صلى فيه ، تقول : اللهم صل عليه ، اللهم اغفر له ، اللهم ارحمه ، اللهم تب عليه

This is also a great favor for the one who attends with this intention and these actions. The point of this hadith is its statement:

and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying

ثم خرج من بيته إلى المسجد لا يخرجه إلا الصلاة

Sahih al-Bukhari 647

: For it indicates the consideration of intention for obtaining this great reward. As for if he leaves his home not intending to pray, this reward is not recorded for him. For example, if he leaves his home to his shop, and when the adhan is called he goes to pray, he does not obtain this reward. Because the reward is only for the one who leaves the house with nothing urging him out but prayer. However, the reward may be recorded for him from the time he sets out from his shop or from his place of buying and selling until he reaches the mosque, as long as he set out from that place while in a state of purity. And success is from Allah.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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