He also said, “Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning or in the evening, Allah prepares a lodging for him every time he goes and every time he returns.” 1
He said, “A man’s prayer in the mosque is superior to his prayer in his house or in the marketplace by twenty-five degrees.” 2
He said, “Whoever performs ablution in his home, perfecting it, and then sets out for the mosque motivated by nothing but the prayer, each of his steps shall raise him one degree and erase one sin.” 3
He said, “A man’s prayer with another man is purer than his praying alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one; the larger the congregation, the more beloved it is to Allah.” 4
He said, “There will come rulers who will delay the prayer from its proper time, so perform the prayer at its appointed time, then pray with them as a voluntary act.” 5
(1) Reported by Bukhari in his Sahih, Book of Adhan, chapter 37; and by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the Musnad, 2/509.
(2) Reported by Bukhari in his Sahih, Book of Adhan, chapters 30–31; by Tirmidhi in the sections on Prayer Times, chapter 47; by Nasa’i in the Book of Prayer, chapter 21, and in the Book of Leadership, chapter 42; by Ibn Majah in the Book of Mosques, chapter 16; by Malik in the Muwatta, Book of Congregational Prayer, hadith 1; and by Ahmad, 1/376, 452; 2/102, 112, 233, 328, 454, 520, 525; 3/55.
(3) Reported by Bukhari, Book of Sales, chapter 49; by Muslim, Book of Purification, hadith 12, and Book of Mosques, hadith 272; by Abu Dawud, Book of Prayer, chapter 48; by Nasa’i, Book of Mosques, chapter 6; by Ibn Majah, Book of Purification, chapter 6, and Book of Mosques, chapter 14; and by Ahmad, 2/176, 252.
(4) Reported by Ahmad in the Musnad, 5/145; by Abu Dawud, Book of Prayer, chapter 47; and by Nasa’i, Book of Leadership, chapter 45.
(5) Reported by Muslim, Book of Mosques, hadiths 241–243; by Nasa’i, Book of Leadership; by Ibn Majah, Book of Iqama, chapter 150; by Darimi, Book of Prayer, chapter 25; and by Ahmad, 6/7.