Chapter: The Virtue of Waiting for the Prayer

1061 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “One of you remains in a state of prayer as long as the next prayer keeps him sitting there; nothing prevents him from returning to his family except the prayer itself.” Agreed upon.

1062 – He also related that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The angels invoke blessings upon one of you so long as he stays in the spot where he performed the prayer, provided he does not break his ablution. They say: Allāhumma ighfir lahu, Allāhumma irhamhu (O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him).” Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

1063 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once delayed the night prayer (‘ishā’) until halfway through the night. After leading us in the prayer, he turned toward us and said: “The people have prayed and gone to sleep, but you have been in a state of prayer from the moment you began waiting for it.” Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

Commentary
These narrations set out the excellence of waiting for the prayer, whether that is after completing an earlier prayer or by arriving at the mosque early and sitting there until the next prayer begins. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it clear that, for as long as a person is waiting for the prayer, he is regarded as actually engaged in prayer. He also affirmed that the angels invoke blessings upon him so long as he stays in the place where he prayed, provided he does not invalidate his ablution, saying