for they are splintered—indeed, some are openly hostile to one another. Some even consider their fellow Muslim a greater enemy than the Jews and Christians, God forbid, because they are wrangling and divided. In the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ no one would miss the congregational prayer, even the sick; he would be brought, supported by two men, until he was set in the row. Were we to return to what the Companions lived by, we would once again be an honored, distinguished nation: all would fear us, all would seek our favor, all would strive to win our friendship. We ask Allah to restore the glory of our religion and to return to us our dignity; surely He is powerful over all things.

1070 – Abu al-Dardaʾ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “No three people in a village or in the desert among whom the prayer is not established but that Satan takes hold of them. So hold fast to the congregation, for the wolf only devours the sheep that strays.” Related by Abu Dawud with a sound chain of transmission.

[Explanation]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—in his book Riyad al-Salihin, in the chapter on the virtue of the congregation, cites the narration of Abu al-Dardaʾ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “No three people in a village or in the desert…” that is, in a settled area or in the countryside, “among whom the congregational prayer is not established but that Satan gains mastery over them.” In other words, if there are three persons in a village or in the wilderness who do not establish the congregational prayer