The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wits the best among people in character. On occasions, the time of prayer would come while he was in our house. He would then order to spread the mat lying under him. That was dusted and then water was sprinkled over it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then led the prayer and we stood behind him, and that mat was made of the leaves of date-palm.

Thabit reported on the authority of Anas:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us and there was none in our house but I, my mother and my aunt Umm Haram. He (the Prophet) said: Stand up so that I may lead you in prayer (and there was no time for prescribed prayer). He led us in prayer. A person said to Thabit: Where stood Anas with him (the Prophet)? He replied: He was on the right side. He then blessed us, the members of the household with every good of this world and of the Hereafter. My mother said: Messenger of Allah (and then, pointing towards Anas, said), here is your little servant, invoke the blessing of Allah upon him too. He then blessed me with every good, and he concluded his blessings for me (with these words): Allah! increase his wealth, and his children and make (them the source of) blessing for him.

Abdullah b. al-Mukhtar heard Musa b. Anas narrating on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him, his mother or his aunt in prayer. He made me, stand on his right side and made the woman stand, behind us.

This hadith has also been narrated by Shu'ba with this chain of transmitters.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and found him observing prayer on a mat and prostrating on that.

Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The most eminent among human beings (as a recipient of) reward (is one) who lives farthest away, and who has to walk the farthest distance, and he who waits for the prayer to observe it along with the Imam, his reward is greater than one who prays (alone) and then goes to sleep. In the narration of Abu Kuraib (the words are):" (He waits) till he prays along with the Imam in congregation."

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported:

There was a man, and I do not know of any other man, whose house was farther than his from the mosque and he never missed the prayer (in congregation). It was said to him or I said to him: It you were to buy a donkey you could ride upon it In the dark nights and in the burning sand. He said: I do not like my house to be situated by the side of the mosque, for I (eagerly) desire that my steps towards the mosque and back from it, should be recorded when I return to my family. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah has gathered all (rewards) for you.

This hadith has been transmitted by Taimi with the same chain of narrators.

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported:

There was a person among the Ansar whose house was situated at the farthest end of Medina, but he never in missed any prayer along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We felt pity for him and said to him: O, so and so, had you bought a donkey it would have saved you from the burning sand and would have saved you from the reptiles of the earth. He said: Listen I by Allah, I do not like my house to be situated by the side of Muhammad (ﷺ). I took (these words of his) ill and came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about (these words). He (the Prophet) called him and he said exactly like that (which he had mentioned to Ubbay b. Ka'b), but made a mention of this (also) that he wanted a reward for his steps. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: In fact for you is the reward which you expect.

A hadith like this has been narrated by 'Asim with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah narrated:

Our houses were situated far away from the mosque; we, therefore, decided to sell our houses so that we may be able to come near the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade us (to do so) and said: There is for every step (towards the mosque) a degree (of reward) for you.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported:

There were some plots vacant around the mosque. Banu Salama decided to shift (to this land) and come near the mosque. This (news) reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said to them (Banu Salama): I have received (information) that you intend to shift near the mosque. They said: Yes, Messenger of Allah, we have taken this decision. Upon this he (the Prophet) said: O Banu Salama, live in your houses, for your steps are recorded; live in your houses, for your steps are recorded.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Banu Salama decided to shift near the mosque (as there were) some plots vacant. This (news) reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whereupon he said:

O people of the Salama tribe, you better stay in your houses (where you are living), for your footsteps are recorded They said. We could not be more delighted even by shifting (near the mosque) as we were delighted (on hearing these words from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Abu Huraira reported:

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be' upon him) said: He who purified himself in his house, and then he walked to one of the houses of Allah for the sake of performing a Fard (obligatory act) out of the Fara'id (obligatory acts) of Allah, both his steps (would be significant) as one of them would obliterate his sin and the second one would raise his status.

In the hadith narrated of the authority of Abd Huraira the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is reported to have said. while in the hadith narrated by Bakr (the words are like this):

He heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: just see, can anything of his filthiness remain (on the body of) any one of you if there were a river at his door in which he washed himself five times daily? They, said: Nothing of his filthiness will remain (on his body). He said: That is like the five prayers by which Allah obliterates sins.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

The similitude of five prayers is like an overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you in which he washes five times daily Hasan said: No filthiness can remain on him.

Ata' b. Yasar reported, on the authority of Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise.

Simak b. Harb reported:

I said to Jabir b. Samura: Did you sit in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He said: Yes, very often. He (the Prophet) used to sit at the place where he observed the morning or dawn prayer till the sun rose or when it had risen; he would stand, and they (his Companions) would talk about matters (pertaining to the days) of ignorance, and they would laugh (on these matters) while (the Prophet) only smiled.

Simak narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Samura that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the dawn prayer, he sat at the place of worship till the sun had risen enough.

This hadith has been narrated by Simak with the same chain of transmitters, but no mention has been made of, enough".