Narrative regarding Urging People to Attend the Congregational Prayers

روي أنه قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا. ولو يعلمون ما في التهجير لاستبقوا إليه. ولو يعلمون ما في العتمة والصبح لأتوهما ولو حبوا.

Had people known what [of rewards] is in pronouncing the call [for prayers] and in [standing in] the first row [in congregational prayers] and then found no option but to draw lots on it, they would have drawn lots¹; Had they known what [of rewards] is in coming for the afternoon prayers, they would race each other towards it; And had they known what [of rewards] is in the night and morning prayers, they would then have come for them, even if they had to crawl [on their bellies]².

***************

General Notes:

1. i.e., had people known how highly are these two deeds rewarded, they would all have then tried to pronounce the call for the prayers and to be a part of the foremost row of the congregation. However, because not all people could have done that, even after being present at the mosque, they would then drawn lots to decide as to who should get the aspired privilege.

2. In this narrative, the Prophet (pbuh) is clearly reported to have urged people to perform the stated deeds and, thereby, to render themselves deserving of the gracious rewards attached to these deeds.

Notes on the Text of the Narrative

This narrative or a part of it with some variations has been reported in Bukhariy (narrative no. 590, 688 and 2543), Muslim (narrative no. 437), Mu’atta of Imam Malik (narrative no. 149), Tirmidhi (narrative no. 225), Nissaiy (narrative no. 540 and 671), Ibn Maajah (narrative no. 796 and 998), Ahmad ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 7225, 7724, 8009, 8859, 10911, 12555, 21309 and 24550), Ibn Hibban (narrative no. 1659 and 2153), Ibn Khuzaymah (narrative no. 391, 1475, 1554 and 1555) Nissaiy’s Sunan al-Kubraa (narrative no. 386, 387, 1521 and 1635) Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 1861, 4973 and 21198) Ibn Abi Shaybah (narrative no. 3355) and Abu Ya`laa (narrative no. 6475). The preferred text has been reported in Bukhariy’s narrative no. 590.

In some narratives, as in Tirmidhi’s narrative no. 225, the phrase “لو يعلم الناس” (i.e., ‘had people known’) has been reported as “لو أن الناس يعلمون” (i.e., ‘had it been that people had known’); in some narratives, as in Ibn Khuzaymah’s narrative no. 1555, these words have alternatively been reported as “لو تعلمون” (i.e., ‘had you all known’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 10911, the words “ما في النداء” (i.e., ‘what is in pronouncing the call for prayers’) have been reported as “ما لهم في النداء” (i.e., ‘what is for them in pronouncing the call for the prayers’); in some narratives, as in Ibn Khuzaymah’s narrative no. 391, these words have been reported as “ما في الأذان” (i.e., ‘what is in pronouncing the Adan‘).

In some narratives, as in Bukhariy’s narrative no. 688, the phrase “الصف الأول” (i.e., ‘the first row’) has been rendered as “الصف المقدم” (i.e., ‘the leading row’).

In some narratives, as in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 998, the words “ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا” (i.e., ‘then found no option but to draw lots on it, they would have drawn lots’) have been replaced by “لكانت القرعة” (i.e., ‘there would have been drawn lottery [for it]’); in some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 7724, these words have been replaced with “لاستهموا عليهما” (i.e., ‘they would have drawn lots on these two’); in some narratives, as in Ibn Khuzaymah’s narrative no. 1555, these words have been replaced with “ما كانت إلا قرعة” (i.e., ‘there would have been no option but to draw lots [for it]’); in some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4973, these words have been reported as “ما كان إلا قرعة” (i.e., ‘there would have been no option but to draw lots [for it]’); while in some narratives, as in Abu Ya`laa’s narrative no. 6475, these words have been replaced with “كانت القرعة” (i.e., ‘there would have been drawing of lots [for it]’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 7225, the preposition “عليه” (i.e., ‘on it’) have been added after the word “لاستهموا” (i.e., ‘they would have drawn lots’).

In some narratives, as in Nissaiy’s narrative no. 540, the words “ولو يعلمون ما في العتمة” (i.e., ‘And had they known what is in the night prayer’) have been reported as “ولو علموا ما في العتمة” (i.e., ‘If it were known to them what is in the night prayer’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 24550, the words “ما في العتمة والصبح” (i.e., ‘what is in the night and the morning prayers’) have been reported as “ما في صلاة العتمة وصلاة الصبح” (i.e., ‘what is in the night prayer and the morning prayer’); in some narratives, as in Ibn Maajah’s narrative no. 796, these words have been reported as “ما في صلاة العشاء وصلاة الفجر” (i.e., ”what is in the Ishaa and the Faj’r prayers’); in some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 21309, these words have been reported as “ما في العشاء وصلاة الغداة” (i.e., ‘what is in the Ishaa and the morning prayers’); while in some narratives, as in Nissaiy’s Sunan al-Kubraa’s narrative no. 387, these words have been reported as “ما في هاتين الصلاتين” (i.e., ‘what is in these two prayers’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 21309, the words “من الفضل” (i.e., ‘from blessings’) have been added after the phrase “ما في العشاء وصلاة الغداة” (i.e., ‘what is in Ishaa and the morning prayers’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 12555, the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said:

لو يعلم المتخلفون عن صلاة العشاء وصلاة الغداة ما لهم فيهما لأتوهما ولو حبوا.

‘Had those who stay behind from the Ishaa and the morning prayers known what [of rewards] is for them in attending these two prayers, they would then have come for them, even if they had to crawl on their bellies.’

While in Ibn Abi Shaybah’s narrative no. 3355, the Prophet is reported to have said:

حافظوا على هاتين الصلاتين العشاء والصبح ولو تعلمون ما فيهما لأتيتموهما ولو حبوا على مرافقكم وركبكم.

‘Guard these two prayers: Ishaa and the morning prayer. Had you known what [of rewards] lies in these prayers, you would then have come for them, even if you had to crawl on your elbows and your knees.’

(This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi)

***************