This chapter shifts attention from the prayer itself to the journey toward it. The steps a person takes to reach the mosque are not wasted motion. They are counted, rewarded, and even held against the trials of life as Ribat, the watchful standing-guard on the frontier. The central Arabic image here is the footprint, athar, the trace each foot leaves on the way to worship.
Read these hadith and watch how distance, darkness, and difficulty turn from burdens into treasure. The farther the walk, the greater the reward; the darker the night, the brighter the light promised on the Day of Resurrection. The chapter closes by naming the mosque-frequenter a believer, grounding the whole theme in a verse of the Qur'an about who truly fills Allah's houses.
Hadith 1053
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " من غدا إلى المسجد أو راح، أعد الله له في الجنة نزلا كلما غدا أو راح" . ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who goes to the mosque in the morning or in the evening, Allah prepares for him a place in Jannah whenever he goes to the mosque in the morning and returns from it in the evening." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Every time a person goes to the mosque, morning or evening, Allah readies a place of welcome for him in Paradise.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1053 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 63
Hadith 1054
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "من تطهر في بيته، ثم مضى إلى بيت من بيوت الله، ليقضي فريضة من فرائض الله كانت خطواته، إحداها تحط خطيئة، والأخرى ترفع درجة" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who purifies (performs Wudu') himself in his house and then walks to one of the houses of Allah (mosque) for performing an obligatory Salat, one step of his will wipe out his sins and another step will elevate his rank (in Jannah)." [Muslim].
In plain words
For the one who makes wudu at home and walks to the mosque for an obligatory prayer, one step wipes away a sin and the next raises his rank.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1054 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 64
Hadith 1055
Ubayy bin Ka'b (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
-وعن أبي بن كعب رضي الله عنه قال: كان رجل من الأنصار لا أعلم أحدًا أبعد من المسجد منه، وكانت لا تخطئه صلاة! فقيل له: لو اشتريت حمارًا تركبه في الظلماء وفي الرمضاء قال: ما يسرني أن منزلي إلى جنب المسجد إني أريد أن يكتب لي ممشاي إلى المسجد، ورجوعي إذا رجعت إلى أهلي، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "قد جمع الله لك ذلك كله" ((رواه مسلم)).
There was a man of the Ansar whose house was the farthest from the mosque. As far as I know, he never missed Salat (in congregation). It was said to him: "If you buy a donkey, you may ride upon it in the dark nights and in the hot days." He said: "I do not like that my house should be situated close to the mosque. I desire that my walking towards the mosque and returning home be recorded to my credit." Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah has gathered all (rewards) for you." [Muslim].
In plain words
A man chose to keep his home far from the mosque so that his steps there and back would all be written down for him, and the Prophet confirmed he had gathered every reward.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1055 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 65
Hadith 1056
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: خلت البقاع حول المسجد فأراد بنو سلمة أن ينتقلوا قرب المسجد، فبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال لهم: "بلغني أنكم تريدون أن تنتقلوا قرب المسجد؟ قالوا: نعم يا رسول الله قد أردنا ذلك، فقال: " بني سلمة دياركم تكتب آثاركم، دياركم تكتب آثاركم" فقالوا: ما يسرنا أنا كنا تحولنا" ((رواه مسلم، وروى البخاري معناه من رواية أنس)).
There were some plots of land lying vacant around the mosque. The people of Banu Salamah decided to move to this land and come nearer to the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard about it and said to them, "I have heard that you intend to move near the mosque." They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! We have decided to do that." Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Banu Salamah! Stay in your houses, because your footprints (when you come to the mosque) will be recorded." He said this twice. They said: "We would not have liked it, had we moved near the mosque." [Muslim].
In plain words
When a tribe wished to move closer to the mosque, the Prophet urged them to stay where they were, because their footprints on the way to prayer are recorded in their favour.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1056 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 66
Hadith 1057
Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن أعظم الناس أجرًا في الصلاة أبعدهم إليها ممشى، فأبعدهم، والذي ينتظر الصلاة حتى يصليها مع الإمام أعظم أجرًا من الذي يصليها ثم ينام" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat (prayer) is the one who comes to perform it in the mosque from the farthest distance. And he who waits for Salat to perform it with the Imam (in congregation) will have a greater reward than the one who observes it alone and then goes to sleep." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The greatest reward for prayer goes to the one who walks farthest to the mosque, and waiting to pray in congregation outweighs praying alone and then going to sleep.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1057 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 67
Hadith 1058
Buraidah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن بريدة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : "بشروا المشائين في الظلم إلى المساجد بالنور التام يوم القيامة" ((رواه أبو داود والترمذي)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Convey glad tidings to those who walk to the mosque in the darkness. For they will be given full light on the Day of Resurrection." [At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].
In plain words
Good news for those who walk to the mosque through the dark: they are promised full light on the Day of Resurrection.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1058 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 68
Hadith 1059
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "ألا أدلكم على ما يمحو الله به الخطايا، ويرفع به الدرجات؟ " قالوا بلى يا رسول الله. قال: "إسباغ الوضوء على المكاره، وكثرة الخطا إلى المساجد، وانتظار الصلاة بعد الصلاة، فذلكم الرباط، فذلكم الرباط" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates the ranks (in Jannah)." The Companions said: "Yes (please tell us), O Messenger of Allah." He said, "Performing the Wudu' properly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next Salat (prayer) after a observing Salat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat." [Muslim].
In plain words
He pointed to deeds that erase sins and raise ranks: completing wudu even when it is hard, taking many steps to the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer, calling this a form of standing guard for Allah's sake.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1059 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 69
Hadith 1060
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إذا رأيتم الرجل يعتاد المساجد فاشهدوا له بالإيمان، قال الله عز وجل {إنما يعمر مساجد الله من آمن بالله واليوم الآخر} ((الآية. رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you see a man frequenting the mosque, testify that he is a believer because Allah says: 'Allah's mosques are visited only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day."' [At-Tirmidhi].
In plain words
Seeing someone regularly attending the mosque is reason to think well of his faith, since Allah says His mosques are kept up by those who believe in Him and the Last Day.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1060 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 70