Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 192

Urging to Observe 'Isha' and Fajr Prayers in Congregation

باب الحث على حضور الجماعة في الصبح والعشاء

Of the five daily prayers, two fall at the hardest hours for the body, the night prayer when sleep is calling and the dawn prayer when the bed is warm and the world is still dark. This short chapter gathers the Prophet's encouragement, peace be upon him, to pray these two in congregation rather than alone at home. The reward he describes is enormous, and that is the point, the harder a deed is on the self, the more it weighs on the scale.

Notice how these hadith frame the same act from two sides. They name the rich reward waiting for the one who comes, and they name the reluctance that keeps a heart from coming. Showing up for Fajr and Isha in the masjid becomes a quiet test of where the heart truly stands, far from any eye that would praise it.

Hadith 1071

'Uthman bin 'Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

عن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول‏:‏ ‏"‏من صلى العشاء في جماعة، فكأنما قام نصف الليل ومن صلى الصبح في جماعة، فكانما صلى الليل كله‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ وفي رواية الترمذي عن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏"‏من شهد العشاء في جماعة كان له قيام نصف ليلة، ومن شهد العشاء والفجر في جماعة، كان له كقيام ليلة‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏قال الترمذي حديث حسن صحيح‏)‏‏)‏

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "One who performs 'Isha' prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night. And one who performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat the whole night." [Muslim] The narration of At-Tirmidhi says: 'Uthman bin Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "He who attends 'Isha' in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night; and he who attends 'Isha' and Fajr prayers in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for the whole night."

In plain words

Praying 'Isha' in congregation is like standing half the night in prayer, and joining both 'Isha' and Fajr in congregation is like praying the whole night, so these two carry great reward.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1071 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 81

Hadith 1072

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏ولو يعلمون ما في العتمة والصبح لأتوهما ولو حبوًا‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ وقد سبق بطوله‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If they knew the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the morning (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] This is part of a long Hadith which has already been mentioned. See Hadith No. 1033.

In plain words

If people knew the reward in coming to 'Isha' and Fajr, they would come even if they had to crawl, showing how much these two prayers are worth.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1072 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 82

Hadith 1073

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ "‏ليس صلاة أثقل على المنافقين من صلاة الفجر والعشاء ولو يعلمون ما فيهما لأتوهما ولو حبوًا‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No Salat is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the Fajr (dawn) prayer and the 'Isha' (night) prayer; and if they knew their merits, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

No prayers feel heavier to the half-hearted than Fajr and 'Isha', yet if people grasped their reward they would crawl to reach them, which is why showing up reveals where the heart stands.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1073 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 83