Is the Prayer in Congregation 27 or 25 Times Better?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً.
Abdullah ibn Umar narrated the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)said: A prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer alone by twenty -seven merits.
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِخَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً
Abu Saeed Al-Khudir narrated the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)said: A prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer alone by twenty- five merits.
Benefits of this topic
Here we have two authentic hadith both collected by Imam Al-Bukhari. One states the prayer in congregation 27 times better than praying alone, and the other mentions the prayer in a congregation is 25 times superior to praying alone. On the surface, a person might think that there is a contradiction between the two, but this isn’t the case. In fact, Sheikhul Islam Abu Yahya Zakiryah Al-Ansari (925 H) said there were several opinions and ways to unify both narrations. He wrote;
- This hadith means the prayer is superior in its rewards by 27 some odd times.
- It’s been said that the meaning is one prayer in a congregation is like 27 prayers. In other words, praying a Fajr prayer in congregation is like praying it 27 times.
- It has been reported that the numbers in both hadith aren’t restricted to those exact numbers in merit,but means a large amount.
- Some scholars have said that at first, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) mentioned 25 times the reward then, later on, was informed about 27. However, this requires one to know the date of revelation and in the Sharia, the rewards for action aren’t abrogated.
- Another group of scholars has said the reward for praying in congregation totally 25 or 27 is based on the person’s prayer itself. i.e his khusu’ , his posture in prayer, and even the amount of people praying with him in the masjid, along with the character of those who join him in the ranks.
- The reward of 27 is for those who pray the audible prayer in the congregation. i.e Fajr, Maghrib, and Isha, since one can hear the Fatiha and say amen aloud. The reward of 25 applies to the silent prayers in Jama’h. i.e Thur and Asr.
- The reward of 27 is for the person who catches the entire Salah in Jama’h and the reward of 25 is for the person who misses the prayer, yet he still catches the Jama’h.
At any rate both Hadith encourage the prayer in congregation as a legislated act. [1]
Prepared by
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah Battle
1441©
[1] Fathul ‘Alam bisharh Al-Alam bi Ahadithil Ahkam, by Sh Zakiriyah Al-Ansari, pg 241-242