Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “The prayer performed in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one’s house or in a business center, because if one performs ablution and does it perfectly, and then proceeds to the Mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for each step which he takes towards the Mosque, Allah upgrades him a degree in reward and crosses out one sin until he enters the Mosque. When he enters the Mosque he will be considered fully engaged in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and the angels keep on seeking Allah’s forgiveness for him and they keep on saying: ‘O allah! Be Merciful to him, O Allah! Forgive him’, as long as he keeps on sitting at his praying place and does not pass wind.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
Commenting on this hadith, Dr. `Abdul-Fattah `Ashoor, professor of Qur’anic Exegesis at Al-Azhar University, states: “It is well known that the Muslim receives the reward for the good deeds he makes according to the hardship he encounters. The greater the hardship, the bigger will be the reward from Generous Lord, Allah. However, the hardships that a Muslim may face along the way to Allah do not necessitate leaving modern means of transportation aside. We cannot expect a Muslim to burden himself beyond what he can bear under the pretext that enduring hardships is a clear remark of true and sincere faith. On the contrary, that approach runs counter to the true essence of Islam.
If the person has no means but to walk (even a long distance) to the Mosque, then he is obliged to bear the hardship, as he has no any other means. The reward mentioned in the above hadith typically applies to that person. As for those who ride to the Mosque, for example when a person drives a car, and goes to the Mosque frequently to perform prayer, we can say that such an act (driving to the Mosque) will be generously rewarded by Allah. The more sincere is the person in his intention, the greater will be the reward Allah grants him.
It stands to reason that the matters pertaining to the reward that Allah grants His servants are measured according to how sincere and committed they are!”
May Allah guide you to the straight path and direct you to that which pleases Him, Amen.
Does Driving to the Mosque Entail the Same Reward as Walking?
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