In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب فضل صلاة الجماعة
Chapter on the virtue of congregational prayer.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/311
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
صَلَاةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلَاةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً
Prayer in congregation is better than prayer alone by twenty-seven degrees.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 645, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Imam Ibn Qudamah writes
وَصَلَاة الْجَمَاعَةِ وَاجِبَةٌ لِلصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ رُوِيَ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَأَبِي مُوسَى وَبِهِ قَالَ عَطَاءٌ وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ وَأَبُو ثَوْرٍ وَلَمْ يُوجِبْهَا مَالِكٌ وَالثَّوْرِيُّ وَأَبُو حَنِيفَةَ وَالشَّافِعِيُّ
Congregational prayer is an obligation for the five prescribed prayers, as was narrated from Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Musa, and was practiced by ‘Ata’, Al-Awza’i, and Abu Thawr. It was not obligated by Malik, Al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and Al-Shafi’i.
Source: al-Mughnī 2/130
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ تُضَعَّفُ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَفِي سُوقِهِ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ ضِعْفًا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يُخْرِجُهُ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةُ لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلَّا رُفِعَتْ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ فَإِذَا صَلَّى لَمْ تَزَلْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّاهُ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ وَلَا يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاةٍ مَا انْتَظَرَ الصَّلَاةَ
The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times better than prayer in his home or shop. When he performs ablution in a good manner and leaves to the mosque only to perform the prayer, then his every step will raise him a degree and expiate a sin until he enters the mosque. When he is performing prayer, the angels send blessings upon him for as long as he remains in his place of prayer. They say, ‘O Allah, bless him and have mercy upon him.’ One of you continues to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for prayer.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 647, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَيْسَ صَلَاةٌ أَثْقَلَ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ مِنْ الْفَجْرِ وَالْعِشَاءِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لَأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا
No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the dawn and evening prayers. If they knew the blessing in them, they would come even if they had to crawl.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 657, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلَا بَدْوٍ لَا تُقَامُ فِيهِمْ الصَّلَاةُ إِلَّا قَدْ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمْ الشَّيْطَانُ فَعَلَيْكَ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّئْبُ الْقَاصِيَةَ
If three people in a town or in the desert do not establish prayer among them, then Satan has overcome them. You must establish the congregation, for the wolf eats the isolated sheep.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 547, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
