Question:
For someone that prays in a jama’ in the masjid within the time for that prayer but prays after the first jama’, does this person get the same reward for the one who prayed with the first jama’?
Answer:
Shaikh Bin Baz rahimahullah said:
فقال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم: من يتصدق على هذا فيصلي معه»؛ ولعموم الأدلة الدالة على أن صلاة الجماعة أفضل من صلاة الفرد بسبع وعشرين درجة، ومن قال: إنها تختص بالأولى فعليه الدليل المخصص، ومجرد الرأي ليس حجة، ويدل على ذلك أيضًا قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «صلاة الرجل في جماعة تفضل على صلاته في سوقه، وفي بيته بخمس وعشرين ضعفًا»، فإذا فاتته الأولى، ويسر الله جماعة في مسجد آخر أو في نفس المسجد، فمشروع له أن يصلي جماعة،
“The Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salam said: Is there any man who may do good with this (man) and pray along with him.[Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 574].
The general evidences indicate that the prayer in congregation is better than prayer alone by twenty seven degrees. Whoever said that this is specific for the first congregation, than upon him is evidence for specifying [this]. Opinion alone is not proof. What proves that also is the statement of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam:
A man’s Salat in congregation is twenty-five times more rewarding than his Salat at home or in his shop [Saheeh al-Bukhari and Muslim].
So if he misses the first (congregation) and Allah makes easy for him to pray in congregation in another masjid or that same masjid, then it is legislated for him to pray in congregation”
[Reference removed since it no longer exists]
However, Shaikh Ibn ul-‘uthaymeen rahimahullah took the view that the second congregation does not have the same reward as the first. He said:
لكن كون الجماعة الثانية تنال أجر الجماعة الأولى فهذا ليس بصحيح، وإلا لكان كل الناس يذهبون إلى المسجد متى شاءوا، ويصلون جماعة ويقولون: أخذنا أجر سبع وعشرين درجة، فهذا لا أعلم أحداً قال به، أي: أن الصلاة الثانية كصلاة الأولى في الحصول على أجر سبع وعشرين درجة.
However (regarding) the second congregation having the reward has the first, then this is not correct. Otherwise, everyone will come to the masjid when they wish and pray in congregation and say ‘we received twenty seven times the reward.’ So I do not know anyone who would say this: that the second prayer is like the first prayer in receiving twenty seven times the reward”
[Liqaa Bab al-Maftooh no. 44]
it seems Shaikh Bin Baz’s opinion is stronger and more in line with the general proofs. So a person inshallah will gain the full reward if they prayed in a second congregation. And Allah knows best
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
