Ta'lim : Part XXXIX

Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu anhu (ra) narrates that he heard the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) saying, “A person who performs wudhu or ablution scrupulously, and the goes to the masjid and finds that the congregation is over, receives a reward equal to that of congregation. This would not diminish anything from the reward of those who have actually performed their salat or prayer with the congregation.”
This is indeed Allah swt’s great favor and beneficence that the mere effort and a slight exertion is enough to entitle us to a reward of Jamaah or congregation, though actually we fail to join it. Who is the loser if we ourselves get left, and miss the bounties of the most Bountiful?The hadith also shows that we should not postpone going to the masjid in apprehension of the Jamaah is over, we will still get reward thereof. If, however, we are certain that the congregation or Jammah is already over, then there is of course no idea in going to the masjid for the Jamaah.