The Benefits of Congregational Prayer and Piety and Abstinence

It has appeared in the traditions that space should not be left vacant in the rows of the congregational prayers; it is said that the Satan occupies such vacant positions.
There is another version that one should not stand in prayer at a distance from the congregation because, if a sheep grazes at some distance from the flock, there will be the likelihood of the wolf devouring it.
It is authentically narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S),’ On the land there are rows of my followers like there are rows of the angels in the Firmament.’ Then he (S) added, ‘One genuflection (Rakat) in congregation is equivalent to the 24, each of which genuflection is superior in the eyes of Allah to continuous prayer offered over a period of forty years. The day when Allah will gather all the creatures from the Day of Creation to the end, He will protect from the hardships of the Day of Reckoning one who has taken even a step to go and join the Congregational Prayer. To such a person Allah will provide a place in the Heaven.
In another tradition the Prophet (S) says, ‘Whoever offers the Fajr (morning) prayer in congregation and then recites the supplications till the sunrise, Allah will award him seventy echelons in the Heaven. Every echelon will be equal to the distance traversed by a fast steed in seventy years. One who offers the Zuhr prayer in congregation,, Allah will grant him fifty echelons in the Garden of Eden. The distance of each echelon will be equal to the distance traveled by a fast horse in a period of fifty years. One who offers the Asr prayer in congregation, his reward will be equal to freeing eight thousand slaves from the progeny of Prophet Ismail (as). A person who prays Maghrib in congregation, on his name will be entered reward equal to performing a Haj and Umrah. One who prays Isha in congregation, his reward will be equal to the prayers of Lailat al Qadr.’
It is narrated that the Prophet of Allah (S) told to his companions,’ Do you wish to be informed of an act that can obliterate the effects of your sins and the virtues enhance in the consideration of Allah?’ They all said in unison, ‘Ya Imam! Please do tell!’ The Prophet (S) said,’ Perform ablution thoroughly, unmindful of coolness of weather or water, go for the prayer in the mosque and tarry there for the next prayer. One who goes to the mosque after doing the ablutions, prays in congregation and awaits arrival of more people there for the next congregation, the angels pray for him, “O Allah! Forgive him! Be kind on him and shower Your Blessings on him!”
In another tradition it is mentioned, ‘When a person leads a congregation, with the consent of the gathering, he should maintain moderation during the prayer. He should recite verses keeping in mind the physical status of the group joining the prayer. Allah willl reward him equal to the combined reward for the congregation and there will be no reduction in their rewards too.’ And said, ‘As many steps as a person takes to go and join a congregation in a mosque, seventy thousand virtues will be added to his record for every step taken. He will be raised seventy stages in his status.If a person dies while going for a congregation, Allah will appoint seventy thousand angels to visit him in the grave and remain with him and pray for him till he is raised from there.
It is said in another tradition, ‘A person who hears the Adhaan and comes out of the mosque for no valid reason, is a hypocrite.
It is authentically narrated from Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) that one must keep a good opinion about a person who prays in congregation five times a day. One should accept the witness of such a person.’
In another tradition the Prophet of Islam (S) said, ‘One who offers the Fajr and Isha prayers in congregation, will remain in Allah’s Care. If someone inflicts hardship on such a person, it will be like inflicting hardship on Allah. One who breaks a promise given to such a person, it will be like making a promise to Allah and breaking it.’
One congregational prayer is equivalent to twentyfive prayers offered individually.
Seek sustenance from Allah from the time of commencement of Fajr till sunrise. Its effect is more pronounced than traveling in search of trade.
O Abu Dharr! More knowledge is definitely superior tnan more prayer without knowledge. Without piety even if you pray to the extent that your back hunches with the exertion, even then it will not benefit you if there is no piety in your effort. Those who abstained from taboo things, adopted piety and abstained from worldly wishes, are certainly Allah’s friends and His select beings!

Piety and Abstinence
There are many stages of piety and abstinence.
The first stage is avoidance of disbelief and hypocricy. These acts will be the cause for one burning in the Hellfire.One who doesn’t overcome disbelief and hypocricy, cannot go any further on the path of piety. The prayer and supplication of such persons willl be futile.
The second stage of piety is abstinence from all taboo things.
The third stage of piety is avoiding things that are not taboo but should better be avoided. These are termed the makroohat. A pious person who has reached the third stage will not be attracted to anything other than riveting his attention on the Creator, Allah. The first two stages of piety are the formative stages of a person perfect in piety.
The more a person excels in these two stages, the more acceptable he becomes in the consideration of the Creator. His acts reflect nearness to Allah, love for Him, understanding of the Creator and exemplary behaviour with fellow- creatures. It is said in the Holy Qur’an, “Attaqullaha haqqa tuqatehi’. While doing commentary on this verse, Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said, “True piety is that men obey Allah and don’t commit sins. They remember Allah every moment of their lives and don’t ever forget Him! They thank him profusely for His Bounties and abstain from ungratefulness to Him!
Someone asked Amir’ul-Mu’mineen (as), “Ya Imam! Which is the best of acts?” He said, “Piety and abstinence!”
It is narrated fom Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as), “Little action with piety is better than excessive and unpious deeds.”
The Imam (as) also said, “Avoid things that are termed taboo by Allah! Strive in the way of prayer and obedience! Remember, effort at prayer without avoiding the taboo is always futile!”
Omer bin Sayeed asked Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) to give him some advice. The Imam (as) said, “Abstain from taboo acts! Adopt piety. Abstain from everything that Allah forbids you to do! Strive in prayer and Rememberance of Allah. Be sure that any effort at piety is futile if the taboo are not avoided!”
It is narrated from the Prophet of Allah (S) that protecting oneself from Haram, which is termed wara, is binding on Muslims. There is no reward for good deeds in the court of Allah without wara.
It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) that among all the prayers, wara is the most difficult. Wara means saving oneself from doing haram acts.
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) said, Only those are counted my companions who are more pious and pray to Allah with hope for Rewards from Him.
It is narrated in a tradition that a person should be termed a Mu’min who fulfils our commandments. He will have the desire in his heart to follow our instructions. One very important requirement to be met by such a person is that he is pious and abstinent. He should make piety his adornment that he craves for Allah’s Bounties and with wara he saves himself from the guiles of our enemies. He avoids doubtful things, offers more prayer and dutifully observes the mandatory commandments.
The most pious is one who abstains from the taboo.
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) narrates that “It is necessary for Muslims to practice Wara by abstaining from taboo and suspicious acts. Wara is a component of the Faith that we uphold and that is the basis of our prayer to Allah. We expect the same from our friends and Shi’as. Therefore, don’t commit Haram acts and put us to the trouble of interceding on your behalf on the Day of Judgement! Intercession in such a situation will be very difficult!”
The Prophet of Islam (S) has said, “Allah has not given respectability to anyone who lives in ignorance and has never belittled anyone for his simplicity and affability.”
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said: A person who has three traits will be awarded Hur al-’Ayn in the Heaven: He controls his anger gets wounded fighting in the way of Allah and keeps calm.
Despite opportunities presenting themselves for making illegitimate (Haram) earnings, he abstains from it for the fear of Allah.
Authentic sources narrate from Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) that, “Allah sent a revelation to one of His Prophets (as) that’ when you stir out tomorrow morning, you must eat the first thing that comes in your view!. Secondly, whatever you see, hide it away. Thirdly, whatever presents itself to you, accept it. Fourthly, Whatever comes before you, don’t d’Isappoint it! Fifthly, run away from the thing.’ At dawn the Prophet stirred out. The first thing that met his eyes was a mountain. He wondered that Allah has ordered him to eat the first thing that he saw. He again thought that if he had no ability to do the thing, Allah would not have ordered him to do it.
With this thought he went nearer the mountain to eat it. The nearer he went, the smaller the mountain became. When he touched the mountain, it was the size of a morsel. The Prophet ate it and found it very delicious. The Prophet went a little further and noticed a tray made of gold. Since he was under instructions to hide it, the Prophet dug a small pit and buried the tray in the ground. He proceeded a little further.
When he turned back, he noticed the golden tray jutting out a little from the ground. He thought, I have fulfilled Allah’s order about the tray and that he had no more concern about it. Travelling a little further, the Prophet found a bird flying. He also found a hawk hot in pursuit of the bird. The bird sought the Prophet’s protection from the hawk. The Prophet therefore opened his sleeve for the bird to take refuge there. The hawk approached the Prophet and complained that it was trying to hunt the bird for quite sometime and that now he was depriving it of its food. The Prophet was under instructions not to disappoint anyone. Therefore he carved a portion of the flesh from his own loin and gave to the hawk.
The Prophet went a little further and noticed a putrifying animal carcass. Vermin were crawling out of the carcass. He was under instructions to run away from it. Therefore the Prophet moved away from there and proceeded towards his home. In the night he dreamed that Allah was saying,’ O my Prophet! You have done whatever I had instructed you to do! But you didn’t realize what these things were in reality?’ The Prophet said, ‘Yes! I don’t know.’ Allah replied, ‘O my Prophet! The mountain that you saw was the human trait of anger. When a person gets angry, he goes out of control and forgets himself. But, if he controls his anger, then the result will be like the delicious morsel that you consumed! The golden tray was an example of good deeds. However much you hide them, Allah exposes them to view that you get respect in this world and Reward in the Hereafter. The example of the bird and the hawk is that when someone seeks help from you, don’t d’Isappoint him. The example of the putrifying carcass is like back-biting and carrying of tales which must be avoided.’”