Hadith 16526

Chapter 21

باب 21

(21) باب فَضْلِ صَلاَةِ الْجَمَاعَةِ .

(21) Chapter: The Virtue Of Prayer In Congregation
38
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلاَئِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلاَئِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي فَيَقُولُونَ تَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ وَأَتَيْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ " .

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"Angels come to you in succession by night and day, and they meet at Fajr prayer and 'Asr prayer. Then those who spent the night among you ascend, and He (Allah) will ask them, although He knows best: 'In what condition did you leave My slaves.' They will say: 'We left them when they were praying and we came to them when they were praying.'"

Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 485

In-book reference: Book 5, Hadith 38

English translation: Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 486