Chapter on the Virtue of Mosques and Prayer Within Them, and the Virtue of Congregational Prayer and Its Rulings

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Yaqub ibn Yazid from Marwak ibn Ubayd from Nashit ibn Salih from Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal عليه السلام (the First), peace be upon him, who said: I said to Imam al-Kadhim عليه السلام: “A man among us performs his prayer inside his house with the door closed, then he goes out and prays with his neighbors. Is his prayer alone in his house considered a congregational prayer?” Imam عليه السلام said: “The one who prays in his house, Allah سبحانه وتعالى multiplies it for him to twice the reward of congregation; he will have fifty degrees (of reward). And the one who prays with his neighbors, Allah سبحانه وتعالى writes for him the reward of one who prayed behind the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family. And if he joins them in their prayer, so he leaves his sins behind with them (the opponents), and departs with their good deeds.”