Being Avid For Prayers and Reward

Bismillah

There is a lot of virtues for being avid for prayers.

Abu Hurayrah r.a relates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "If people knew what there is in the call to prayer and the first row, and then had no recourse but to draw lots for them, they would draw lots. If they knew what is there in going early to Friday prayer, they would race each other for it. And if they knew what is in the Night Payer and Morning Prayer, they would come to it,ceven if they had to do so crawling.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لاَسْتَهَمُوا وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

(Related in Muslim)

Reward is what Allah has promised for our good actions by His Fadl (grace and mercy) in the Hereafter. In this hadith, special emphasis is given to getting early to Friday prayer, the first row in congregational prayer, the night and dawn prayer. 

We cannot imagine the greatness of the reward because it is outside human frames of reference. Our frames of reference are the dunya (worldly life). The dunya is limited, fleeting, perishing and even what you get for something is not entirely satisfying because it comes with problems and responsibilities. It's honor is abasement. 

All that is in the call to prayer (adhan) is affirming meanings. And there is no meaning higher than in the meanings in the adhan. 

Reflect on the adhan

Allahu Akbar....

It is Allah telling us where to find Allah. Attainment of Allah's good pleasure is righteousness. 

May Allah accept our prayers and be pleased with us and build for us near Him a house in Jannah. Aameen.