The Hadith exhorts people to go early to Salah because it draws a person to his Lord, may He be Glorified and Exalted.
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: «The similitude of a person who goes early to Friday Salah is like the one who offers a she-camel as a sacrifice, then he who comes next is like the one who offers a cow, then he who comes next is like the one who offers a ram with horns, then he who comes next is like the one who offers a hen, then he who comes next is like the one who offers an egg» (1).
Lessons gained from the Hadith: (2)
1- The Hadith exhorts people to go early to Salah because it draws a person to his Lord, may He be Glorified and Exalted.
2- Going early to Salah is of great benefits to a Muslim, of these benefits: Performing supererogatory Salah prior to the obligatory Salah, engaging oneself in reciting the Qur’an and Adhkar (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis) until the Salah is established, catching Takbirat-ul-Ihram (saying: “Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]” upon starting Salah), getting into Salah with tranquility, submissiveness, and with attentive heart, benefiting from the time between Adhan (call to Salah) and Iqamah (call to start the Salah) which is the time for answering invocation, among other benefits (3).
(1) Sunan An-Nasa’y, No. (865) and Al Albany graded it as authentic. See: As-Silsilah As-Sahihah, 10/ 125, No. (3576).
(1) Reported by Muslim No. (492)
(2) See: `Awn Al Ma`bud Sharh Sunan Abu Dawud, 2/ 247.
(3) See: The commentary of An-Nawawy on Sahih Muslim, 4/ 209.
