Sahih Muslim Book - 5, Hadith - 1506

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِى مُعَاوِيَةَ - قَالَ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ - عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِى صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « صَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِى جَمَاعَةٍ تَزِيدُ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِ فِى بَيْتِهِ وَصَلاَتِهِ فِى سُوقِهِ بِضْعًا وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ لاَ يَنْهَزُهُ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةُ لاَ يُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ فَلَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلاَّ رُفِعَ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ كَانَ فِى الصَّلاَةِ مَا كَانَتِ الصَّلاَةُ هِىَ تَحْبِسُهُ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِى مَجْلِسِهِ الَّذِى صَلَّى فِيهِ يَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ تُبْ عَلَيْهِ مَا لَمْ يُؤْذِ فِيهِ مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ فِيهِ ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'A man's prayer in congregation is more valuable than his prayer in his house or his marketplace by twenty-odd degrees. That is because if one of you performs Wudu' and performs it well, then he comes to the Masjid, with no other motive or purpose than to pray, then he does not take any step but he will be raised one degree in status thereby, and one sin will be erased thereby, until he enters the Masjid. When he enters the Masjid, he is in a state of prayer so long as the prayer is what is keeping him there, and the Angels send Salat upon any one of you so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, saying: 'O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, accept his repentance.' So long as he does not offend anyone or commit Hadath."