Once, Ibn Mas‘ud ( - رضي الله عنه -) attended the mosque early and saw that three people have proceeded him. He got sad and reproached himself saying: ‘The fourth of four, indeed; the fourth of four is not too late’. (1) Verily, he ( - رضي الله عنه -) was always keen to attend the mosque so early before any other muslim.
How strange how many people these days behave -except those whom All?h ( - عز وجل -) showered with mercy- they attend the mosque while the Im?m is on the pulpit, some even attend it while Sal?t is being performed or is about to be performed; (2) that is after the angles have folded their records. The prophet ( - ) said: ‘When the Im?m comes, angles fold their records to listen to the Thikr’.
In another narration by Muslim, the narration runs as follows: ‘When the Im?m sits [on the pulpit], the angles fold their records to listen to the Thikr’.
The apparent meaning of these Ah?d?th is that: as soon as the Im?m comes, angles start folding their records and finish doing that as soon as he sits on the pulpit in order to listen to the Thikr; that is the Khutbah.
The records, angels fold, are the ones in which the names of those who attend the mosque early are recorded and their ranks only; not the ones in which the names of those who listen to the Khutbah, attend the Sal?t, Du‘?’ and be fully submitted in them are recorded for these are recorded by the two preserving angels no doubt. (3)
(1) Narrated by: Ibn M?jah in “As-Sunnan” (no. 1094), Al-Baihaq? in “Shu‘ab Al-Im?n” -as mentioned in “Z?d al-Ma‘?d” (vol. 1 / p. 408)- At-Tabar?n? in “Al-Majm?‘ Al-Kab?r” (vol. 10 / p. 96) (no. 10013) and Ibn Ab? ‘?sim -as mentioned in “Misb?h Az-Zuj?jah” and said: ‘The had?th’s chain of narrator is sound”.
(2) It is worth mentioning here that attending the Khutbah on Friday is an obligation -as the soundest of the ‘Ulamah’s opinions states. Ash-Shawk?n? held an opposite opinion and so did Sidd?q Hasan Kh?n and Sayyid S?biq in “Fiqh As-Sunnah”. For more details see: “Tam?mul Minnah” (p. 332) and “Al-Ajwibah An-N?fi‘ah” (pp. 52 - 4). Accordingly, whoever does not attend it, or was late; he would incur a sin on himself. We seek All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) refuge.
(3) “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / pp. 367 - 8).