Chapter 49: A stern warning against staying behind from prayer in congregation - كتاب الإمامة
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِحَطَبٍ فَيُحْطَبَ ثُمَّ آمُرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَيُؤَذَّنَ لَهَا ثُمَّ آمُرَ رَجُلاً فَيَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ أُخَالِفَ إِلَى رِجَالٍ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ أَحَدُهُمْ أَنَّهُ يَجِدُ عَظْمًا سَمِينًا أَوْ مَرْمَاتَيْنِ حَسْنَتَيْنِ لَشَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ " .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! I nearly ordered that firewood be gathered to be lit, then I would have ordered that the Adhan be called for prayer, and ordered a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would have gone from behind to those men and burned their houses down over them. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! If any one of them knew that he would get a meaty bone or some meat in between two ribs, he would attend Isha'.''