سُنَنُ النَّسَائِيِّ
Sunan an-Nasa’i 847
The Book of Leading the Prayer (Al-Imamah)
A stern warning against failing to pray in congregation
أَخْبَرَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ بْنِ قُدَامَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا السَّائِبُ بْنُ حُبَيْشٍ الْكَلاَعِيُّ، عَنْ مَعْدَانَ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ الْيَعْمَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ أَيْنَ مَسْكَنُكَ قُلْتُ فِي قَرْيَةٍ دُوَيْنَ حِمْصَ . فَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلاَ بَدْوٍ لاَ تُقَامُ فِيهِمُ الصَّلاَةُ إِلاَّ قَدِ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّئْبُ الْقَاصِيَةَ . قَالَ السَّائِبُ يَعْنِي بِالْجَمَاعَةِ الْجَمَاعَةَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ .
It was narrated that Ma'din bin Abi Talhah Al-Ya'muri said: "Abu Ad-Darda said to me: 'Where do you live?' I said: 'In a town near Hims.' Abu Ad-Darda said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "There are no three people in a town or encampment among whom prayer is not established, but the Shaitan takes control of them. Therefore, stick to the congregation, for the wolf eats the sheep that strays off on its own." (One of the narrators (As Sa'ib) said: "The congregation means the congregational prayer."
Sunan an-Nasa'i, 847Sahih (Darussalam)