Virtues, going early for Jumu’ah prayer

Abu Hurairah (RadhiAllahu anhu) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said,

“He who takes a bath on Friday, like the bath for ceremonial purity, and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a camel as a sacrifice to seek the Pleasure of Allah;

and he who comes at the second hour is like one who offers a cow to win the Pleasure of Allah;

and he who comes at the third hour is like one who offers a ram with horns (in sacrifice);

and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen;

and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg.

And when the Imam ascends the pulpit, the angels (who write the names of those who come to the mosque before the coming of the Imam) close (their record) in order to listen to the Khutbah.”

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Commentary:
This Hadith mentions the merits of going early for Salat-ul-Jumu`ah and narrates inducements provided for it. The earlier a person goes for it, the greater his reward will be. In fact, the reward for it goes on diminishing in proportion to the delay that he makes in reaching the mosque for this purpose so much so that he who reaches the Masjid after the Khutbah, will be totally deprived of the benefits which go with it because his name does not figure in the register which shows men of merits.