Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (Oct 2019)
A Statistical Analysis for Increasing Reward with Increasing Size of Jam′at
Abstract
The concept of jam’at is one of the most intrinsic concepts of the social edifice of Islam. The reward of a salaat, as enunciated by Holy Prophet (SAW) is multiplied by saying it in jama’at. There are sayings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) which can be made to show that the reward of a jama’at is a mathematical function of that of a salaat said individually. This paper is an attempt to find that function. It is being established here that this function is parabolic, with a very sharp slope in nature, and may be deduced to extrapolate the divine reward one may have by saying a salaat in jama’at, at one hand, and to appraise the increase in reward with the size of the jama’at. The same function also connects different, apparently conflicting sayings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) regarding the comparisons in this reward.