How can one reconcile the virtue of arriving early at the mosque and remaining in prayer, awaiting it, and in remembrance until the prayer is established, with the virtue of performing the pre-prayer supererogatory (nafl) prayers at home?

It was previously mentioned that there is virtue in hastening to the mosque and awaiting prayer there. It is also established that performing supererogatory (nafl) prayers at home is better than performing them in the mosque, due to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "So perform prayers in your homes, for the best prayer a person performs is in his home, except for the obligatory prayer."

There is no contradiction between performing supererogatory prayers at home and arriving early at the mosque. A Muslim can perform supererogatory prayers at home after the time for prayer begins, then go to the mosque and await the obligatory prayer, occupying their time with supererogatory prayers, Qur'an recitation, or remembrance (dhikr). The majority of scholars view it as desirable to perform the regular supererogatory prayers at home.