Chapter: Straightening The Rows; The Virtue Of The Front Row And Then The Next; Competing With One Another For The Front Row; The People Of Virtue Should Take Precedence And Be Closest To The Imam
Abu Mas'ud reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to touch our shoulders in prayer and say: Keep straight, don't be irregular, for there would be dissension in your hearts. Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them. Abu Mas'ud said: Now-a-days there is much dissension amongst you.
This hadith is narrated by Ibn Uyaina with the same chain of transmitters.
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: Let those who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them (saying it tliree tinies), and beware of the tumult of the markets.
Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: Straighten your rows. for the straightening of a row is a part of the perfection of prayer.
Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: Complete the rows, for I can see you behind my back.
Hammam b. Munabbih reported: This is what was transmitted to us by Abu Huraira from the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and, while making a mention of a few ahadith, said: (The Messengerof Allah directed us thus): Establish rows in prayer, for the making of a row (straight) is one of the merits of prayer.
Nu'man b. Bashir reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say: Straighten your rows, or Allah would create dissension amongst you.
Nu'man b. Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace-be upon him) used to straighten our rows as it lie were straightening an arrow with their help until be saw that we had learnt it from him. One day he came out, stood up (for prayer) and was about to say: Allah is the Greatest, when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row, so he said: Servants of Allah, you hint straighten your rows or Allah would create dissension amongst you.
Abu 'Awana reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters.
Nu'man b. Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace-be upon him) used to straighten our rows as it lie were straightening an arrow with their help until be saw that we had learnt it from him. One day he came out, stood up (for prayer) and was about to say: Allah is the Greatest, when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row, so he said: Servants of Allah, you hint straighten your rows or Allah would create dissension amongst you.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) saw (a tendency ) among his Companions to go to the back, so he said to them: Come forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow your lead. People will continue to keep back till Allah will put them at the back.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) saw people at the end of the mosque, and then the (above-mentioned hadith) was narrated.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: If you were to know, or if they were to know, what (excellence) lies in the first rows, there would have been drawing of lots (for filling them) ; and Ibn Harb said: For (occupying) the first row there would have been drawing of lots.
It was narrated from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.
This hadith is narrated by Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.