CHAPTER: STRAIGHTENING OF ROWS AND THE EXCELLENCE OF THE FIRST ROW AND THEN OF THE SUBSEQUENT ROWS AND COMPETING AND VYING WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR THE FIRST ROW AND PRIORITY OF THE MEN OF VIRTUES AND THEIR NEARNESS TO THE IMAM
No. 868
Abu Mas'ud reported: The Messenger of Allaah (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.
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Complete the rows, for I can see you behind my back.
- حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ صُهَيْبٍ - عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتِمُّوا الصُّفُوفَ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِي " .
No. 873
Hammam b. Munabbih reported: This is what was transmitted to us by Abu Huraira from the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and, while making a mention of a few ahadith, said: (The Messengerof Allaah 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 Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) say: Straighten your rows, or Allaah would create dissension amongst you.
Nu'man b. Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allaah (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: Allaah is the Greatest, when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row, so he said: Servants of Allaah, you hint straighten your rows or Allaah would create dissension amongst you.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: If the people were to know what excellence is there in the Adhan and in the first row, and they could not (get these opportunities) except by drawing lots, they would have definitely done that. And if they were to know what excellence lies in joining the prayer in the first takbir (prayer), they would have vied with one another. And if they were to know what excellence lies in the night prayer and morning prayer, they would have definitely come even if crawling (on their knees).
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 Allaah will put them at the back.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) saw people at the end of the mosque, and then the (above-mentioned hadith) was narrated.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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.
Abu Huraira 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.
- حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجَالِ أَوَّلُهَا وَشَرُّهَا آخِرُهَا وَخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّسَاءِ آخِرُهَا وَشَرُّهَا أَوَّلُهَا " .
No. 882
This hadith is narrated by Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.