The Excellence of Standing in the First Row (In Salat) | Riyad-us-Saliheen

1082 Jabir bin Samurah (radiyallahu anhuma) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to us (once) and said, “Why do you not stand in rows as the angels do before their Rubb?” We asked: “O Messenger of Allah! how do the angels stand in rows before their Rubb?” He ﷺ replied, “They complete each row beginning with the first and filling all the gaps.”[Muslim].

1083 Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If people came to know the blessing of calling Adhan and the standing in the first row, they could do nothing but would draw lots to secure these privileges.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1084Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best of the men’s rows (in Salat) is the first row and the worst is the last; but the best of the woman’s row is the last and the worst of their rows is the first.”[Muslim].

1085 Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (radiyallahu anhu) reported: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perceived a tendency among his Companions to stand in the back rows, he said to them, “Come forward and be close to me and let those who come after you, follow your lead. If people continue to fall behind (i.e., in acquiring virtues), Allah puts them behind.”[Muslim].

1086 Abu Mas`ud (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to gently pat our shoulders when we were standing in rows at the time of Salat and say, “Keep (the rows) straight; do not differ from each other lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those of you who are mature and prudent be nearer to me, and then those who are next to them.”[Muslim].

1087 Anas (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Keep your rows straight (during Salat in congregation), for keeping the rows straight is part of the perfection of Salat.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1088 Anas (radiyallahu anhu) reported: When the Iqamah had been announced, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his face towards us and said: “Make your rows straight and stand close together, for I can see you from behind my back.”[Al-Bukhari].

1089 An-Nu`man bin Bashir (radiyallahu anhuma) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Straighten your rows; otherwise, Allah will create dissension among you.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The narration in Muslim is: An-Nu`man bin Bashir (radiyallahu anhuma) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ directed us to keep our rows as straight as arrows. He continued stressing this until he realized that we had learnt it from him (recognized its significance). One day he came into the mosque and stood up. He was just about to say Takbir (Allah is Greater) when he noticed a man whose chest was projected from the row, so he said, “O slaves of Allah, you must straighten your rows or Allah will certainly put your faces in opposite directions.”

1090 Al-Bara’ bin `Azib (radiyallahu anhuma) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pass between the rows from one end to the other, touching our chest and shoulders (i.e., arranging the rows) in line and saying, “Do not be out of line; otherwise your hearts will be in disagreement”. He would add, “Allah and His angels invoke blessings upon the first rows.”[Abu Dawud].

1091 Ibn `Umar (radiyallahu anhuma) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Arrange the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be accommodating to your brothers, and do not leave gaps for Satan. Whoever joins up a row, he will be joined to Allah (i.e., to the Mercy of Allah); and whoever cuts off a row, he will be cut off from Allah (i.e., from His Mercy).”[Abu Dawud].

1092 Anas (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Stand close together in your rows, keep nearer to one another, and put your necks in line, for by Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I see the Satan entering through the opening in the row like Al-hadhaf (i.e., a type of small black sheep found in Yemen).”[Abu Dawud].

1093 Anas (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Fill (complete) the first row, then the one next to it; and if there is any deficiency (incompleteness), it should be in the last row.”[Abu Dawud].

1094`Aishah (radiyallahu anha) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah and His angels invoke blessings upon those who are on the right side of the rows.”[Abu Dawud].

1095Al-Bara’ (radiyallahu anhu) reported: Whenever we performed Salat behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we liked to be on his right side so that his face might turn towards us (at the end of the Salat). One day, I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicating, “O my Rubb! Shield me from Your Torment on the Day when You will gather (or said, `resurrect’) Your slaves.”[Muslim].

1096 Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Let the Imam stand in the middle (so that those praying behind him should be standing both on his right and his left) and close the gaps.”[Abu Dawud].