الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
أبواب صلاة الجماعةChapters on Congregational Prayer
بَابُ مَا جَاءَ فِي فَضْلِ الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ
Chapter on the virtue of the first row
Hadith 2657
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لَاسْتَهَمُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لَاسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعِشَاءِ وَالصُّبْحِ لَأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا))
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If people knew the reward of the call to prayer (adhan) and the first row, and they found no way except to draw lots, then they would draw lots for it. And if they knew the reward of the noon (zuhr) prayer, they would compete with each other to get it. And if people knew the reward of the night (‘isha) and dawn (fajr) prayers, they would certainly come to them, even if they had to crawl on their buttocks.
Hadith 2658
عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ((إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ أَوِ الصُّفُوفِ الْأُوْلَى))
Sayyiduna Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah Almighty and His angels send mercy upon those in the first rows.
Hadith 2659
(وَعَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ نَحْوُهُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ عَلَى الصُّفُوفِ الْأُوَلِ (وَفِي لَفْظٍ) عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْمُقَدَّمِ)
A similar hadith is narrated from Sayyiduna Bara’ bin ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), except that in one of his narrations the words are ‘ala al-sufuuf al-awwal (upon the first rows) and in another narration the words are ‘ala al-saff al-muqaddam (upon the front row).
Hadith 2660
عَنِ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِلصَّفِّ الْمُقَدَّمِ ثَلَاثًا وَلِلثَّانِي مَرَّةً
Sayyiduna Irbad bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for forgiveness three times for those in the first row and once for those in the second row.
Hadith 2661
عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((الصَّفُّ الْمُقَدَّمُ عَلَى مِثْلِ صَفِّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَلَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ فَضِيلَتَهُ لَابْتَدَرْتُمُوهُ))
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The first row is like the row of angels, and if you knew its virtue, you would hasten towards it.
Hadith 2662
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ))، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَعَلَى الثَّانِي، قَالَ: ((إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ))، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَعَلَى الثَّانِي، قَالَ: ((وَعَلَى الثَّانِي))، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وَحَاذُوا بَيْنَ مَنَاكِبِكُمْ وَلِينُوا فِي أَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ بَيْنَكُمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْحَذَفِ)) يَعْنِي أَوْلَادَ الضَّأْنِ الصِّغَارِ)
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, Allah Almighty and His angels send mercy upon those in the first row. The companions said: O Messenger of Allah! And those in the second row? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, Allah Almighty and His angels send mercy upon those in the first row. The companions again said: O Messenger of Allah! And those in the second row? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And upon those in the second row as well. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Straighten your rows, align your shoulders, be gentle in the hands of your brothers, and fill the gaps in the rows, for indeed Satan slips in among you like small lambs.
