Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 2518

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Shall I not guide you to something by which Allah Almighty wipes out sins and increases good deeds?" The people said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Performing ablution thoroughly when one's nature is disinclined, taking many steps to the mosques, and waiting for the next prayer after a prayer. Whoever among you leaves his house having performed ablution, prays with the Muslims, and then sits waiting for the next prayer, the angels say: 'O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him!' Then, when you stand for prayer, put your rows in order, keep them straight and fill the empty spaces, for I see you from behind my back. When the imam says 'Allahu akbar', say 'Allahu akbar'; when he bows, bow; when he says 'Sami' Allahu liman hamidah', say 'Allahumma rabbana lakal-hamd'. The best row of the men is the front one and the least good is the last one, and the best row of the women is the last one and the least good is the front one. O assembly of women! When the men go into prostration, lower your gazes; do not look at the private parts of the men, because their waist-wrappers are short." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Ibn Majah recorded a part of this narration, from its beginning up to: "Whoever among you".
Ahmad recorded it as a lengthy narration, and Abu Ya'la also recorded it, but his wording is: "Whoever among you leaves his house having performed ablution and offers the congregational prayer with the Muslims." Its chain contains a narrator, Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil, about whom there is disagreement as to whether he can be used as evidence; more than one scholar has declared him thiqah (trustworthy).