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.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمْسَحُ مَنَاكِبَنَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَيَقُولُ اسْتَوُوا وَلاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا فَتَخْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ لِيَلِنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُو الأَحْلاَمِ وَالنُّهَى ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ قَالَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ فَأَنْتُمُ الْيَوْمَ أَشَدُّ اخْتِلاَفًا  

This hadith is narrated by Ibn Uyaina with the same chain of transmitters.  

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِيَلِنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُو الأَحْلاَمِ وَالنُّهَى ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثَلاَثًا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهَيْشَاتِ الأَسْوَاقِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Straighten your rows. for the straightening of a row is a part of the perfection of prayer.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ فَإِنَّ تَسْوِيَةَ الصَّفِّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الصَّلاَةِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Complete the rows, for I can see you behind my back.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَتِمُّوا الصُّفُوفَ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِي  

This is what was transmitted to us by Abu Huraira from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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.  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا الصَّفَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ إِقَامَةَ الصَّفِّ مِنْ حُسْنِ الصَّلاَةِ  

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Straighten your rows, or Allah would create dissension amongst you.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَتُسَوُّنَّ صُفُوفَكُمْ أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ وُجُوهِكُمْ  

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.  

سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُسَوِّي صُفُوفَنَا حَتَّى كَأَنَّمَا يُسَوِّي بِهَا الْقِدَاحَ حَتَّى رَأَى أَنَّا قَدْ عَقَلْنَا عَنْهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَوْمًا فَقَامَ حَتَّى كَادَ يُكَبِّرُ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً بَادِيًا صَدْرُهُ مِنَ الصَّفِّ فَقَالَ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ لَتُسَوُّنَّ صُفُوفَكُمْ أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ وُجُوهِكُمْ  

Abu 'Awana reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters.  

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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).  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لاَسْتَهَمُوا وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَأَى فِي أَصْحَابِهِ تَأَخُّرًا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ تَقَدَّمُوا فَائْتَمُّوا بِي وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ لاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw people at the end of the mosque, and then the (above-mentioned hadith) was narrated.  

رَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَوْمًا فِي مُؤَخَّرِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُقَدَّمِ لَكَانَتْ قُرْعَةً وَقَالَ ابْنُ حَرْبٍ الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ مَا كَانَتْ إِلاَّ قُرْعَةً  

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.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ صُفُوفِ الرِّجَالِ أَوَّلُهَا وَشَرُّهَا آخِرُهَا وَخَيْرُ صُفُوفِ النِّسَاءِ آخِرُهَا وَشَرُّهَا أَوَّلُهَا  

This hadith is narrated by Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.  

عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ