Who is preferred to stand closest to the Imam
باب مَنْ يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يَلِيَ الإِمَامَ
Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them(view book)
It was narrated that Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, saying: ‘Keep (the rows) straight, do not differ from one another lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those who are forbearing and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.’”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، أَنْبَأَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمْسَحُ مَنَاكِبَنَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَيَقُولُ " لاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا فَتَخْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ لِيَلِيَنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُو الأَحْلاَمِ وَالنُّهَى ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ " .
Classification
It was narrated that Anas said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked the Muhajirun and Ansar to stand closest to him, so that they could learn from him.”
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَلِيَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالأَنْصَارُ لِيَأْخُذُوا عَنْهُ .
Classification
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw that some of his Companions tended to stand in the rear, so he said:
“Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْهَبِ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَأَى فِي أَصْحَابِهِ تَأَخُّرًا فَقَالَ " تَقَدَّمُوا فَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ لاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ " .