The Messenger of Allah — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — used to move through the rows from one side to the other, wiping our shoulders and chests, and saying: “Do not differ (in alignment), lest your hearts differ.” And he would say: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the foremost rows.”
Narrated by Abū Dāwūd (no. 664), al-Nasāʾī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (no. 887, and this is his wording), and Ibn Ḥibbān (no. 2161). From the narration of al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 1842) and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (nos. 493, 502).
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
This ḥadīth illustrates the Prophet’s (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) great care for the prayer, including his eagerness to straighten the rows. He (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pass through the rows himself, adjusting the shoulders and chests of the Companions, and say: “Do not differ, lest your hearts differ.” This indicates that outward disagreement leads to inward discord and corruption of the hearts, whereas unity upon obedience to Allah and His Messenger unites the hearts and brings harmony to the rows.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not only encourage the straightening of the rows; rather, he coupled that with highlighting the virtue of hastening to the foremost rows. He mentioned the excellence of the first rows by saying: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the foremost rows.” What is meant by Allah’s sending blessings upon the foremost rows (the first rows) is His praise of them in the Highest Assembly, while the angels supplicate and seek forgiveness for them.
The Rightly Guided Caliphs – may Allah be pleased with them – adhered to this guidance, for they themselves used to straighten the rows, or command someone to do so, out of eagerness to follow the Sunnah and to preserve the unity of the rows and the harmony of the hearts.
And in the ḥadīth: there is a great encouragement to hasten to the first row and to compete for it.