Taking a barrier for prayer and leaving the virtue of the first row
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The sixth question of Fatwa No. ( 5133 )
Q6: Which is better: the first row, or taking a barrier in any part of the mosque, which might cause the worshipper to miss the first row?
A6: It is prescribed to hasten to the first row; because of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):Muwatta Malik 3:3 , and Muslim also narrated, as did the people of the Sunan, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 678Sahih (Al-Albani) . In these two hadiths, there is an explicit statement of the superiority of the first row for men and that it is the best of them; because of the virtue it secures. Therefore, a man should not leave the first row and take a barrier in another place in the mosque; because of the loss of this reward involved in doing so.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Q6: Which is better: the first row, or taking a barrier in any part of the mosque, which might cause the worshipper to miss the first row?
A6: It is prescribed to hasten to the first row; because of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
If people knew what was in the adhan and the first row of the prayer and could only draw lots for it, they would draw lots.
لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهمواthe best of the men’s row is the first and the worst of them is the last, but the best of the women’s rows is the last and the worst of them is the first.
خير صفوف الرجال أولها، وشرها آخرها، وخير صفوف النساء آخرها وشرها أولهاAnd success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.