Is it recommended that the people of virtue and the memorizers of the Qur'an be behind the imam in prayer, and is a place reserved for them in the row?

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, is it true that the one who is more memorized of the Qur'an and more proficient in reciting the Book of Allah is more deserving of being near the imam? And if this is true, is it permissible to reserve a place for him in the row?

Answer:
Yes. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So the ones with the best understanding, intellect, and wisdom are placed near the imam. I memorized the Qur'an so that when it is closed upon me, they would recite it to me, so that if something happened to me, someone would take my place to pray in my stead from among those behind me, so that the students of knowledge and the scholars would be behind the imam. But this does not mean that a place is reserved for them or that they delay; whenever they arrive, they are behind the imam. It does not mean encouraging them to move forward; rather, the encouragement is for them to be behind the imam in the first row. Yes.