What is better on Friday: completing the first row or being close to the imam?

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The Shaykh : Yes

The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. If a man enters the mosque on Friday, should he complete the first row if it is long, or should he move closer to the imam?

The Shaykh : No, the better option is to complete the first row.

The questioner : Complete the first row.

The Shaykh : Yes, whether on Friday or otherwise. The evidence for this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):

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 مافي النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا

Muwatta Malik 3:3

This means that if they did not find a way to the first row except by drawing lots, they would do so, because of the abundance of its reward. Completing the first row, then the next, is also a recommended practice (sunnah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

Do you not line up as the angels line up in the presence of their Lord? They said: How is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: They stand close together and complete the first row, then the next.

ألا تصفون كما تصف الملائكة عند ربها، قالوا؟ كيف ذا يا رسول الله؟ قال: يتراصون ويتمون الأول فالأول

Or he said:

They complete the first row, then the next.

يكملون الأول فالأول

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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