Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 1095
وَعَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَلُونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْأُولَى وَمَا مِنْ خُطْوَةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ من خطْوَة يمشيها يصل العَبْد بهَا صفا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Baraʾ ibn ʿAzib reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say: “Allah and His angels bless those who stand next to the front rows. No step is dearer to Allah than a step a worshipper takes to join a row.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic says Allah and His angels send blessings upon those adjacent to the foremost rows; the second sentence praises a step taken to join a row.