Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 1101
وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ» قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى الثَّانِي قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ» قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى الثَّانِي قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ» قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ الله وعَلى الثَّانِي؟ قَالَ: «وعَلى الثَّانِي» قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وَحَاذُوا بَيْنَ مَنَاكِبِكُمْ وَلِينُوا فِي أَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ بَيْنَكُمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْحَذَفِ» يَعْنِي أَوْلَادَ الضَّأْنِ الصِّغَارِ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Umamah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Allah and His angels send blessings upon the front row.’ They asked, ‘And the second?’ He replied, ‘Allah and His angels send blessings upon the front row.’ They asked again, ‘And the second?’ He replied, ‘Allah and His angels send blessings upon the front row.’ They asked once more, ‘And the second?’ He said, ‘And the second.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: ‘Straighten your rows, align your shoulders, be gentle with your brothers, and close the gaps, for Satan enters among you like small lambs.’ Ahmad transmitted it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source repeats the question and answer about the second row several times; those repetitions are retained. The Arabic itself explains al-hadhaf as young sheep.