"Complete the first row, then the one behind it, and if any row is to be leftincomplete let it be the last row."

"Whoever completes a row, may Allah be generous to him, and whoever cuts a row, may Allah cut him off."

"I heard 'Abdullah bin Yazid delivering a Khutbah. He said: 'Al-Bara, who was no liar,told us that when they prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would raise his head from bowing and they would remain standing until they saw him prostrate, then they would prostrate."'

"The Imam is appointed to be followed. If he prays standing then pray standing; when he bows, bow; when he says, Sami' Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him), say 'Rabbana lakalhamd (Our Lord, to You be praise); and if he prays sitting then pray sitting, all of you."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: 'If there are three people, let one of them lead theothers in prayer, and the one who has the most right to lead the prayer is the one who recites(knows) the most (Qur'an)."'

"When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) passed away, the Ansar said: 'Let there be an Amir from among us and an Amir from among you.' Then 'Umar came to them and said: 'Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) commanded Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer? Who mong you could accept to put himself ahead of Abu Bakr?' They said: 'We seek refuge with Allah from putting ourselves ahead of Abu Bakr."'

"The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said: 'Let the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allah lead the people in prayer. If they are equal in terms of knowledge of the Qur'h, let the one who emigrated first (lead them). If they are equal in terms of emigration, let the one who has more knowledge of the Sunnah, (lead them). If they are equal in terms of knowledge of the Sunnah, let the one who is oldest (lead them). Do not lead a man in prayer in his place of authority, and do not sit in his place of honor, unless hegives you permission."'

"when there are three people let one of them lead the prayer, and the one who is most entitled to lead the prayer is the one who has most knowledge of the Qur'an."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'A man should not be led in prayer in his place of authority, and no one should sit in his place of honor except with his permission."'

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has been delayed (there) and the time for prayer has come, will you lead the people in prayer?" Abu Bakr said: 'Yes, if you wish.' Bilal said the Iqamah and Abu Bakr went forward and said the Takbir for the people. Then the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) came, passing through the rows (of praying people) and stood in the (first) row and the people started clapping. Abu Bakr would never glance sideways in his prayer but when the people clapped so much he looked back and (ﷺ)Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) gestured to him to carry on praying. Aha Bakr raised his hands praising Allah the Mighty and Sublime, and retreated till he reached the (first) row. Then the Messenger ofAllah(ﷺ) went forward and led the people in the prayer. When he completed the prayer he turned to face the people and said: '0 people, why did you start clapping when something unusual happened to you in the prayer? Clapping is only for women. So whoever among you comes across something in the prayer should say: 'Subhan Allah' for there is none who will not turn round when they hear him saying Subhan Allah. 0 Abu Bakr! What prevented you from leading the people in the prayer when I gestured to you to do so?' Abu Bakr replied: 'It is not fitting for the son of Abu Quhafah to lead the prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).'"

"The Iqamah for prayer was said, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was conversing privately with a man, and did not commence the prayer until the people slept."

"There was some fighting among Banu 'Amr bin 'Awf, and news of that reached the Prophet (ﷺ). He prayed Zuhr, then he went to them to reconcile between them. Then he said to Bilal: 'O Bilal, if the time for Asr comes and I have not come back, then tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.' When the time (for Asr) came, Bilal called the Adhan, then the Iqamah, then he said to Abu Bakr: 'Go forward. So Abu Bakr went forward and started to pray. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came and started passing through the rows of people until he stood behind Abu Bakr, and the people clapped. Abu Bakr was such that whenever he started praying, he would never glance sideways, but when he noticed that the clapping persisted he turned around. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gestured to him to carry on praying. Abu Bakr praised Allah the Mighty and Sublime for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) having told him to continue. Then Abu Bakr moved backward on his heels, and when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that, he came forward and led the people in prayer. When he completed the prayer he said: 'O Abu Bakr, when I gestured to you, what kept you from continuing (to lead the people)?' He said: 'It does not befit the son of Abu Quhafah to lead the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in prayer.' And he (the Prophet) said to the people: 'If you notice something (during the prayer), men should say Subhan Allah and women should clap.'"

(Another chain) from Abu Nadrah (from Abu Sa'eed) with similar narration.

"I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up to pray at night. I stood on his left, so he did this to me: He took me by the head and made me stand on his right."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to straighten the rows like shaft of an arrow is straightened before the head is attached to it. He saw a man whose chest was sticking out from the row. I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Make your rows straight or Allah will cause your faces to be deformed."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The best rows for men are the front rows and the worst are the last, and the best rows for women are the back rows and the worst are those in the front."'

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to enjoin upon us to make the prayer short, but he would lead us in prayer and recite As-Saffat."

"I heard Jabir bin 'Abdullah say: 'Mu'adh used to pray with the Prophet (ﷺ) then he would go back to his people to lead them in a prayer. He stayed late one night and prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) then he went back to his people to lead them in prayer, and he recited Surat Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people heard that, he stepped aside and prayed (on hisown), then he left. They said: 'You have become a hypocrite, 0 so and-so!' He said: 'By Allah, I have not become a hypocrite, and I will go to the Prophet (ﷺ) and tell him (about that),' So he went to the Prophet and said: '0 Messenger of Allah(ﷺ), Muadh prays with you, then he comes to lead us in prayer. You delayed the prayer, and he prayed with you then he came back to lead us in prayer, and he started to recite Shut Al-Baqarah. When Iheard that, I stepped aside and prayed by myself, because we are people who bring water with the camels and we work hard.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: '0 Muadh, do you want to cause hardship to the people? Recite such and such a Surah, and such and such a Surah."'

837. It was narrated from Abu Bakr that the Prophet (ﷺ) offered the fear prayer (Salat Al-Khauf). He led those who were behind him in two Rak'ah and those who came (after them) in two Rak'ah, so the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed four Rak'ahs and each group prayed two.

"Prayer in congregation is twenty-five levels better than a prayer offered on one's own."