وَقَوْلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُوْنَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَنٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ ) (الصف: ٤
Allah Almighty says:
"Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in rows as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly." (Qur'an, As-Saff: 4)
عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُسَوِّي صُفُوفَنَا حَتَّى كَأَنَّمَا يُسَوِّي بِهَا الْقِدَاحَ، حَتَّى رَأَى أَنَّا قَدْ عَقَلْنَا عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَوْمًا، فَقَامَ حَتَّى كَادَ يُكَبِّرُ، فَرَأَى رَجُلًا بَادِيًا صَدْرُهُ مِنَ الصَّفّ، فَقَالَ: عِبَادَ اللهِ، لَتُسَوَّنَّ صُفُوْفَكُمْ أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللهُ بَيْنَ وُجُوهِكُمْ». رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ.
An-Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would straighten our rows as if he were straightening arrows, until he saw that we had understood. Then one day, he came out and stood (for prayer) until he was about to say the Takbir. He noticed a man whose chest was protruding from the row, so he said: 'O servants of Allah, you must straighten your rows, or Allah will cause discord among your faces.'" [Narrated by Muslim]
وَعَنْهُ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ يُسَوِّي صُفُوْفَنَا إِذَا قُمْنَا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ، فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْنَا كَبَّرَ . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
An-Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would straighten our rows when we stood for prayer. When we were aligned, he would say the Takbir." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ : أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِوَجْهِهِ، فَقَالَ: «أَقِيمُوا صُفُوْفَكُمْ وَتَرَاصُّوْا؛ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي». رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ. وَفِي الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ : قَالَ: «أَتِمُّوا الصُّفُوْفَ؛ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي».
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Iqamah was called, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) turned to us and said: 'Straighten your rows and stand close together, for I can see you from behind my back.'" [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]
In another agreed-upon narration, he said: "Complete the rows, for I can see you from behind my back."
وَعَنْهُ ، قَالَ : كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: اسْتَوُوْا اسْتَوُوْا اسْتَوُوْا، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، إِنِّي لَأَرَاكُمْ مِنْ خَلْفِي كَمَا أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) would say: 'Straighten, straighten, straighten! By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I see you from behind me just as I see you in front of me.'" [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْهُ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ : سَرُّوْا صُفُوْفَكُمْ؛ فَإِنَّ تَسْوِيَةَ الصُّفُوفِ مِنْ إِقَامَةِ الصَّلَاةِ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ، إِلَّا أَنَّ عِنْدَ مُسْلِمٍ: مِنْ تَمَامِ الصَّلَاةِ».
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Straighten your rows, for straightening the rows is part of establishing the prayer." [Agreed upon]
In Muslim's version: "Straightening the rows is part of perfecting the prayer."
وَعَنْهُ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُوْلُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ: «اعْتَدِلُوا، اسْتَوُوا صُفُوْفَكُمْ، وَعَنْ يَسَارِهِ: «اعْتَدِلُوا، سَرُّوْا صُفُوْفَكُمْ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would say to his right: 'Align yourselves, straighten your rows,' and to his left: 'Align yourselves, straighten your rows.'" [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْهُ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ : رَدُّوْا صُفُوْفَكُمْ وَقَارِبُوا بَيْنَهَا، وَحَاذُوْا بِالأَعْنَاقِ، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، إِنِّي لَأَرَى الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ خَلَلِ الصَّفِّ، كَأَنَّهَا الْحَذَفُ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Straighten your rows, bring them close together, and align your necks. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I see Satan entering through the gaps in the rows as if they are small goats." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ﷺ فَرَآنَا حَلَقًا، فَقَالَ: «مَا لِي أَرَاكُمْ عِزِينَ». قَالَ: ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ: «أَلَا تَصُفُوْنَ كَمَا تَصُفُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهَا ؟ فَقُلْنَا : يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ، وَكَيْفَ تَصُفُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهَا؟ قَالَ: يُتِمُّوْنَ الصُّفُوْفَ الْأَوْلَى، وَيَتَرَاصُّوْنَ فِي الصَّفِّ». رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ.
Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out to us and saw us in separate groups. He said: 'Why do I see you disunited?' Then he came out to us again and said: 'Will you not align your rows as the angels align themselves before their Lord?' We asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, how do the angels align themselves before their Lord?' He replied: 'They complete the front rows first and stand close together in the row.'" [Narrated by Muslim]
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ : «أَتِمُّوا الصَّفَ الْمُقَدَّمَ، ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيْهِ، فَمَا كَانَ مِنْ نَقْصٍ فَلْيَكُنْ فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُؤَخَّرِ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Complete the front row, then the one following it. If there is any deficiency, let it be in the last row." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ (رضي الله عنها) قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ : لَا يَزَالُ قَوْمُ يَتَأَخَّرُوْنَ عَنِ الصَّفِّ الْأَوَّلِ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللهُ فِي النَّارِ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "A group of people will continue to lag behind the front row until Allah will place them in the Fire." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: رَأَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ تَأَخَّرًا، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: تَقَدَّمُوا وَأْتَمُوْا بِي، وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، لَا يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُوْنَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللهُ». رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ.
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) noticed some of his companions lagging behind, so he said to them: 'Come forward and complete the row with me, and let those behind you follow your example. A group of people will continue to lag behind until Allah will place them behind (in the Fire).'" [Narrated by Muslim]
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ (رضي الله عنهما) قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: «أَقِيمُوا الصُّفُوْفَ وَحَاذُوْا بَيْنَ الْمَنَاكِبِ، وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ، وَلِيْنُوا بِأَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ، وَلَا تَذَرُوْا فُرُجَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ، وَمَنْ وَصَلَ صَفًّا وَصَلَهُ اللهُ، وَمَنْ قَطَعَهُ قَطَعَهُ اللهُ . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ. وَرَوَى النَّسَائِيُّ مِنْهُ قَوْلَهُ: وَمَنْ وَصَلَ صَفًّا» إِلَى آخِرِهِ.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Straighten the rows, align your shoulders, fill the gaps, be gentle with your brothers, and do not leave openings for Satan. Whoever joins a row, Allah will join him (with His mercy), and whoever breaks a row, Allah will cut him off (from His mercy)." [Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa’i narrated part of it: "Whoever joins a row..." to the end]
وَعَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَلُوْنَ الصُّفُوْفَ الْأَوْلَى، وَمَا مِنْ خُطْوَةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنْ خُطْوَةٍ يَمْشِيْهَا يَصِلُ بِهَا صَفًّا». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: 'Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who join the front rows. There is no step more beloved to Allah than a step taken to join a row.'" [Narrated by Abu Dawud]
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ (رضي الله عنه) قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: خِيَارُكُمْ أَلْيَنُكُمْ مَنَاكِبَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ». رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The best among you are those who are most gentle with their shoulders in prayer." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]