PRAYER SECTION · 94 – STRAIGHTENING THE ROWS
Jabir ibn Samura (radiyallahu anhu) narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, ‘Do you not stand in rows as the Noble and Exalted Angels stand before their Lord?’”
We said, “How do the angels stand in rows before their Lord?”
He replied, “They complete the front lines and stand closely together in the row.” [426]
COMMENTARY:
Yatarassuna: This means they stand close and orderly, without any gaps.
From Abu al-Qasim al-Jadali, may Allah be pleased with him:
I heard Numan ibn Bashir say:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, faced the congregation and repeated three times, saying:
“Straighten your rows and compact them. I swear by Allah that you will not straighten your rows except that Allah creates dissension in your hearts.”
Numan said:
I saw those performing the prayer pressing their shoulders against each other’s shoulders, their knees against each other’s knees, and their heels against each other’s heels.
Simak bin Harb, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I heard Numan bin Bashir say:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would straighten our rows just as he would recite (the Quran) in a corrected manner, until we gained understanding and learned how to maintain them properly. One day, he turned his face towards the congregation, and one man had thrust out his chest alone. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“Straighten your rows, or Allah will turn your faces.”
Bara ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) would enter the ranks, traversing from one side to the other, stroking our chests and shoulders (with his hand), and he would say: “Do not advance and retreat [i.e., jostle], for discord will appear in your hearts. Allah and His angels send mercy upon the first rank.”
Simâk (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I heard Numan bin Bashir say: When we would stand for prayer, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) would straighten our rows. And when we had straightened them completely, he would say Takbir.
From ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him: Kutaybah narrated from Abu Zahir, who narrated from Abu Shajara: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Straighten your rows. Level your shoulders. Fill the gaps. Respond gently to the movements of your brothers.”
In Isā’s narration: He did not say, "to the movements of your brothers."
“Do not leave openings for Satan. Whoever fills a row, Allah will fill [his reward] with His grace. Whoever cuts a row, Allah will cut [his reward] from him.” [430]
Abu Dawud said: Abu Shajara is Kays ibn Murra.
Abu Dawud said: The meaning of ‘respond gently to the movements of your brothers’ is that when someone comes to join a row, those in the row should soften their shoulders until he enters the row.
EXPLANATION
When a congregation joins the prayer later, they may need to pull those already present in the row forward or backward to be able to enter the row. They do this with a natural hand movement. If those in the row do not respond gently to this hand movement, that person cannot enter the row. If they respond gently, he can. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded that ease be shown to those coming from behind.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Tighten your ranks, draw close together, align your necks, by Allah – whose hand is over my soul – I see Satan entering the gaps between your rows like a small, black sheep." [431]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for straightening the rows is part of the perfection of the prayer.” [432]
**Explanation:**
The obligatory duties are fulfilled even if the rows are not straightened. However, it is through the Sunnah that the prayer reaches its perfection. Straightening the rows is a recommended practice (Sunnah). Therefore, keeping the rows close and straight is part of the perfection of the prayer. The prayer cannot be considered perfect unless the rows are straightened.
From Makhul of Muhammad bin Muslim bin Sa’ib, may Allah be pleased with him:
I prayed behind Anas bin Malik one day. He said to me, "Do you know why this stick was made?" I replied, “I swear by Allah, I do not know.” Muhammad bin Muslim said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would take it in his hand and say, “Straighten yourselves and make your ranks straight.”
Previously related through a hadith from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) would take a stick in his right hand when rising for prayer, turn to his right side, and say: “Straighten yourselves, align your rows.” Then he would take the stick to his left hand (to those on his left) and say: “Straighten yourselves, align your rows.”
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Fill the foremost row, then fill the next row after it, and if there is a deficiency in a row, let it be in the last row.” [433]
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Amongst you, the best are those whose shoulders are most gentle in prayer.” (That is, those who do not cause difficulty to anyone wishing to fill a space [in the rows], and those who observe humility.)
Abu Dawud said: The narrator, Ja’far ibn Yahya, is from the people of Mecca.
EXPLANATION: Those amongst you who ease it for those who wish to enter the spaces in the rows by loosening their shoulders, and who perform prayer with humility thinking they are in the presence of Allah, the Exalted, rather than with arrogance, are your best.