326 – Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) noticed his Companions lagging behind in the rows, so he said, “Step forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow yours.” Related by Muslim (1).

Lexical Notes
• taʾakhkhu-ran: falling behind, staying far back in the prayer rows.
• li-yaʾtamm: with the imperative lām, which may be pronounced either quiescent or with kasra.

Points Derived from the ḥadīth

1. It is recommended to keep close to the imam; for men, the earliest rows are better than the later ones, as in the ḥadīth, “The best rows for men are the first of them,” and, “If people knew what is in the first row they would draw lots for it.”
2. The imam is the model in every word and movement of the prayer; he is not to be opposed in any of them.
3. Prayer inculcates discipline and Islamic order so that Muslims become accustomed to sound organization, pleasing arrangement, and obedient compliance with what is right—one of the secrets of congregational prayer.
4. Worshippers who cannot see or hear the imam follow those in the rows ahead of them.
5. The phrase “and let those who come after you follow yours” may refer to following in prayer: scholars should stand directly behind the imam, followed by those of sound judgment, and the second row should follow the first.