of all praying positions, and that the worst rows are those at the rear, because the worshipper there is far from hearing the recitation, distant from the imam’s area, and his lagging behind signals a weaker desire for virtue and reward. This ruling concerns the rows of men. The preferred arrangement is that those of mature judgment and sound understanding—the people of knowledge and righteousness—stand directly behind the imam so they may lead by example for the worshippers behind them in both word and deed.

4 – As for women: the recommended course for them is privacy and being out of men’s sight, so the rows furthest back are better and more protective. The foremost rows are the worst for them because they are closer to temptation or exposure to it—when they are praying with men. If, however, they pray by themselves, their rows carry the same ruling as the men’s.

Al-Nawawī said: “If the women pray in a congregation where they do not see the men and the men do not see them, then the best of the women’s rows is the first and the worst is the last.”

5 – This ḥadīth is proof that women, like men, should line up in rows; this is the prescribed practice whether they pray alone or with men.

6 – Those who have reached maturity and possess sound understanding have the strongest claim to the first row and to standing nearest the imam, for Muslim narrates from ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿūd that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Let those of you who are mature and judicious stand close to me.”

Benefit:
In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (432), in the ḥadīth of Ibn Masʿūd, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Let those of you who are mature and judicious stand close to me.”

The early scholars differed over whether boys who arrive first at the front row or other virtuous spots should be moved back. Some maintained that they should be relocated so that the mature and judicious may stand there, for the ḥadīths indicate precedence for the people of knowledge and virtue; ʿUmar, for instance, would remove a boy from the row whenever he noticed one there.