differ, lest your hearts differ.” He would also say, “Allah and His angels send blessings upon the first rows.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd with a good chain of transmission.

1098 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Establish the rows, make the shoulders level, close up the gaps (1), be pliant at your brothers’ hands, and do not leave openings for Satan. Whoever joins a row, Allah will join him; and whoever breaks a row, Allah will break him.” Related by Abū Dāwūd with an authentic chain.

1099 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Compact your rows, draw them close together, and align the necks. By Him in whose hand is my soul, I see Satan slipping through the gaps in the row as though he were al-ḥadhaf—small black lambs.” A sound hadith reported by Abū Dāwūd with a chain that meets Muslim’s criteria.

Al-ḥadhaf—with a ḥāʾ, a dotted dhāl, then a fāʾ—refers to small black sheep found in Yemen.

1100 – He (Anas) also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Complete the front row first, then the one that follows it, and any deficiency should be in the last row.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd with a good chain.

1101 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah and His angels send blessings upon the right sides of the rows.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd with a chain on the conditions set by Muslim, though one narrator’s reliability is disputed (2).

(1) I.e., the spaces between worshippers.

(2) Some scholars deem this narrator trustworthy, while others withhold judgment.