Second Issue
The scholars unanimously agree that seeking the front row is encouraged, as is closing the gaps and straightening the rows, for the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—emphatically commanded this. They differ, however, about a person who prays alone behind a row: the majority hold that his prayer is valid, whereas Aḥmad, Abū Thawr, and a group of others declare it invalid.
The cause of their disagreement is their divergent evaluations of the ḥadīth of Wābiṣah and the apparent contradiction between that report and common practice. In the ḥadīth of Wābiṣah the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “There is no prayer for one who stands behind the row.” Al-Shāfiʿī considered this contradicted by the report of Anas in which an elderly woman stood alone behind the row. Aḥmad replied, “That is no proof, because the Sunnah for women is to stand behind the men,” and he—as noted—authenticated the ḥadīth of Wābiṣah. Others regarded the report as having a disordered chain and therefore unsuitable as evidence. The majority instead adduce the ḥadīth of Abū Bakrah, who bowed before joining the row; the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—did not instruct him to repeat the prayer but said, “May Allah increase your zeal; do not do it again.” If this latter ḥadīth is taken as merely recommending better practice, no contradiction remains between the two reports.
Third Issue
The earliest generation differed on whether, when a man intends to pray and hears the iqāmah, he should hasten his steps to the mosque lest he miss part of the prayer. It is related from ʿAmr and Ibn Masʿūd that they quickened their pace on hearing the iqāmah, whereas Zayd ibn Thābit, Abū Dharr, and other Companions held that one should not rush but approach the prayer with dignity and tranquility.
The jurists of the various cities adopted this latter view because of the sound ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah: “When the call to prayer is made, do not come to it running; come to it calmly.”
The likely reason for the disagreement is that the ḥadīth had not reached some of them, or they deemed it to conflict with the Qurʾānic exhortations: “So vie with one another in good deeds” (al-Baqarah 2:148); “The foremost, the foremost—those are the ones brought near” (al-Wāqiʿah 56:10–11); and “Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord” (Āl ʿImrān 3:133).