Each narration below is shown in its original Arabic alongside an English translation, with its chapter, number, and reference.
" تَقَدَّمُوا فَائْتَمُّوا بِي وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ وَلاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ "
Abu Sa’Id al-Khudri said; The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a tendency among his companions to go to the back. He said to them; come forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow your lead people will continue to keep to the back till Allah would put them at the back.
" وَسِّطُوا الإِمَامَ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ "
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Have the imam in the centre and close up the gaps.
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَحَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ يِسَافٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ رَاشِدٍ، عَنْ وَابِصَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَأَى رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الصَّفِّ وَحْدَهُ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُعِيدَ - قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ - الصَّلاَةَ .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a man praying alone behind the row. He ordered him to repeat. Sulayman ibn Harb said: The prayer.
" زَادَكَ اللَّهُ حِرْصًا وَلاَ تَعُدْ "
Abu Bakrah said that he came to the mosque when the prophet (ﷺ) was bowing. So I bowed outside the row (before joining it). The prophet (ﷺ) said; May Allah increase your eagerness! But do not do it again.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا زِيَادٌ الأَعْلَمُ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرَةَ، جَاءَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ رَاكِعٌ فَرَكَعَ دُونَ الصَّفِّ ثُمَّ مَشَى إِلَى الصَّفِّ فَلَمَّا قَضَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَتَهُ قَالَ " أَيُّكُمُ الَّذِي رَكَعَ دُونَ الصَّفِّ ثُمَّ مَشَى إِلَى الصَّفِّ " . فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرَةَ أَنَا . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " زَادَكَ اللَّهُ حِرْصًا وَلاَ تَعُدْ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ زِيَادٌ الأَعْلَمُ زِيَادُ بْنُ فُلاَنِ بْنِ قُرَّةَ وَهُوَ ابْنُ خَالَةِ يُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ .
Abu Bakrah came when the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) was bowing. So he bowed without the row (before joining it). He then went to the row. When the prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he said: which of your bowed without the row, and then went to the row? Abu Bakrah said; it was i. the prophet (ﷺ) said: May Allah increase your eagerness ! but do not do it again.
" إِذَا جَعَلْتَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مِثْلَ مُؤَخَّرَةِ الرَّحْلِ فَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ مَنْ مَرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ "
When you place in front of you something such as the back of a saddle, then there is no harm if someone passes in front of you (i.e. the other side of it).
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ آخِرَةُ الرَّحْلِ ذِرَاعٌ فَمَا فَوْقَهُ .
The back of the saddle is (about) one cubit (in height) or more than that.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ أَمَرَ بِالْحَرْبَةِ فَتُوضَعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا وَالنَّاسُ وَرَاءَهُ وَكَانَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي السَّفَرِ فَمِنْ ثَمَّ اتَّخَذَهَا الأُمَرَاءُ .
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would go out (for prayer) on the day of 'Id, he ordered to bring a lance, it was then setup in front of him and he would pray in its direction, and the people (stood) behind him. He used to do so during journey ; hence the rulers would take it (lance with them).
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى بِهِمْ بِالْبَطْحَاءِ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَنَزَةٌ الظُّهْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَالْعَصْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَمُرُّ خَلْفَ الْعَنَزَةِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ .
The Prophet (ﷺ) led them in prayer at al-Batha', with a staff set up in front of him. (He prayed) two rak'ahs of the Zuhr prayer and two rak'ahs of the 'Asr prayer. The women and the donkeys would pass in front of the staff.
" إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْعَلْ تِلْقَاءَ وَجْهِهِ شَيْئًا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَلْيَنْصِبْ عَصًا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُ عَصًا فَلْيَخْطُطْ خَطًّا ثُمَّ لاَ يَضُرُّهُ مَا مَرَّ أَمَامَهُ "
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you prays, he should put something in front of his face, and if he can find nothing , he should set up his staff; but if he has no staff, he should draw a line; then what passes in front of him will not harm him.