Hadith 176

Sunan Ibn Majah

Book 5: Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them Sahih

Chapter 45

Who is preferred to stand closest to the Imam

باب مَنْ يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يَلِيَ الإِمَامَ

Sahih
Sunan Ibn Majah 978
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْهَبِ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ رَأَى فِي أَصْحَابِهِ تَأَخُّرًا فَقَالَ ‏ ‏ ‏.‏
"‏ تَقَدَّمُوا فَأْتَمُّوا بِي، وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، لاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ ‏"
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that some of his Companions tended to stand in the rear, so he said:

“Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.”