Sahih Muslim 439
Sahih Muslim · Book 4: The Book of Prayers · Straightening The Rows; The Virtue Of The Front Row And Then The Next; Competing With One Another For The Front Row; The People Of Virtue Should Take Precedence And Be Closest To The Imam
Abu Huraira reported:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ الْوَاسِطِيُّ ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ أَبُو قَطَنٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، عَنْ خِلاَسٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ - أَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ - مَا فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُقَدَّمِ لَكَانَتْ قُرْعَةً " . وَقَالَ ابْنُ حَرْبٍ " الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ مَا كَانَتْ إِلاَّ قُرْعَةً " .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If you were to know, or if they were to know, what (excellence) lies in the first rows, there would have been drawing of lots (for filling them) ; and Ibn Harb said: For (occupying) the first row there would have been drawing of lots.