تسوية الصفوف في الصلاة//المحدث ناصر الدين الالباني رحمه الله

This includes completing and joining the rows, ensuring there are no gaps between them. Abu Dawud (666) narrated on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, align your shoulders, close the gaps, be gentle with your brothers, and do not leave openings for Satan. Whoever joins a row, Allah will join him; and whoever breaks a row, Allah will break him.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani) This hadith is authentic. Muslim (430) narrated on the authority of Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came out to us and said: “Why don’t you form rows as the angels form rows before their Lord?” We said: “O Messenger of Allah, how do the angels form rows before their Lord?” He said: “They complete the first rows and stand close together in the row.” Abu Dawud (671) and An-Nasa'i (818) narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Complete the first row, then the one after it. If there is any deficiency, let it be in the last row.” This hadith was authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud and elsewhere. Al-Baji (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The first row must be completed first, then the next. If there is a deficiency, it should be in the last row.” "Al-Muntaqa - Sharh al-Muwatta" (1/386) And it is stated in "Al-Mawsu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah" (27/36): "Part of straightening the rows is completing the first row first, and not beginning to form the second row until the first is complete, and so on. This is a point of agreement among the jurists. Therefore, one should not stand in a row while there is another row in front of him that is incomplete or has a gap. Rather, he should break through the rows to fill the gap or..." The gap in the rows in front of him.” End quote. Shaykh Ibn Baz (may God have mercy on him) was asked: If a row is missing in Tarawih or Qiyam prayers because some worshippers have left, should the imam ask those in the second row to complete the first row? He replied: “It is obligatory for the followers in both obligatory and voluntary prayers to complete the first row first, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded and urged this, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Straighten your rows and close the gaps.’ And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do you not line up as the angels line up before their Lord?’ They said: ‘O Messenger of God, how do the angels line up before their Lord?’ He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘They complete the first rows and stand close together.’” End quote. In his collected fatwas (30/124-125), Ibn Baz quotes Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (may God have mercy on him) as saying: “The imams’ request to straighten the rows in the Eid prayer and the prayer for rain is prescribed, just as in other prayers. This is because if people are not reminded of this, they might neglect it. Therefore, in every prayer where congregational prayer is prescribed, it is prescribed for the imam, if the people are already in rows, to remind them and say: ‘Straighten your rows, stand upright.’” In his “Open Door Meeting” (46/9), he also says: “Many imams and many worshippers have neglected the issue of close rows. You find many gaps in the rows that no one fills. This is wrong because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded close rows and informed us that the angels stand close together before God Almighty.” In his “Nur Ala Al-Darb Fatwas” (111/161), Ibn Uthaymeen states: If people pray with gaps in the rows, they have acted improperly, but their prayer is still valid. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may God have mercy on him, said: “Even if we say that straightening the prayer is obligatory, the prayer of one who does not straighten it is still valid.” End quote. Fath al-Bari (2/210) And God knows best.