98 - Chapter on the Arrangement of Women's Rows and the Disapproval of Falling Behind the First Row

678 - Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah al-Bazzaz narrated to us, Khalid and Isma'il ibn Zakariyya narrated to us, from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The best of the men's rows is the first of them, and the worst of them is the last of them. And the best of the women's rows is the last of them, and the worst of them is the first of them."(1)

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It was also recorded by Ahmad (22896) and (22906) via the route of 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Bahram, and by al-Tabarani (3436), and al-Harith ibn Abi Usamah in his "Musnad" (151 - Zawa'id), and al-Bayhaqi 3/97 via the route of Layth ibn Abi Sulaym, both of them from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from him. Ahmad's narration in the second location is expanded.

The statement of 'Abd al-A'la: "I do not think he said anything but: my community" — this is how it came in the narration of Abu Dawud, while in the narration of al-Bayhaqi 3/97 via the route of Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Sulami from 'Ayyash al-Raqqam: 'Abd al-A'la said: I do not think he said anything but: the prayer of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

(1) Its chain of transmission is sound. Khalid: he is Ibn 'Abdullah al-Wasiti, and Abu Salih: he is Dhakwan al-Samman.

It was also recorded by Muslim (440), al-Tirmidhi (222), al-Nasa'i in "al-Kubra" (896), and Ibn Majah (1000) via multiple routes from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih, with this chain of transmission.

It is in the "Musnad" of Ahmad (8428).

It was also recorded by Ibn Majah (1000) via the route of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ya'qub al-Huraqi, from Abu Hurayrah.

It is in the "Musnad" of Ahmad (10290), and in "Sahih Ibn Hibban" (2179).

Al-Nawawi said: As for the rows of men, they are general in application — the best of them is always the first, and the worst of them is always the last. As for the rows of women, what is meant by the hadith is the rows of women who pray together with men. But if they pray separately, not with men, then they are like men — the best of their rows is the first, and the worst of them is the last. What is meant by "the worst of the rows" in men and women is the least of them in reward and merit, and the farthest of them from what is sought by the Law, while the best of them is the opposite of that.