997 - Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us, Yahya ibn Sa'id and Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, they said: Shu'bah narrated to us, he said: I heard Talhah ibn Musarrif saying: I heard 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awsajah saying:
I heard al-Bara' ibn 'Azib saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the first row." (1)

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It was also recorded by al-Tayalisi (1163), Ahmad (17141) and (17148), al-Darimi (1265), Ibn Khuzaymah (1558), al-Tabarani in "al-Kabir" 18/ (639), and al-Hakim 1/ 214 via multiple chains from Hisham, with this chain of transmission.

It was also recorded by 'Abd al-Razzaq (4252) - and through him al-Tabarani 18/ (638) - from Ma'mar and 'Ikrimah ibn 'Ammar, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, with it.

It was also recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah 1/ 379, Ahmad (17156), al-Darimi (1265 m), Ibn Hibban (2158) and (2159), al-Tabarani 18/ (637), and Abu Nu'aym in "al-Hilyah" 2/ 13 via the chain of Shayban ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Nahwi, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, from Khalid ibn Ma'dan, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, from al-'Irbad. And this chain is authentic.

It was also recorded by Ahmad (17157), al-Nasa'i 2/ 92-93, and al-Bayhaqi 3/ 102 via the chain of Baqiyyah ibn al-Walid, and Ahmad (17162), al-Tabarani 18/ (645), and al-Baghawi in "Sharh al-Sunnah" (816) via the chain of Isma'il ibn 'Ayyash, both from Bahir ibn Sa'd, from Khalid ibn Ma'dan, from Jubayr, with it.

(1) Its chain of transmission is authentic.
It was also recorded in extended form by Abu Dawud (664) and al-Nasa'i 2/ 89-90 via the chain of Mansur ibn al-Mu'tamir, from Talhah ibn Musarrif, with this chain of transmission. In Abu Dawud's version: "the first rows," and in al-Nasa'i's version: "the foremost rows."
It is also found in "Musnad Ahmad" (18506) and (18643), and "Sahih Ibn Hibban" (2157) and (2161).