And [as for the reward granted to whoever fills a gab in a row,] the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said; ‘Whoever fills a gab in a row, All?h ( - عز وجل -) would raise his rank and build a house for him in Paradise’. (1)
[5/ 33] It is the job of the Im?m to check the rows himself and order that the gabs be filled till all rows are completely straightened, only then he could commence his Sal?t. This is the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) Sunnah as stated in An-Nu‘m?n’s Ibn Bash?r narration who said: ‘The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used first to straighten our rows perfectly to an extent that they would be used to adjust the sharp ended arrows with (2) till he felt that we have understood this ruling properly. One day, he stood to lead us in Sal?t, and was about to commence Takb?r, he saw a man standing with his chest outside the level of the row. He ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) then said: ‘O bondmen of All?h ( - عز وجل -) straighten your rows or All?h ( - عز وجل -) would cast enmity amongst you’. (3)
The aforementioned had?th and many others state clearly the necessity of straightening the rows.
[6/ 33] The ah?d?th previously mentioned indicate ‘that it is a Bid‘ah that the Im?m starts reciting Takb?ratul Ihr?m when the Mu’aththin says: “Qad Q?matis Sal?t” for it contradicts the Sunnah mentioned in them. When the Iq?mah is recited, the Im?m should first remind the praying muslims to straighten their rows before commencing Sal?t for he is held responsible for them. The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said: ‘Each of you holds a responsibility and is held responsible for it’. (4) ’ (5)
(1) Narrated by At-Tabar?n? in “Al-Awsat” through a chain of narrators traced back to ‘?ishah, so did Ibn M?jah to the exclusion of “And build a house for him in Paradise”, and Al-Asbah?n? in “At-Targh?b” traced it back to Ab? Hurairah. This had?th is authentic as mentioned in “Sah?h At-Targh?b Wat Tarh?b” (no. 505).
(2) “Sharh Sah?h muslim” (vol. 4 / p. 157).
(3) Narrated by Muslim in his “Sah?h” (no. 436).
(4) Narrated by: Al-Bukh?r? in “The Sah?h” (no. 2409) and (2558) and Muslim in his “Sah?h” (no. 1829) and many others.
(5) “As-Silsilah As-Sah?hah” (vol. 1 / p. 41). See: “Tam?mul Minnah” (p. 152), “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / p. 263), “Al-Muhall?” (vol. 4 / p. 114), “Taswiyat As-Suf?f Wa ’Atharuh? F? hay?t Al-’Ummah” by: Husain Al-‘Aw?ishah, and “Tanb?h Al-Muslim?n Il? Wuj?b Taswiyat Suf?f Al-Musall?n” by: a group of Kuwaiti brothers.