The first had?th shows the superiority of standing in the first row which if people had knowledge about its superiority, they would rush to have the opportunity of standing in it and due to its limited capacity they would have to draw lots.
The second had?th describes the best and the worst of men’s and women’s rows when standing for Sal?t jointly, which was a common practice at the time of the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) and his caliphs ( - رضي الله عنهم -) , but if women do their Sal?t alone, the best and the worst of their rows are like those of men. (1)
This comparison between the rows is regarding the reward given to those standing in them. So, the “worst of rows” means the least in reward. As for the last of women’s rows being the best, this is because they are very far from men and away from being passionately attracted by their movements and talk, and vice versa regarding the first rows being their worst. All?h knows best. (2)
The ‘Ulamah mentioned many benefits of standing in the first row; some of which are: hasting towards performing that which is obligatory on oneself, hasting in entering the mosque, being so close to the Im?m, being able to listen to the Im?m’s recitation of the Qur’?n and hence learning the proper phonetic rules of recitation, paying the Im?m’s attention to any ’?yah he forgets, being a model for those behind oneself, avoiding those who pass between the lines, being fully given to Sal?t and one’s prostration would not be distracted with others’ trails. (3)
(1) So is the case when women do their Sal?t away from men, in a second floor, for example. It is so strange that some hold that women’s Sal?t in such a case is invalid because-as they claim-they stand in parallel position with men. This view is built on a false-baseless had?th which states: ‘Move them away [from men] for All?h ( - عز وجل -) ordered so’. In “Nasbur R?yah” (vol. 2 / p. 36), Az-Zayla‘? mentioned that ‘some ignorants of the Hanafi followers ascribe this had?th to Raz?n to have mentioned it in his “Musnad” and to Al-Baihaq? in “Dal?’ilul Hid?yah”. Then he [Az-Zayla‘?] proceeded: ‘I searched through Al-Musnad and it is not there”. Ibn Al-Hum?m-in “Sharh Al-Hid?yah” said: ‘This is not affirmed to be said by the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) even being unknown” as is mentioned in “Kashful Khaf?’” (vol. 1 / p. 69). Al-Hafith Ibn Hajar considered it a very strange view to consider man’s Sal?t as invalid if he stands parallel to a woman. See: “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / pp. 212 - 3).
(2) “Sharh Sah?h Muslim” by An-Nawaw? (vol. 4 / pp. 158 - 60).
(3) “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / p. 208).