Md. Abdul Wahab: The mosque is the house of God. The best place in the world is the mosque. Here rich and poor, white and black, kings and kings, scholars and non-scholars have equal rights to worship Allah. Those who arrive first will have special status. They will also try to stand in the first row and grab more rewards—that's normal.
Because the status of the first row is much higher than other rows. Rasulullah (s.a.w.s.) said, if people knew the virtues of calling the call to prayer and praying in the first row, and it was not possible to get it without lottery, then surely they would have arranged a lottery for them, and if they knew the virtues of coming first to the mosque. If there is, he would have crawled for him before. (Bukhari: 590)
If one wants to achieve the virtue of praying in the first row, he should come to the mosque first. Because waiting for prayer is also a very virtuous act of worship.
As in the hadith, narrated by Abu Huraira (RA), the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "As long as one of you remains at the place of prayer until his ablution is broken, the angels pray for him, saying, 'O Allah, forgive him.'" day; O Allah, have mercy on him. And whoever's prayer among you prevents him from returning home, he will be considered to be in prayer. (Bukhari, Hadith: 659)
However, if you want to pray in the first row in the mosque, you should come to the mosque first. It is against the manners and Islamic etiquette of the mosque to come forward and push the neck of the worshiper to sit in a convenient place.
Once the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was delivering the Friday sermon. A man was coming in front of everyone's neck. The Messenger of God (S.) said, Sit! You hurt people. (Abu Dawud: 1118)
In addition, scholars of jurisprudence say that only the Imam's place is fixed in the mosque. Besides, the place of muezzin or anyone else is not fixed.
This act is more common in our society. We will see that when a big political leader of the area or a demon appears for prayer in the mosque, a line of prayer is laid in front of him and he goes ahead of everyone's neck.
He may be the head of an institution, teacher, VC, proctor, provost or house tutor, the same picture emerges even if he comes to the mosque. But this is not an Islamic etiquette but an act against Islam. Because it comes over people's neck, resentment is created in people's hearts. That is why the Prophet (S) forbade doing such a thing.
So we should go to the mosque earlier to get the virtue of praying in the first row in the mosque and the virtue of waiting for the prayer. And since the mosque is the house of God, here the rich and the poor, the king and the subjects are all equal. Everyone is a slave of God.
It is grave injustice to occupy a place by spreading masala for someone, and to prevent someone else from sitting there. Whoever can come to the mosque earlier, he will have the right to sit in the front.
