It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: An extremely beautiful woman used to pray behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Some people would move forward into the first row so that they would not see her, and some would stay back so as to be in the last row. Then when they bowed in ruku', they would look at her like this from under their armpits, holding their arms away from their sides. So Allah Almighty revealed this verse concerning them: "And indeed We know those of you who go forward, and indeed We know those who lag behind" [Surah al-Hijr: 24] . The chain of this hadith is sahih (authentic), but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it. Amr bin Ali said that no one has criticised Nuh bin Qays al-Tahi with any proof. And this has a basis in the hadith of Sufyan al-Thawri.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "'Al-mustaqdimin' (those who go forward) means those in the front rows, and 'al-musta'khirin' (those who lag behind) means those in the back rows."