Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I performed prayer with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the house of Sayyida Umm Haram (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made me stand on his right side and Sayyida Umm Haram (may Allah be pleased with her) was standing behind us.

Sayyiduna Abu Malik Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his people: Shall I not lead you in prayer as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray? Then he formed a row of men, after that a row of children, and behind the children a row of women.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I and an orphan, who used to live in our house, prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Sayyidah Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) prayed behind us. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had come to their house.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: My grandmother Sayyida Maleekah (may Allah be pleased with her) prepared food and invited the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to the house for it. After eating the food, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Stand up, I will lead you in prayer. I got up to bring a mat, which had become black due to long use, so I sprinkled water on it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood on it, I and an orphan stood behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in two rak‘ahs of prayer, then he returned.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in a voluntary prayer, Lady Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) and Lady Umm Haram (may Allah be pleased with her) stood behind us, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made me stand on his right side. We performed the prayer on a mat.

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d رضي الله عنه narrates: The day the pulpit was made, on that very day the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ascended it and said Allahu Akbar, then performed ruku’, then descended backwards and performed sajdah, and the people also performed sajdah. Then he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ascended the pulpit again, then descended, until he completed the prayer, and said: O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn the way I perform prayer. Someone asked Sayyiduna Sa’d رضي الله عنه: What is the matter of the trunk, as people say certain things about it? He said: Yes, whatever is narrated about it, that indeed happened.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The wise and intelligent among you should certainly, certainly stand close to me, then those who are nearest to them (in intellect and understanding) should stand after them, then those who are nearest to the people of the second rank should stand, and do not differ from one another (in forming rows), otherwise your hearts will become opposed to each other, and avoid the mixing and tribulations of the marketplaces.

Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would touch our shoulders when forming rows for prayer and would say: "Stand straight and do not stand differently, otherwise your hearts will become different from one another. Those among you who are wise and intelligent should definitely stand closest to me, then those who are nearest to them (in understanding and intellect), then those who are nearest to the second group." Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: (People!) Today you have fallen into much discord because of this very reason.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) liked that the Muhajirun and Ansar stand close to him in prayer so that they could acquire (knowledge and practice) from him.

Qais bin ‘Abad says: I came to Madinah to meet the Companions of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Of the people I wanted to meet, the most beloved to me was Sayyiduna Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him). The iqamah was called for prayer and Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came out with the other Companions. I was standing in the first row. A man came, looked at the faces of the people, and recognized everyone except me. He moved me back and stood in my place. (Because of anger) I could not concentrate on my prayer. When he finished the prayer, he said to me: My dear son! May Allah not harm you. What I did to you was not out of ignorance. The fact is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us: Stand in the row that is closest to me. I looked at the faces of the people and recognized all of them except you, (that is why I moved you back). Then he began to admonish and advise the people. I saw the people stretching their necks towards him in a manner I had never seen before. In his sermon, he also said: By the Lord of the Ka‘bah! The oath-takers (the rulers) have perished. Beware! I do not grieve for them, I grieve for those Muslims who will perish because of them. (Suddenly I realized that) this was Sayyiduna Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) himself. This hadith is narrated in the words of Sulaiman bin Dawood.