10/23. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 808 — Standing Directly Behind the Imam
Who should stand immediately behind Imam and who should stand behind them
Hadith About Standing Directly Behind the Imam
Sunan an-Nasai : 808
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 808
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُقَدَّمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُقَدَّمِ فَجَبَذَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ خَلْفِي جَبْذَةً فَنَحَّانِي وَقَامَ مَقَامِي فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَقَلْتُ صَلاَتِي فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ فَإِذَا هُوَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ فَقَالَ يَا فَتَى لاَ يَسُؤْكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ هَذَا عَهْدٌ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَيْنَا أَنْ نَلِيَهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَقَالَ هَلَكَ أَهْلُ الْعُقَدِ وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ آسَى وَلَكِنْ آسَى عَلَى مَنْ أَضَلُّوا . قُلْتُ يَا أَبَا يَعْقُوبَ مَا يَعْنِي بِأَهْلِ الْعُقَدِ قَالَ الأُمَرَاءُ .
Qais bin Ubad Narrated from:
While I was in the Masjid in the first row, a man pulled me from behind and moved me aside, and took my place. By Allah, I could not focus on my prayer, then when he left I saw that it was Ubayy bin Ka'b. He said: '0 boy, may Allah protect you from harm. This is what the Prophet instructed us to do, to stand directly behind him.'Then he (Ubayy) turned to face the Qiblah and said: 'Doomed are Ahl Al-'Uqd, by the Lord of the Ka'bah! - three times.' Then he said: 'By Allah, I am not sad for them, but I am sad for the people whom they have misled.' I said: '0 Abu Ya'qub, what do you mean by Ahl Al-'Uqd?' He said: 'The rulers.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 808In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 32English translation : Vol. 1, Book 10, Hadith 809
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 808
This Hadith about standing directly behind the imam reports an incident in the mosque. Qais bin 'Ubad was in the first row when a man pulled him back, moved him aside, and took his place. Qais said he could not focus on his prayer after that. When the man left, Qais saw that it was Ubayy bin Ka'b. Ubayy explained that this was an instruction from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): they were to stand directly behind him. The narration then records Ubayy’s strong words about Ahl Al-'Uqd, which he explained as the rulers, and his sadness for those they misled. The prayer-related focus is clear: those instructed to be nearest stood directly behind the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
What we learn from this hadith
- Ubayy bin Ka'b said they were instructed to stand directly behind the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
- Qais felt disturbed when he was moved during prayer.
- The narration records Ubayy’s concern for people who were misled.
- The report shows that placement in the first row had special care.
