أَنْبَأَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا إِسْمَعِيلُ عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِوَجْهِهِ حِينَ قَامَ إِلَی الصَّلَاةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُکَبِّرَ فَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَکُمْ وَتَرَاصُّوا فَإِنِّي أَرَاکُمْ مِنْ وَرَائِ ظَهْرِي
سنن نسائی · Hadith 849
It was narrated that Anas said: “The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم turned to face us when he stood up to pray, before he said Takbir, and said: ‘Make your rows straight and fill the gaps, for I can see you from behind my back.” (Sahih).
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020