Hadith: 'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr

عَنْ ‌حِطَّانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الرَّقَاشِيِّ قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ ‌أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ صَلَاةً، فَلَمَّا كَانَ عِنْدَ الْقَعْدَةِ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ: أُقِرَّتِ الصَّلَاةُ بِالْبِرِّ وَالزَّكَاةِ، قَالَ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى أَبُو مُوسَى الصَّلَاةَ وَسَلَّمَ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّكُمُ الْقَائِلُ كَلِمَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا؟ قَالَ: فَأَرَمَّ الْقَوْمُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَيُّكُمُ الْقَائِلُ كَلِمَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا؟ فَأَرَمَّ الْقَوْمُ، فَقَالَ: لَعَلَّكَ يَا حِطَّانُ قُلْتَهَا؟ قَالَ: مَا قُلْتُهَا، وَلَقَدْ رَهِبْتُ أَنْ تَبْكَعَنِي بِهَا، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ: أَنَا قُلْتُهَا، وَلَمْ أُرِدْ بِهَا إِلَّا الْخَيْرَ، فَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى: أَمَا تَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ فِي صَلَاتِكُمْ؟ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطَبَنَا فَبَيَّنَ لَنَا سُنَّتَنَا وَعَلَّمَنَا صَلَاتَنَا، فَقَالَ:
«إِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ، ثُمَّ لِيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا، وَإِذْ قَالَ: {غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَ} [الفاتحة: 7]، فَقُولُوا: آمِينَ، يُجِبْكُمُ اللهُ، فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ وَرَكَعَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَارْكَعُوا، فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ يَرْكَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ، وَيَرْفَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ»، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَتِلْكَ بِتِلْكَ، وَإِذَا قَالَ: سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، فَقُولُوا: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، يَسْمَعِ اللهُ لَكُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَالَ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَاسْجُدُوا، فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ يَسْجُدُ قَبْلَكُمْ وَيَرْفَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ»، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَتِلْكَ بِتِلْكَ، وَإِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الْقَعْدَةِ فَلْيَكُنْ مِنْ أَوَّلِ قَوْلِ أَحَدِكُمُ: التَّحِيَّاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ لِلهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ».
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم] - [صحيح مسلم: 404]

Hittān ibn' Abdullāh ar-Raqāshi reported: I observed prayer with Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari, and when he was in the tashahhud, someone among the people said: "The prayer has been made obligatory along with benevolence and Zakah." When Abu Mūsa finished the prayer and made taslīm, he turned to the people and said: "Who amongst you said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He again said: "Who amongst you has said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He said, "O Hittān, perhaps you have uttered it." Hittān said: "No, I have not uttered it. I feared you might be annoyed with me because of this." A person amongst the people said: "It was I who said it, and I intended nothing but good with it." Abu Mūsa said: "Do you not know what you have to say in your prayers? Verily, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us, explaining to us our Sunnah and teaching us our prayer, and said:
'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr; when he recites {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen'; and Allah will respond to you. And when he says takbīr, you also say takbīr, for the Imām bows and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he says, 'Sami'a Allāhu liman hamidah' (Allah hears he who praises Him), you should say: 'Allahumma rabbanā laka al-hamd' (O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You), and Allah will hear you, for Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Allah hears he who praises Him. And when he says takbīr and prostrates, you should also say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before you and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of everyone amongst you should be: 'Attaḥiyyāt at-ṭayyibāt aṣ-ṣalawātu lillāhi, assalāmu 'alayka 'ayyuh an-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh, assalāmu' alayna wa 'alā 'ibadillāhi aṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ash'hadu an lā 'ilāha illā Allah wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh.' (All greetings, good things, and prayers are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and the righteous servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger)."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Muslim] - [Sahih Muslim - 404]

Explanation

The Companion Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) offered a prayer. When he was sitting for tashahhud, one of those praying behind him said: The prayer is mentioned in the Qur'an along with benevolence and Zakah. When Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) finished the prayer, he asked the worshipers: Who amongst you has made this statement: The prayer is mentioned in the Qur'an along with benevolence and Zakah?! The people kept silent, and none of them spoke. He repeated the question once again, and no one responded to him. Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Perhaps you, Hittān, have said it! This is because he was brave and close to him, so his suspicion of him would not hurt him, and it would prompt the real doer to admit what he said. Hittān denied that and said: I was afraid you might indict me for thinking I said that. Thereupon, one among the people said: I said it and intended nothing but good by saying it. Abu Mūsa, by way of teaching him, said: Do you not know what you have to say in your prayers?! He meant to show disapproval. Then, Abu Mūsa informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed them one day, explaining to them their Shariah and teaching them their prayer, and said:
When you pray, straighten your rows, stand upright, and let one of the people lead them in prayer. When the Imām says the takbīr of ihrām, say takbīr like him, and when he recites Al-Fātihah and reaches {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen'. If you do this, Allah will answer your supplication. When he says takbīr and bows, say takbīr and bow, for the Imām bows before you and rises before you; so, do not get ahead of him. This is because the moment in which the Imām bows before you is redressed by the moment you delay while bowing after he rises from Rukū '. This moment is equivalent to this one, and thus your Rukū 'is equal to his Rukū '. And when the Imām says, "Allah hears he who praises Him", say: "O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You." If the worshipers say that, Allah Almighty will hear their supplication and statement, for Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Allah hears he who praises Him. Then, when the Imām says takbīr and prostrates, those praying behind him should say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before them and rises before them. This moment is equivalent to this moment. Thus, the prostration of the worshipers is equal to that of the Imām. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of the worshipers should be: "All greetings, good things, and prayers are due to Allah." The dominion, eternal existence, and greatness are all due to Allah Almighty; likewise, the five prayers are all for Allah. "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and the righteous servants of Allah." Supplicate Allah for safety from every defect, deficiency, imperfection, and corruption. We give a particular greeting to our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and then we greet ourselves. Then we greet the pious servants of Allah who fulfill their duties, including the rights of Allah Almighty and the rights of His servants. Then, we testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.