Q: I heard the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) of our Masjid (mosque) saying that the Hadith which states, (Part No. 6; Page No. 323)  “Allah confers blessing upon those who are on the right sides of the rows, and His angels (ask Him to do so).” is Da‘if (a Hadith that fails to reach the status of Hasan, due to a weakness in the chain of narration or one of the narrators) and cannot be used as evidence, and that is why rows in congregational Salah (Prayer) start from the middle.

A: This Hadith was related by Abu Dawud with a Hasan Isnad (good chain of narration) from the Hadith reported by `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Al-Hafizh Ibn Hajar ranked the Isnad of the Hadith as Hasan in the version that states, "the right sides of the rows" in his book "Al-Fath" (2/213). The Hadith indicates the merit of standing to the right side of the rows in Salah, which was authentically reported in other than this Hadith. It was related by Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa'y with a Sahih (authentic) Isnad, on the authority of Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “When we offered Salah behind the Prophet (peace be upon him), we liked to be on his right side.” The narration of Abu Dawud adds, “...So that he (peace be upon him) would turn his face towards us.” This is included in the preference of the right side in everything. It is reported in the Two Sahih Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to like starting by the right side in wearing his shoes, combing his hair, purifying himself and in all his affairs.” May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.