Who is preferred to stand closest to the Imam
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْهَبِ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ رَأَى فِي أَصْحَابِهِ تَأَخُّرًا فَقَالَ " تَقَدَّمُوا فَأْتَمُّوا بِي، وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، لاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ " .
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that some of his Companions tended to stand in the rear, so he said: “Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.”