Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ مُسَيَّبِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ عَنْ تَمِيمِ بْنِ طَرَفَةَ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَقَالَ مَا لِي أَرَاكُمْ رَافِعِي أَيْدِيكُمْ كَأَنَّهَا أَذْنَابُ خَيْلٍ شُمْسٍ اسْكُنُوا فِي الصَّلَاةِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا حِلَقًا فَقَالَ مَا لِي أَرَاكُمْ عِزِينَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ أَلَا تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهَا قَالَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهَا قَالَ يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْأُولَى وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّفِّ.
English Translation
Abu Mu'awiyah narrated to us: al-A'mash narrated to us from al-Musayyab ibn Rafi', from Tamim ibn Tarafah, from Jabir ibn Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came out to us one day and said: "What is it with me that I see you raising your hands as if they were the tails of restive horses? Be still in prayer." Then he came out to us and saw us in circles, and said: "What is it with me that I see you in scattered groups?" Then he came out to us and said: "Will you not line up as the angels line up before their Lord?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, how do the angels line up before their Lord?" He said: "They complete the front rows first and stand close together in the row."