Muslims are urged to go early to the mosque to attend congregational Prayer and be in the first row in order to get great rewards. Ibn `Umar quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying “The reward of salah (Prayer) performed in congregation outweighs that of salah performed individually by twenty-seven degrees” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq states in his well-known book, Fiqh us-Sunnah: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If the people knew what [great blessings were] in the call to Prayer and in the first row, the people would vie with one another to call the Adhan and to be in the first row, and if they found no way to decide [who would be allowed to make the call to Prayer or to be in the first row] except by drawing lots, then they would draw lots.”
Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported that the Prophet noticed his Companions going to the back rows, and he said, “Come close and follow me and let those behind follow you. People will continue going to the back until Allah will put them in the back” (Muslim, An-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah). `A’ishah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah and His angels send down blessings upon those who pray on the right side of the rows” (Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah).
Ahmad and At-Tabarani record from Abu Umamah that the Prophet said, “Allah and the angels send down blessings upon the first row.” The people inquired, “O Messenger of Allah, and upon the second row?” The Prophet again said, “Allah and the angels send down blessings upon the first row.” The people asked again, “O Messenger of Allah, and upon the second row?” Finally he said, “And upon the second row.”