This hadith is referring to a masjid setup where there is no partition between the men’s and women’s sections. In Prophet’s ï·º masjid itself, there was no partition. Men simply prayed at the front of the masjid and women prayed in the back of the masjid.
While it is often translated as “best” and “worst,” this hadith corresponds to what we know about the men’s rows. The “best” blessings, or most blessings, are for those who make it to the front row. The “worst” rows – with relatively fewer blessings than the early-birds, are those closer to the back.
Does this still apply when prayer areas are partitioned, or whether women are praying by themselves?
Shaykh Waleed Basyouni explains the hadith
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:58 — 1.5MB)