Sunan an-Nasa'i 540
سنن النسائي#540Sahihأَخْبَرَنَا عُتْبَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لاَسْتَهَمُوا وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْ عَلِمُوا مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا " .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:"If the people knew what (virtue) there was in the call to prayer and the first row, and they not find any way to get to do that [1] other than by drawing lots, they would do that. If they knew what (virtue) there was in coming early to prayer, they would compete to be first in the Masjid. If they knew what (virtue) there was in Al-'Atamah and Subh, they would come to them even if they had to crawl." [1] Indicating the two mentioned items: that is the call to prayer and praying in the first row
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 6:47