question #3 Sahih Muslim 439, Book 4, Hadith 146 : How does the concept of excellence relate to the arrangement of rows in Islamic congregational prayers?

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If you were to know, or if they were to know, what (excellence) lies in the first rows, there would have been drawing of lots (for filling them) ; and Ibn Harb said: For (occupying) the first row there would have been drawing of lots.