Do the rows close to the Kaaba, other than the direction of the Imam, have the ruling of the first row?

The first row, for which texts have mentioned its virtue, is the row immediately behind the Imam. However, in Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque in Mecca), scholars have differed regarding the definition of the first row for those not directly behind the Imam:

- The first opinion: The first row is the one closest to the Kaaba, even if it is not directly behind the Imam.

- The second opinion: The first row is any row that is connected to the row immediately behind the Imam, even if it is far from the Kaaba.