Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The Sunnah is that the imam stands opposite the waist of a woman and opposite the head of a man.
In Sunan Abu Dawud, it is narrated from Anas radi Allahu anhu that he did exactly this and explained that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also used to do so.
However, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah apparently considered the narration in Abu Dawud to be weak and gave preference to the view that the imam should stand opposite the waists of both the man and the woman.
Although in this hadith only standing at the middle of the woman is mentioned, and this is also the Sunnah,
yet the Imam rahimahullah has, in the chapter, treated both the woman and the man equally.
Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah says:
(وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ إِلَى هَذَا)
That is, some of the people of knowledge have adopted this view: that the imam stands at the head of the male (deceased) and at the buttocks (waist) of the female (deceased). (وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ)
And this is the view of Ahmad and Ishaq,
and it is also the view of al-Shafi'i, and it is the truth, and it is a narration from Abu Hanifah as well. It is stated in al-Hidayah: And from Abu Hanifah that the imam stands at the head of the man and at the middle of the woman, because Anas radi Allahu anhu did so and said that this is the Sunnah.
(Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi)
That is, some of the people of knowledge have taken the position that in the funeral prayer, the imam should stand at the head of the male deceased and at the middle of the body, at the waist, of the female deceased.
This is the view of Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, Ishaq rahimahullah, and Imam al-Shafi'i rahimahullah, and this is the truth. And in al-Hidayah, there is also a narration from Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah that the imam should stand at the head of the male deceased and at the middle of the female, because Anas radi Allahu anhu did so and said that this is the Sunnah.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From the hadith presented by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, it is understood that in the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah), one should stand at the middle of the woman (i.e., the deceased woman’s body). However, regarding men, perhaps Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not find any hadith according to his conditions.
It is possible that, in his view, the ruling for both men and women is the same. But it is narrated from Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu that he led the funeral prayer for a man and stood at his head.
When the body was lifted, a woman’s funeral was brought, and he led her funeral prayer as well, standing at her middle.
Someone asked: For the funeral of a man and a woman, the places where you stood—did the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also stand in the same way? He replied:
Yes.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Jana'iz, Hadith: 3194) (2)
Allamah al-Albani rahimahullah writes that while performing the funeral prayer, the imam should stand at the level of the man’s head and at the middle of the woman.
(Ahkam al-Jana'iz, p. 138)
Those who hold the view that one should stand at the level of the heart for both men and women base their position merely on analogy, and it is contrary to explicit evidences.
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
By «في بطن», what is meant is dying in the state of childbirth.
From this, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that the ruling for a woman in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas) is the same as that for pure (ritually clean) women. This is because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) over her. This also refutes the statement of those who claim that a person becomes impure (najis) upon death. The same hadith, through another chain of narration, is also found in the Book of Funerals (Kitab al-Jana'iz), in which it is explicitly mentioned that she died in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas). Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah have also narrated this hadith.

Benefits and Issues:
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established the chapter that if a woman dies in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas), the funeral prayer should be performed for her, and he presents as evidence the hadith that a woman died in the state of nifas, so the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the prayer over her (this woman was Umm Ka'b al-Ansariyyah). [التوضيح لمبهات الجامع الصحيح للموفق العدين ابي ذر العجمي، ج1، ص45]
The purpose is that some people consider a woman in the state of nifas to be impure. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s intent is that if that woman were impure during nifas, then the prayer would not have been performed over her, even though she does not pray during nifas. Despite this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the prayer over her, because a believer, whether alive or dead, is pure. Under this hadith, he presents only the chapter heading and then the hadith in which Sayyidah Maymunah radi Allahu anha said that she used to experience menstruation (hayd), would not pray, and would lie down with her legs stretched out next to the place of prostration of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, while the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would be praying on his prayer mat. When he would prostrate, the edge of his garment would touch me, meaning he did not consider that garment to be impure. [صحيح البخاري كتاب الحيض رقم الحديث 333]
That is, when the garment of a menstruating woman is pure, then the body upon which it is worn is also pure. The relevance is derived from here: that a believer is pure in both life and death.

Note: SA Imam al-Kirmani rahimahullah objected to Imam Bukhari rahimahullah that the hadith you have mentioned contains the words «ماتت فى بطن» "died in childbirth." Its meaning is "she died during delivery." Rather, its meaning is that she died in a state of abdominal illness (mabtun). EA Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah replied that this is not an error of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, because there is an explicit hadith present in the Book of Funerals, in the chapter of the prayer over women in nifas, in which these words are found «ماتت فى نفاسها» that the woman died in the state of nifas. Therefore, it was not Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s error; this was the error of Imam al-Kirmani rahimahullah. For details, refer to [فتح الباري ج1، ص469].

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In this chapter heading, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah intends to clarify two points:
©.
The funeral prayer (janazah) should be performed for a woman who dies in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas).
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When performing the funeral prayer, one should stand at the middle, that is, in front of her waist.
The need for this issue arises because the state of nifas is a state of impurity, and she died in this state, as if the impurity became established at the time of death.
Now the question arises: when the impurity of nifas remains after death, is it permissible to perform the funeral prayer for her? Imam Bukhari has proven from the hadith that it is correct to perform the funeral prayer for a woman who dies in the state of nifas.
To think that she was already impure and that her impurity increased with death, and therefore there is no occasion to perform the funeral prayer, is not correct, because this was a spiritual impurity which ended with death, and the physical impurity was washed away by giving her a ritual bath (ghusl).
That woman is pure.
She possesses the purity of faith, therefore it is correct to perform the funeral prayer for her.
The second part of the chapter heading: how should the funeral prayer be performed for such a woman? The actual place for this issue is in the Book of Funerals (Kitab al-Jana'iz); accordingly, there Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established a chapter with the following words:
"Where should the imam stand in the funeral prayer for a man and a woman?" But Imam Bukhari rahimahullah wants to point out here that there is no difference between a woman in nifas and other women regarding where to stand during the funeral prayer, and when the aforementioned chapter comes in the Book of Funerals, the purpose there will be to explain the issue of standing.

➋
The commentator of Bukhari, Allamah Ibn Battal rahimahullah, writes that since a woman in nifas herself cannot perform prayer, perhaps someone might think that her funeral prayer should not be performed.
Imam Bukhari has pointed out that regarding the funeral, the ruling for this woman is the same as for other women; when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the funeral prayer for her, it is as if the ruling of purity was established for her. Her not praying during nifas is not due to impurity, but rather it is a devotional ruling (hukm ta‘abbudi).
This also refutes the view that a believer becomes impure upon death, because if that were the case, why would the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam perform the funeral prayer for a woman in nifas, when the impurity of blood was already present, and then the impurity of death was added to it? When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the funeral prayer for such a woman, then a deceased from whom blood does not flow is not considered impure due to death.
(Sharh Ibn Battal: 1/462)

➌
Some people have said that establishing this chapter heading on the mentioned hadith is not correct, because the meaning of the hadith is that the woman died from a stomach illness, and perhaps Imam Bukhari was mistaken in thinking it was childbirth, whereas this is not the case at all; rather, what is meant is dying in the state of nifas.
As is found in a narration mentioned by Imam Bukhari himself, that she died in her nifas.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jana'iz, Hadith: 1331)
Therefore, both the hadith and Imam Bukhari rahimahullah's chapter heading are absolutely correct and appropriate.

Nifas and its Rulings:
The following rulings regarding nifas and its regulations are taken from a treatise by the renowned scholar of the land of Hijaz, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin rahimahullah:
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Definition:
The blood that emerges from the womb due to childbirth is called nifas, whether it comes at the time of delivery, after it, or two or three days before it, provided that labor pains are also present.
©.
Duration:
Generally, its duration is forty days. If it exceeds forty days, the woman should act according to her previous habit, or if after that the signs of the blood being from a principal cause appear, then she should wait for it to end and count it as nifas; otherwise, after forty days, she should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) and begin prayer and fasting.
If the blood stops before forty days, the woman should also perform ghusl and begin prayer and fasting.
If the blood stops before forty days, the woman should also perform ghusl and begin prayer and fasting.
It should be noted that nifas is counted after such a delivery in which the child’s form and features have developed.
If miscarriage occurs before the form and features have developed, then the blood that emerges at that time is not called nifas, rather it is blood from a vein, for which the rulings of irregular bleeding (istihada) apply.
The minimum period in which the child’s form and features develop is eighty (80) days from the beginning of pregnancy, and the maximum is ninety (90) days.
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Rulings of Nifas:
Its rulings are like those of menstruation (hayd), except in the following issues where it has a separate ruling:
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The waiting period (‘iddah) of divorce is not related to nifas at all, because if divorce is given before childbirth, its duration will not be extended, and if divorce is given after childbirth, then one must wait until menstruation comes after nifas.
That is, after three menstrual cycles, the waiting period will end.
©.
In the case of ila’ (oath of abstention), the period of menstruation will be counted, but the period of nifas will not be counted.
Ila’ is when a husband swears not to approach his wife for more than four months or forever.
Upon the wife’s demand, a period of four months will be set for the husband’s oath, and he will be required to either return to his wife or release her.
If childbirth occurs during this four-month period, the days of nifas will not be included in the four months, but the days of menstruation will be counted within the four months.
©.
The onset of menstruation is a sign of a woman’s puberty, whereas it is necessary for her to have reached puberty before the blood of nifas, because a woman becomes pregnant due to ovulation.
If ovulation occurs before pregnancy, it means she has reached puberty, so the blood of nifas will not be considered a sign of puberty; rather, menstruation will be regarded as the sign of her puberty.
©.
If menstrual blood stops and then starts again during her usual days, it will definitely be considered menstruation. For example:
A woman’s usual period is eight days; after four days, the blood stops.
For two days, the blood remains stopped, then on the seventh and eighth days, the blood resumes—this will be considered menstruation, and the rulings of menstruation will apply.
On the other hand, if the blood of nifas stops before forty days, and then resumes after forty days, it will be considered doubtful blood; that is, the woman should begin prayer and fasting, but the husband should not approach her. She will also have to make up the prayers and fasts missed after purification. However, the correct view is that if the blood returns after stopping, at a time when nifas is still possible, it will be counted as nifas; otherwise, it is menstrual blood.
If the blood continues, it will be considered istihada (irregular bleeding).
Imam Malik rahimahullah says:
If the blood of nifas resumes two or three days after stopping, it is still nifas; otherwise, it will be considered menstruation.
©.
If a woman becomes pure from menstruation before her usual period ends, the husband is permitted to have intercourse with her; there is no objection to this. However, if a woman becomes pure from nifas before forty days, it is disliked (makruh) for the husband to have intercourse with her, but according to the majority, it is not disliked for the husband to approach her during this period, and this is the correct view, because even dislike (karahah) is a legal ruling that requires evidence.
In this regard, only the action of Uthman ibn Abi al-As radi Allahu anhu is presented, that his wife became pure from nifas before forty days and came to him, so he said:
"Do not come to me."
Dislike is inferred from this action.
But even in this, there are several possibilities:
It is possible that the woman was not yet certain of her purity, so he acted out of precaution, or he did so out of fear that intercourse might cause the blood to flow again and resume.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has conveyed the intent of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, quoting Zayn ibn Munir, in these words: Although a woman who dies in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas) is counted among the martyrs (shuhada), her funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) is still legislated; however, the case of a martyr of the battlefield (shaheed ma‘rakah) is the opposite.
(Fath al-Bari: 3/257)
The funeral prayer for a martyr of the battlefield is also legislated, but it is not obligatory, as will be explained further.
If a woman dies during the period of postnatal bleeding (nifas), her funeral prayer should be performed, even though she herself could not perform prayer in that state, because after death the rulings of nifas cease to apply.
Where the imam should stand in the funeral prayer for a man or a woman will be clarified later.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊
A woman in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas), although she cannot perform prayer in this condition and is, in terms of reward and merit, included among the ranks of the martyrs,
even so, her funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) will be performed.

➋
The Imam,
where should he stand in the funeral prayer? In this regard, only a narration concerning a woman has been mentioned, that in her funeral prayer, the Imam will stand in the middle.
But where should the Imam stand in the funeral prayer for a man? This has not been mentioned.
There is a difference of opinion among the Imams regarding this.
Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah,
Imam Ahmad rahimahullah,
Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah,
and according to one narration, this is also the position of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah: that in the funeral prayer, the Imam stands near the head of the man and in the middle for the woman, and according to the hadith, this is correct.
Allamah Sa‘idi writes that since this statement of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah is in accordance with the hadiths and traditions, it should be acted upon.
(Sahih Muslim 2/811)
If only everywhere preference were given to acting upon authentic hadiths! Regarding the recitation of al-Fatihah, the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma is present in Sahih Bukhari,
that he recited al-Fatihah aloud in the funeral prayer and said: I did this so that you may know that reciting al-Fatihah was the practice and way of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and this has been interpreted as:
He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recited it as supplication and praise.
(vol. 2, p. 898)
Whereas there is no indication or evidence for this interpretation, and another point has been raised:
This is a solitary report (khabar wahid), and it is not correct to establish obligation (fardiyyah) from a solitary report.
Whereas, just as obligation is established by the command of the Qur’an, it is also established by an authentic hadith.
The narrations of Bukhari and Muslim have been accepted by the Ummah by consensus.
For this reason, they provide certainty and surety.
Why then should obligation not be established from them?
Imam Ibn Humam and Imam Tahawi rahimahullah have also made this interpretation, that it was recited as praise and supplication. Well, let these scholars recite it as supplication and praise, but at least they should recite al-Fatihah, so that they are not deprived of this comprehensive supplication.

Explanation: ➊
The name of this woman is Umm Ka'b, as has been explicitly mentioned in the narration of al-Nasa'i.

Benefits and Issues:
If a Muslim woman passes away during her days of menstruation (hayd) or postnatal bleeding (nifas), her funeral prayer (janazah) will still be performed.

1978. Commentary:
➊ Incidentally, it is understood from this that in the funeral prayer for a woman, the imam will stand at the level of her waist. According to a narration in Abu Dawud, which is reported from Anas radi Allahu anhu, in the funeral prayer for a man, the imam will stand at the level of his head. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 3193) The Hanafis hold the view that in both cases, the imam should stand at the level of the chest. They restrict this narration to a woman who died in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas), arguing that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam stood in front of her abdomen to provide a covering. However, this reason is not mentioned in any narration, nor does reason support this interpretation, because by the imam standing in front of the abdomen, it is not possible to provide a covering for the entire row; only two or four people could be covered, and that could be achieved by standing anywhere, not just in front of the abdomen. Moreover, the entire body is wrapped in a shroud (kafan), so what kind of covering would be achieved through the imam, and why would such a covering be necessary? Furthermore, if the detailed narrations or a complete review of this hadith of Samurah radi Allahu anhu are considered, restricting it to a woman in the state of postnatal bleeding becomes meaningless; this is the prescribed method for standing at the funeral of any woman. In any case, when there is an authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or his clear practice, it should not be set aside due to speculative or conjectural arguments.
➋ The issue of the chapter is established from the apparent wording, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam stood (in prayer). Thus, this was his regular practice.

1981. Commentary: Apparently, there seems to be no connection between the hadith and the chapter. And Allah knows best.

393. Commentary:

➊ The purpose of the chapter is that although a woman in the state of postnatal bleeding (nifas) cannot herself perform prayer, if she passes away, the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) should still be performed for her. Her state of nifas is not an impediment to the funeral prayer. Furthermore, she is not outwardly impure, so there is no harm in placing her body in front of those praying, because the body of a believer is not outwardly impure—neither due to major ritual impurity (janabah), nor menstruation (hayd) and postnatal bleeding (nifas), nor death. The impurity from nifas is a spiritual impurity, not a physical one.

➋ In the funeral prayer for a woman, the imam stands in line with the middle of the bier, as is explicitly mentioned in some narrations. See: [صحیح البخاري ، الجنائز ، حدیث : 1332 ، و صحیح مسلم ، الجنائز ، حدیث : 964]
Nifas has no bearing on this matter.

Lexical Explanation:
«فِي نِفَسِهَا» During the days of childbirth. This woman was Umm K’ab Ansariyyah radi Allahu anha.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ This hadith establishes that if the deceased is a woman, the imam should stand in the middle of the body to lead the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah).
➋ From Anas radi Allahu anhu, in Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi and others, it is stated that if the deceased is a man, the imam should stand at the level of his head to lead the funeral prayer. [سنن ابي داود ، الجنائز ، حديث : 3194 وجامع الترمذي ، الجنائز ، حديث : 1034]
This is also the opinion of Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, and from Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, one narration is also transmitted in this manner, as mentioned in al-Hidayah. In contrast, the scholars of the Hanafi school generally lead the funeral prayer standing at the level of the chest, regardless of whether the deceased is male or female. However, there is no Shar’i (Islamic legal) evidence for this; rather, in opposition to the explicit text, they act merely on analogy, arguing that the heart is the source of faith, so one should stand at the level of the heart. But in reality, this is contrary to the hadith.