excerpt from “Ṣaff Bandi ke Aḥkām wa Masā’il” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri:
Just as with the obligatory (farḍ) prayers, arranging rows (ṣufūf) in the funeral prayer is also important.
Whether the rows are odd or even, both are valid and permissible.
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى على النجاشي ، فكنت في الصف الثاني أو الثالث
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the funeral prayer for al-Najāshī (the Negus), and I was in the second or third row.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1317 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 952]
باب من صف صفين أو ثلاثة على الجنازة خلف الإمام
“Chapter: One who arranged two or three rows behind the Imām during the funeral prayer.”
It is recommended and rewarding to form at least three rows in a funeral prayer.
“Whenever a funeral was brought and he (Mālik) considered the people to be few in number, he would divide them into three rows, then offer the funeral prayer and say:
ما صف صفوف ثلاثة من المسلمين على جنازة؟ إلا وجبت
‘Whenever three rows of Muslims are formed for a funeral, Paradise becomes mandatory for that person.’”
[Musnad Aḥmad: 4/79 | Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3166 | Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1049 | Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1490 | Musnad al-Ruyānī: 1537 – wording of al-Ruyānī]
Its chain is ḥasan (sound).
“Imām al-Ṭabarī رحمه الله said: The family of the deceased, if there is no concern about decay, should wait for enough people to gather such that three rows can be formed—based on this ḥadīth.”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 3/187]
The more righteous, pious, and sincere people are present in the funeral prayer, and the more heartfelt their supplications, the greater the reward and benefit for the deceased.
This applies equally when the funeral prayer is offered at the grave, as the ruling is the same for a present (ḥāḍir) deceased and a buried one.
A narration from ʿAṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله is reported in:
[Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 6587]
stating that forming rows in the funeral prayer is not necessary.
However, this narration is weak due to ʿanʿanah in the transmission of ʿAbd al-Razzāq رحمه الله.
Rows in the Funeral Prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah)
Just as with the obligatory (farḍ) prayers, arranging rows (ṣufūf) in the funeral prayer is also important.
Whether the rows are odd or even, both are valid and permissible.
❀ Sayyidunā Jābir bin ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه reported:
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى على النجاشي ، فكنت في الصف الثاني أو الثالث
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the funeral prayer for al-Najāshī (the Negus), and I was in the second or third row.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1317 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 952]❖ Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله titled a chapter:
باب من صف صفين أو ثلاثة على الجنازة خلف الإمام
“Chapter: One who arranged two or three rows behind the Imām during the funeral prayer.”
Three Rows Are Preferable and More Rewarding
It is recommended and rewarding to form at least three rows in a funeral prayer.
❀ Report of Sayyidunā Mālik bin Hubayrah al-Sakūnī رضي الله عنه:
“Whenever a funeral was brought and he (Mālik) considered the people to be few in number, he would divide them into three rows, then offer the funeral prayer and say:
ما صف صفوف ثلاثة من المسلمين على جنازة؟ إلا وجبت
‘Whenever three rows of Muslims are formed for a funeral, Paradise becomes mandatory for that person.’”
[Musnad Aḥmad: 4/79 | Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3166 | Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1049 | Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1490 | Musnad al-Ruyānī: 1537 – wording of al-Ruyānī] Its chain is ḥasan (sound).
Authenticity:
- Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq ibn Yasār clearly stated he heard it, which affirms transmission.
- Imām al-Tirmidhī and Ḥāfiẓ Nawawī (in al-Majmūʿ: 5/212) graded the ḥadīth as ḥasan (sound).
- Imām al-Ḥākim (1/361) declared it ṣaḥīḥ according to Muslim’s criteria, and Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḏhahabī agreed.
Comment of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله:
“Imām al-Ṭabarī رحمه الله said: The family of the deceased, if there is no concern about decay, should wait for enough people to gather such that three rows can be formed—based on this ḥadīth.”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 3/187] More Righteous Participants = Greater Benefit for the Deceased
The more righteous, pious, and sincere people are present in the funeral prayer, and the more heartfelt their supplications, the greater the reward and benefit for the deceased.
This applies equally when the funeral prayer is offered at the grave, as the ruling is the same for a present (ḥāḍir) deceased and a buried one.
Weak View Opposing the Need for Rows
A narration from ʿAṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله is reported in:
[Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 6587]stating that forming rows in the funeral prayer is not necessary.
However, this narration is weak due to ʿanʿanah in the transmission of ʿAbd al-Razzāq رحمه الله.
