Source: Fatāwā Āman Pūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Āman Pūrī
Is forming rows (ṣaff bandī) necessary in the funeral prayer as it is in other prayers?
In terms of row formation, the ruling and method of the funeral prayer is the same as in other prayers, with one exception mentioned in the ḥadīth.
❀ ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
When the son of Abū Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه), ʿUmayr (رضي الله عنه), passed away, he invited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ came and led the funeral prayer in their home. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood forward, Abū Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه) stood behind him, and Umm Sulaym (رضي الله عنها) stood behind her husband Abū Ṭalḥah. There was no one else there.
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī 1/508; al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim 1/365 – with an authentic chain)
Imām al-Ḥākim (رحمه الله) declared this ḥadīth authentic upon the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī (رحمه الله) agreed with him.
This ḥadīth indicates that row formation is indeed required in the funeral prayer just as in other prayers.
However, there is a special allowance in the funeral prayer:
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Question
Is forming rows (ṣaff bandī) necessary in the funeral prayer as it is in other prayers?
Answer
In terms of row formation, the ruling and method of the funeral prayer is the same as in other prayers, with one exception mentioned in the ḥadīth.
❀ ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
When the son of Abū Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه), ʿUmayr (رضي الله عنه), passed away, he invited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ came and led the funeral prayer in their home. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood forward, Abū Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه) stood behind him, and Umm Sulaym (رضي الله عنها) stood behind her husband Abū Ṭalḥah. There was no one else there.
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī 1/508; al-Mustadrak by al-Ḥākim 1/365 – with an authentic chain)
Imām al-Ḥākim (رحمه الله) declared this ḥadīth authentic upon the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī (رحمه الله) agreed with him.
Ruling
This ḥadīth indicates that row formation is indeed required in the funeral prayer just as in other prayers.
However, there is a special allowance in the funeral prayer:
- A single man may stand directly behind the imām in a separate row.
- In contrast, in regular prayers, the prayer of a man standing alone behind a row is not valid.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
