Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi (5). Anas narrated a similar account, which was recorded by Ibn Majah (6). Ibn al-Mundhir said: It is established that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Abu Bakr, and 'Umar used to walk in front of the funeral procession. From Ibn 'Umar, he said: "The Sunnah regarding the funeral procession is to walk in front of it." Abu Salih said: The companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to walk in front of the funeral procession because they are intercessors for them, based on his (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) statement: "There is no deceased person upon whom a group of Muslims prays, reaching one hundred, all of whom intercede for him, except that they are granted intercession for him." Recorded by Muslim (7). And he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "There is no group of forty (8) believers who intercede for a believer except that Allah the Almighty grants them intercession." Recorded by Ibn Majah (9). For this reason, they say in the supplication for the deceased: "O Allah, we have come to You as intercessors for him, so grant us intercession regarding him." The intercessor stands in front of the one for whom intercession is being made. As for the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, it is narrated by Abu Majid, who is unknown. It was said to Yahya: "Who is this Abu Majid?" He replied: "A bird that flew off." Al-Tirmidhi said: "I heard Muhammad ibn Isma'il weaken this hadith." The other hadith was not mentioned by the compilers of the Sunan, and they said: "It is weak." Furthermore, we interpret it as applying to someone who proceeds in front of the procession toward the place of prayer or burial while not being with it. Their Qiyas (analogical reasoning) is invalidated by the Sunnah of the Fajr and Dhuhr prayers, as they are subordinate to them, yet they precede them in existence.
(5) Extracted by Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on walking in front of the funeral procession, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/183. And al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on what has been mentioned regarding walking in front of the funeral procession, from the Chapters on Funerals. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/228. It was also extracted by al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the position of the walker in the funeral procession, from the Book of Funerals. al-Mujtaba 4/46. And Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on walking in front of the funeral procession, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/475. And Imam Malik, in: Chapter on walking in front of the funeral procession, from the Book of Funerals. al-Muwatta' 1/225. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/8, 122. (6) In: Chapter on what has been mentioned regarding walking in front of the funeral procession, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/475. (7) In: Chapter on whoever has one hundred pray over him, they intercede for him, from the Book of Funerals. Sahih Muslim 2/654. It was also extracted by al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on what has been mentioned regarding the prayer over the funeral and intercession for the deceased, from the Chapters on Funerals. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/247. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the merit of whoever has one hundred pray over him, from the Book of Funerals. al-Mujtaba 4/62. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 6/32, 40, 97, 231. (8) It fell out from: The original text, but it is present in Sunan Ibn Majah. (9) In: Chapter on what has been mentioned regarding whoever has a group of Muslims pray over him, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/477. It was also extracted by Muslim, in: Chapter on whoever has forty pray over him, they intercede for him, from the Book of Funerals. Sahih Muslim 2/655. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on the merit of praying over funeral processions and following them, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/181. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 1/277.
