For I have not seen it in any book other than that of Ibn Aqil, and Ahmad has moved towards the opposite view and disliked for the lone individual to constitute a row. Had Ahmad known of an authentic hadith regarding this, he would not have deviated from it to something else. The correct view regarding this is to arrange every two people into a row.
Section: It is recommended to straighten the row in the funeral prayer. Ahmad explicitly stated this. It was said to Ata: 'Is it required of people to form rows for the funeral as they do in the [prescribed] prayer?' He replied: 'No, they are a people who supplicate and seek forgiveness.' Ahmad was not pleased with this statement of Ata and said: 'They must straighten their rows, for it is a prayer.' This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus on the day he died, went out to the prayer-ground, formed them into rows, and performed four takbīrs. (This is agreed upon). It was narrated from Abu al-Malih that he prayed over a funeral, then turned and said: 'Straighten [your rows], so that your intercession may be improved.'
Section: There is no harm in praying over the deceased in the mosque if there is no fear of soiling it. This is the view of al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, Abu Thawr, and Dawud. Malik and Abu Hanifa disliked it because it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: 'Whoever prays over a funeral in the mosque, then he has nothing [in terms of reward].'
(15) In A, M: "ahad" (one person). (16) Extracted by al-Bukhari in: The Chapter on a man announcing the death of the deceased to his family himself, The Chapter on praying over funerals at the prayer-ground and the mosque, and The Chapter on the four takbīrs over a funeral, from the Book of Funerals; and in: The Chapter on the death of the Negus, from the Book of the Virtues of the Ansar. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/92, 111, 112, 5/65. And Muslim in: The Chapter on the takbīr over a funeral, from the Book of Funerals. Sahih Muslim 2/656, 657. It was also extracted by Abu Dawud in: The Chapter on praying over a Muslim who dies in the lands of polytheism, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/189. Al-Nasa'i in: The Chapter on rows for the funeral, and The Chapter on the number of takbīrs for the funeral, from the Book of Funerals. al-Mujtaba 4/56, 59. Ibn Majah in: The Chapter on what has come regarding the prayer over the Negus, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/490. Imam Malik in: The Chapter on the takbīr over funerals, from the Book of Funerals. al-Muwatta' 1/226, 227. And Imam Ahmad in: al-Musnad 2/281, 438, 439. (17) In M: "Abu al-Malij". He is Abu al-Malih ibn Usama al-Hudhali; it is said his name is Amir, and it is said otherwise; he is a Successor (Tabi'i). See his biography in: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 12/246. (18) In the original: "wa-li-tahsuna" (and so that... may be improved).
