If they are equal, the one with earlier precedence is placed first. The Qadi said: The one with earlier precedence is placed first even if he is a child, but a woman is not placed first even if she has earlier precedence, due to the position of masculinity. If they are equal, the imam may place whomever he wishes among them. If the guardians dispute over this, lots are drawn between them.

Section: There is no disagreement among the people of knowledge regarding the permissibility of praying over funerals at once, and if one performs a separate prayer for each funeral, it is permissible. It has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he prayed over Hamzah along with someone else (13). Hanbal said: I prayed with Abu Abd Allah over the funeral of a woman who had died during childbirth (nufusa'). Abu Ishaq prayed [over the mother] (14) and sought instructions from Abu Abd Allah, saying: Should I also pray (15) over her newborn daughter? Abu Abd Allah said: If they were placed together, their prayer would be one; if it is a female, she would be on the right of the woman, and if it is a male, he would be on her left. Some of our companions said: Performing a separate prayer for each funeral is better, provided they do not wish to hasten. The apparent view of Ahmad in this narration which we have mentioned is [that it is better] (16) to perform them individually, which is the apparent state of the predecessors, for it has not been reported from them otherwise.

392 - Issue: He said: (And if they are buried in one grave, the man is to be closest to the qibla, the woman behind him, the child behind them, and a barrier of earth is to be placed between every two [bodies].)

Its general meaning is that if a group is buried in a grave, the most virtuous among them is placed closer to the qibla, then the one who follows him in virtue, in the same manner as their placement before the imam in prayer, according to what we have mentioned in the issue before this; because of what Hisham ibn Amir reported, saying: The wounds were complained of to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the day of Uhud, so he said: "Dig, widen, make them good, and bury the two or three..."