Sa'd ibn Mu'adh said: "I never followed a funeral procession and occupied my mind with anything other than what is being done to it." Some of the Salaf saw a man laughing at a funeral and said: "Do you laugh while you are following a funeral procession? I will never speak to you again."

353 - Issue; He said: (And walking in front of it is better)

Most scholars hold the view that the merit for the one walking is to be in front of the funeral procession. This was narrated from Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, Ibn 'Umar, Abu Hurayra, al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, Ibn al-Zubayr, Abu Qatada, Abu Usayd, 'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr, Shurayh, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim, al-Zuhri, Malik, and al-Shafi'i. Al-Awza'i and the Ahl al-Ra'y (jurists of opinion) said: Walking behind it is better, based on what Ibn Mas'ud narrated from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he said: "The funeral procession is followed, and it does not follow [you]; he is not of it (1) who precedes it (2)." 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The merit of the one walking behind the funeral procession over the one walking in front of it is like the merit of the obligatory prayer over the voluntary prayer; I heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) (3)." And because it is followed, it must be put in front, like the Imam in prayer. For this reason, it is said in the authentic hadith: "Whoever follows a funeral procession" (4). Our evidence is what Ibn 'Umar narrated, saying: "I saw the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Abu Bakr, and 'Umar walking in front of the funeral procession." Narrated by