they pray individually, with none of them preceding another; and if they pray in congregation, it is permissible. Our argument is that they are among those qualified for congregation, so they may pray in congregation just like men. What they mentioned regarding them praying individually, with none preceding another, is an arbitrary assertion (tahakkum) that cannot be relied upon unless there is a textual evidence (nass) or consensus (ijma'). Indeed, the wives of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—performed the funeral prayer for Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, as reported by Muslim (6).

Section: If several funeral biers are gathered and their guardians compete over who shall step forward to lead the prayer over them, the one most entitled to lead the obligatory prayers is prioritized. Al-Qadi said: The one who is earlier is prioritized, meaning the one whose deceased arrived first. Our argument is that they are equal, so they resemble guardians who are equal in degree, along with the statement of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—: "The people should be led in prayer by the one who is most proficient in reciting the Book of Allah." If the guardian of each deceased wishes to pray over his own deceased individually, it is permissible.

358- Issue; He said: (And the prayer over him: he pronounces the takbir, and recites the Hamd [Surah al-Fatiha]).

The sum of this is that the sunnah for the takbir over the funeral is four [takbirs]; increasing upon it is not prescribed, and decreasing from it is not permissible. He pronounces the first takbir, then seeks refuge with Allah, and recites the Hamd, beginning it with "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," and the opening supplication (istiftah) is not prescribed. Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad being asked about a man performing the opening supplication in the funeral prayer with "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika"? He said: I have not heard of it. Ibn al-Mundhir said: Al-Thawri used to consider the opening supplication desirable in the funeral prayer, and we have not found this in the books of other scholars. It has been narrated from Ahmad similar to what al-Thawri said, because seeking refuge is legislated in it, so the opening supplication should be prescribed in it, as in other prayers. Our argument is that the funeral prayer has been legislated with the intention of being brief; that is why nothing is recited after the Fatiha, and there is no bowing or prostrating in it. Seeking refuge is a sunnah for recitation generally in prayer and otherwise, due to the saying of Allah the Almighty: {So when you recite the Qur’an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled} (1). When this is established...