There is no fixed requirement regarding the number of people who enter the grave. Ahmad explicitly stated this, and according to this view, their number should be based on the condition of the deceased, their needs, and what is easiest in dealing with the matter. Al-Qadi said: It is recommended that the number be odd, because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had three people place him in his lahd, though perhaps this was coincidental or due to their need for them. Abu Dawud reported from Abu Murahhib that Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf entered the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He said: "It is as if I am looking at them, four [men]." If the person managing the burial is a jurist (faqih), it is better, because he is in need of knowing what he must do in the grave.
368 - Issue: He said: (The shroud is not to be torn in the grave, and the knots should be untied).
As for tearing the shroud, it is not permissible because it is a waste that is unnecessary and has no foundation in the Shari'ah. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "If one of you shrouds his brother, let him improve his shroud." [Extracted by Muslim]. Tearing it destroys it and removes its quality. As for untying the knots at the head and feet, it is recommended, because tying them was done out of fear that it would unravel, and that is no longer a concern once he is buried. It has been reported that when the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, placed Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud al-Ashja'i into the grave, he loosened the bindings with his mouth. Similar reports have been narrated from Ibn Mas'ud and Samurah ibn Jundab.
(9) In: The Chapter on how many enter the grave?, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/190. (10) In the original: "yahtaju" (needs). (1) Omitted from: the original, A. It was extracted by Muslim, in: The Chapter on improving the shroud of the deceased, from the Book of Funerals. Sahih Muslim 2/651. It was also extracted by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on the Shroud, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/176. And al-Tirmidhi, in: A chapter on the same subject, from the Chapters on Funerals. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/217. And al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the command to improve the shroud, from the Book of Funerals. Al-Mujtaba 3/28. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on what has been narrated regarding what is recommended for the shroud, from the Book of Funerals 1/473. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/295, 329, 349, 372. (2) Extracted by al-Bayhaqi, in: The Chapter on tying the shrouds when there is fear of them unraveling and untying them when they enter the grave, from the Book of Funerals. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 3/407.
