The Shaykh’s warning that accompanying the deceased in cars is a religious innovation.

The Shaykh : Today, the people go out to accompany the funeral in their cars, and without a doubt, we must warn that this should not become a recommended practice. We must warn that accompanying the deceased in cars is a misguided religious innovation; indeed, it is a double innovation. This is because, on the one hand, it contradicts the method by which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions accompanied the dead, as they used to accompany the funerals on foot, walking, and they carried the bier on their shoulders. On the other hand, when we place the bier in a car and keep it out of sight so that the passengers are not disturbed by seeing the dead above their heads, and then accompany it to its final resting place in cars as well, there is no doubt that this form of accompaniment contains many deviations from that Prophetic form of accompaniment. This is an innovation, indeed innovations. The other source of misguidance lies in imitating the disbelievers, for accompanying the deceased in this manner is consistent with the character of nations that do not believe in Allah or the Last Day, which are nations other than the nation of Islam.