It has spread among some people in the funeral prayer that it is necessary for the deceased's family to form a small row behind the imam. Is there a basis for this in the Sunnah?
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The questioner : The funeral prayer, O Shaykh, in the beginning, meaning when the funeral arrives, they place it in front of the imam. They bring his family to stand in front of the imam, and they form a row by themselves. So we said, meaning, we said to leave this, for what reason? For the reason that they say it causes distraction and such. So it became, meaning, they adopted it as a Sunnah, to the extent that I have seen some people where, if the family of the deceased lags behind, they pull them forward and bring them up. "Come, stand here." It becomes, meaning, the imam's row, then a small row, and then the large rows.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : So they adopted it as a Sunnah, meaning, and with this excuse that we do not want to change it.
The Shaykh : No, no, originally, in the beginning, the family of the deceased would form a row with the imam as well, with the imam in one row. And then it was said to them, "It is not possible for you to form one row with the imam; lag behind." And the reason for that is that the front row usually has no space.
The questioner : They bring them forward with them, and they become the row that...
The Shaykh : This is difficult, my brother. Difficult means the entire row goes forward!
The student: Then the first row decreases.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: Then the first row decreases.
The Shaykh : And if it were, it does not contradict, this is a matter, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner : As we said, meaning, he saw that it is a Sunnah. If they lag behind, I saw them...
The Shaykh : No, no, no, this is a mistake, this is a mistake. If there is space, we say, "Do not move forward."
The questioner : They call out to them from the middle of the rows.
The Shaykh : I understand, but this is a mistake. This is a mistake.
The student: Shaykh, to correct this mistake?
The Shaykh : But correcting the mistake is that we say, if you have no space in the first row, there is no harm in forming a row behind the imam. Who brings the funeral forward and who carries it? Or we let them place the funeral and then cross over the rows to the last one. This is not correct.
The questioner : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... the prayer mat, O Shaykh, if, meaning, I removed it for a day or two, meaning, after...
The Shaykh : No, no, that is enough. I have decided not to remove it. That is enough, it is finished, and we do not point it out or anything at all. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : So they adopted it as a Sunnah, meaning, and with this excuse that we do not want to change it.
The Shaykh : No, no, originally, in the beginning, the family of the deceased would form a row with the imam as well, with the imam in one row. And then it was said to them, "It is not possible for you to form one row with the imam; lag behind." And the reason for that is that the front row usually has no space.
The questioner : They bring them forward with them, and they become the row that...
The Shaykh : This is difficult, my brother. Difficult means the entire row goes forward!
The student: Then the first row decreases.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: Then the first row decreases.
The Shaykh : And if it were, it does not contradict, this is a matter, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner : As we said, meaning, he saw that it is a Sunnah. If they lag behind, I saw them...
The Shaykh : No, no, no, this is a mistake, this is a mistake. If there is space, we say, "Do not move forward."
The questioner : They call out to them from the middle of the rows.
The Shaykh : I understand, but this is a mistake. This is a mistake.
The student: Shaykh, to correct this mistake?
The Shaykh : But correcting the mistake is that we say, if you have no space in the first row, there is no harm in forming a row behind the imam. Who brings the funeral forward and who carries it? Or we let them place the funeral and then cross over the rows to the last one. This is not correct.
The questioner : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... the prayer mat, O Shaykh, if, meaning, I removed it for a day or two, meaning, after...
The Shaykh : No, no, that is enough. I have decided not to remove it. That is enough, it is finished, and we do not point it out or anything at all. Yes.