The Book of Friday Prayer, the Two Festivals, the Prayer for Rain, the Eclipse Prayer, and Funerals-07b
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The reciter: Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, Abu Asimah narrated to us, and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim informed us, Isa ibn Yunus informed us, both of them from Hisham from Hafsah from Umm Atiyyah, who said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1577Sahih (Darussalam).
The Shaykh : A woman following funeral processions is prohibited based on the prohibition from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), because Umm Atiyyah’s statement:, leaves no doubt that the one prohibiting is the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions). When a Companion says, “We were forbidden” or “We were commanded,” he means the one who has the authority to command and prohibit among them, which is the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). However, regarding her statement, “but we were not strictly obligated [to refrain],” the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether this was her own juristic understanding or whether she understood from the implication of the Messenger’s (peace and blessings be upon him) address that the prohibition here is not a strict obligation. If it is the former, her understanding is like the understanding of others, meaning we say: the prohibition is established, and the default ruling for a prohibition is that it is forbidden. Her understanding that it was not a strict obligation is her understanding (may Allah be pleased with her), which may be agreed upon or not, just as Ibn Umar, when he performed the lesser pilgrimage or the major pilgrimage, would trim his beard to what exceeded a handful, even though he narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he commanded letting the beard grow. But if she understood from the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) words, from the implication of his address, that it was not a strict obligation, then this has the ruling of abrogation.
Consequently, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether it is permissible for a woman to follow funeral processions or whether it is disliked for her to do so. They agree that it is not prescribed, nor is it permissible—meaning permissible in the sense of being neutral between good and evil—nor is it the right of a woman to follow funeral processions. This is because if she follows the processions, it leads to the free mixing of men and women. The woman is deficient, weak in emotion; she may weep and wail, tear her clothes, and strike her cheeks, especially if the loss is great. At that point, we say: the closest view is that the prohibition is for the sake of prohibition, especially since it entails that she reaches the cemetery and becomes a visitor to graves. It is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he cursed women who visit graves.
We were prevented from following the funeral, but that was not made binding on us.
نهينا عن اتباع الجنائز ولم يعزم عليناThe Shaykh : A woman following funeral processions is prohibited based on the prohibition from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), because Umm Atiyyah’s statement:
We were forbidden
نهيناConsequently, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether it is permissible for a woman to follow funeral processions or whether it is disliked for her to do so. They agree that it is not prescribed, nor is it permissible—meaning permissible in the sense of being neutral between good and evil—nor is it the right of a woman to follow funeral processions. This is because if she follows the processions, it leads to the free mixing of men and women. The woman is deficient, weak in emotion; she may weep and wail, tear her clothes, and strike her cheeks, especially if the loss is great. At that point, we say: the closest view is that the prohibition is for the sake of prohibition, especially since it entails that she reaches the cemetery and becomes a visitor to graves. It is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he cursed women who visit graves.