Explanation of the chapter on where the imam stands relative to the deceased when praying over him

The Shaykh : Where does the imam stand? It must be known that the deceased must be in front of the one praying, so he cannot be to his right or to his left. It is better to stand close to him, and if one stands far away, there is no harm as long as he is in front of him and is still considered to be praying toward him. However, if he stands very far away, the prayer over him is invalid, because this is like praying over an absent person. If there is a wall or a barrier between him and the deceased such that he cannot see him, it is as if he prayed over an absent person, and it is not permissible to pray over an absent person if it is possible to be present. But where does he stand? For a woman, he stands at her midsection. For a man, he stands at his head; this is the most correct view. It was said that he stands at his chest, but the established Sunnah is that he stands at the head of the man. Is it obligatory for the head of the man to be on the imam’s right, or is it permissible for it to be on the imam’s right or left? We say that all of this is permissible. As for the belief of some common people that it is obligatory for the head of the deceased to be on the imam’s right, there is no basis for this. In other words, if the deceased is in front of the imam, it is the same whether his head is to the right or to the left. Is it obligatory for the deceased to be lying on his back when praying over him, or is it permissible for him to be on his left or right side? We say that both are permissible, but lying on his back on his bed is better. If someone were to ask: What if it were the case that the woman was pregnant, and what was in her womb could possibly be a male or possibly a female? We say: He stands at her midsection in all cases. This hadith mentions that she died in her labor; this could mean the woman in the postpartum period, i.e., after delivery, or that she died during delivery. Allah knows best, but the most likely meaning is that she died after delivery.
If men and women, and young and old, are gathered, how should they be arranged? We say: The adult men are brought forward to the imam, meaning they are closest to the imam, then those who have not reached puberty, then the adult women, then those who have not reached puberty, just as they are arranged in prayer. In prayer, the adult, sane person is brought forward, and then behind him, the next in order, and so on.