Combining the Prohibition of Burial During Three Specific Times with the Expediency of the Funeral

Q: How do we reconcile the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibition of praying and burying during three specific times with the hadith regarding the expediency of the funeral, especially if the funeral is, for example, after the 'Asr prayer? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.

A: There is no contradiction between the hadiths. The Sunnah is to hasten the prayer over the deceased and his burial, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): However, if this coincides with the time of the three hours, the prayer over him and his burial are delayed, based on the statement of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir (may Allah be pleased with him): "There are three hours during which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to forbid us from praying and burying our dead: when the sun rises and is spreading until it rises high, when the midday heat is at its peak until the sun moves, and when the sun is preparing to set until it sets." This was narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
These three hours are all brief, and there is no harm in delaying the prayer over the deceased or his burial during them. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has profound wisdom in this, and He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Wise of the judges. May Allah grant success.