How the Prayers are Arranged in the Funeral Prayer

Question:
He also says in his letter, asking about the prayer over the deceased: Is it permissible for people to line up to the right and left of the imam when he stands to pray over the deceased, or must all the worshippers be to his right?

Answer:
The Sunnah indicates that the worshippers should be behind the imam if there is more than one person. The Sunnah is for them to be behind the imam; this is what is known from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When Jabir and Jabbar lined up to his right and left, he (peace and blessings be upon him) moved them to the back and placed them behind him. He did not allow anyone to pray to his right except one person. When Anas and Ibn Abbas lined up with him—Anas in some narrations in his grandmother’s house, and Ibn Abbas in a hadith regarding night prayer—only one person was permitted to the right. As for two or more, they should be behind the imam. This is the Sunnah, yes. This applies to the funeral prayer and others.

The presenter: What is observed now is that in the mosques, when a funeral is brought in, many people line up to the right of the imam, even though the mosque is full of worshippers.

The Shaykh: No, they should form a row behind him, even if it is not complete, or line up behind the first row or the second row, or line up in front of the first row. However, it is permissible for them to form a short row, yes.