SECTION OF THE DEAD · 56 – WHEN A MALE AND FEMALE CORPSE ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER, WHICH ONE IS PLACED CLOSER TO THE IMAM?
Having narrated on the authority of Ammar, the freed slave of al-Haris bin Nufail:
I was with Umm Gulsun, and she was present at the funeral of her son, and the child was placed towards the Imam, and I disliked this practice. Ibn Abbas, Abu Sa’id al-Hudri, Abu Khadrah, and Abu Huraira were among the congregation. They said, “This is how it is done according to the Sunnah.” [104]
COMMENTARY:
The Umm Gulsun mentioned here is Ali's daughter. She was the wife of Umar. She died simultaneously with her son, Zayd, and because it was not known which one died first, they could not inherit from each other. When their bodies were placed on the bier, was the mother placed towards the Imam, or was Zayd? Al-Haris bin Nufail relates that he was present at this funeral and saw Zayd placed in front of the Imam, and then his mother was placed after him, and one prayer was offered for both. The other companions confirmed that this is how it is done according to the Sunnah. When male and female bodies are gathered together, men are placed in front of the Imam, and women are placed a little towards the qibla (direction of prayer). One prayer can be offered for them all. If several bodies are present, it is more desirable to offer separate prayers starting with the first one who arrived. If they have come together, it should be performed beginning with the most virtuous.