Standing opposite the man’s head and the woman’s middle is recommended. If he stands opposite their feet, however, it is still valid; but if the deceased is not in front of the imam, it is not valid.

His statement, “that the imam stand opposite his chest,” indicates that this prayer is like the other prayers: the imam stands in front, and the worshippers stand behind him. Many people nowadays customarily have those who bring the bier to the imam stand with him. They generally stand to his right, rather than to his left; and at times they stand on both his right and his left. All of this is contrary to the sunnah.

Rather, the sunnah is for the imam to stand in front. As for those who bring the bier forward to the imam, if there is room for them in the first row, they should join the first row. If there is no room for them, they should form a row between the imam and the first row, so that the imam remains distinct in his position and stands in front of the worshippers. Then, if the space is too narrow to accommodate the imam and a row behind him, they should form a row on both his right and his left—not on the right alone—because having all the worshippers stand to the imam’s right is also contrary to the sunnah.

The evidence for this is that the sunnah, originally, was that when three people prayed in congregation, the imam stood between the other two. This shows that whenever a row must be formed alongside the imam, they should stand on both his right and his left.

If someone were to ask: “Is not the sunnah, when there are three people, for the imam to stand in front?”

We say: Yes; this is the ruling that was established in the end. The initial ruling—namely, that they form a row with the imam, on his right and his left—was abrogated. Yet what was abrogated from that initial ruling was the imam’s standing between them. But when they must form a row alongside him, the sunnah remains: they should stand on both his right and his left.