He prescribed that anyone accompanying the bier on a mount should remain behind it, while anyone on foot should stay close to it, whether behind it or (1) in front of it, to its right or to its left (2).
He would instruct them to hasten with it, so much so that they would move along with it at a brisk pace. As for people’s creeping along today, one slow step at a time, this is a reprehensible innovation contrary to the Sunnah and involves imitating the Jews among the People of the Book. Abū Bakrah would raise his whip at anyone who did this, saying: “I remember how we used to move at a brisk pace when we were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him” (3).
Ibn Mas‘ūd said: We asked our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about walking with a funeral procession, and he replied: “At a pace short of jogging.” This was related by the compilers of the Sunan collections (4).
(1) Jīm reads: “wa-immā (or alternatively).”
(2) Recorded by Ahmad (18162), Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī, and Ibn Mājah (1481), from al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah. Al-Tirmidhī and others graded it authentic, despite disagreement over whether it is attributed to the Prophet or only to the Companion. Its sources have already been discussed in detail.
(3) Recorded by Ahmad (20375, 20388)—the portion attributed to the Prophet, excluding the portion attributed only to the Companion—Abū Dāwūd (3182), al-Nasā’ī in al-Mujtabā (1913, 1912) and al-Kubrā (2051, 2050), and al-Bayhaqī (4:22). Ibn Hibbān (3044, 3043) and al-Hākim (1:355; 3:455–456) graded it authentic. Abū Dāwūd’s version, transmitted through Shu‘bah, relates that he was in the funeral procession of ‘Uthmān ibn Abī al-‘Ās. They were walking slowly when Abū Bakrah caught up with them, raised his whip, and said: “I remember how we used to move at a brisk pace when we were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” Other narrators besides Shu‘bah said “the funeral procession of Samurah ibn Jundub,” as found in collections other than Abū Dāwūd’s; this is an error. See Ibn Abī Hātim’s al-‘Ilal (1102).
(4) Abū Dāwūd (3184) and al-Tirmidhī (1011). Also recorded by Ahmad (3585, 3734, 3939, 4110) and al-Bayhaqī (4:22, 25), from ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd. Its chain includes Yahyā al-Mujabbir. Abū Dāwūd said: “He is weak. He is Yahyā ibn ‘Abd Allāh, also known as Yahyā al-Jābir … This man is from Kufa, whereas Abū Mājidah is from Basra … and is unknown.” The chain also includes Abū Mājid (also called Abū Mājidah), ‘Ā’idh ibn Nadlah. Al-Bukhārī judged him weak and said: “Al-Humaydī said that Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: ‘Yahyā was asked: “Who is this Abū Mājid?” He replied: “A bird that flew by and narrated to us.”’” This was quoted by al-Tirmidhī.