I say: Ibn Abī Ḥātim likewise narrated it, and in his version Qatādah explicitly states that he heard it, as mentioned in al-Fatḥ. Ibn Jarīr (30/122) also narrated it through ʿAbbād ibn Rāshid, from Qatādah, who said: “Khulayd al-Baṣrī narrated to us”—reporting its second half—and added:

“Allah then revealed Quran concerning this: ‘As for the one who gives ...’ up to His words: ‘We shall ease him toward hardship.’”

444 — “When a righteous man is placed upon his bier, he says: ‘Take me forward! Take me forward!’ But when an evil man is placed upon his bier, he says: ‘Woe to me! Where are you taking me?!’”

Al-Nasāʾī (1/270), Ibn Ḥibbān (764), and Aḥmad (2/292, 500) narrated it—the wording being Aḥmad’s—through Ibn Abī Dhiʾb, from Saʿīd al-Maqburī, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mihrān, who said that when death approached Abū Hurayrah, he said:

“Do not set up a tent, do not accompany me with a censer, and hurry with me, for I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say...” He then cited it.

This is an authentic chain of transmission according to Muslim’s criteria. Al-Nasāʾī’s version does not include the portion attributed to the Companion.

It has also been narrated as a report attributed to the Prophet with the wording: “Do not accompany the funeral procession...” See The Book of Funerals (p. 70, Islamic Office edition).

It is supported by a hadith from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording:

“When the bier is lifted and borne on men’s shoulders, if the deceased is righteous, it says: ‘Take me forward!’ But if the deceased is not righteous, it says to its people: ‘Woe to her! Where are they taking her?!’ Everything hears its voice except the human being; and if a human being were to hear it, he would be struck unconscious.”

Al-Bukhārī (3/142, 144, 189—Fatḥ) and Aḥmad (3/41, 58) narrated it.