Anas said that when a bier came past God’s messenger and he stood up he was told that it was carrying a Jew. He replied, “I stood up simply out of respect for the angels.”
Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the bier of a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim passes you, stand up for it. You are not standing for its sake, but for the angels who are accompanying it.”
Malik b. Hubaira said he heard God’s messenger say, “If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him it will assure him .” When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition.
Abu Dawud transmitted it. In Tirmidhi’s version he said that when Malik b. Hubaira prayed over a bier and found few people present, he divided them into three sections, then said that God’s messenger had stated, “If three rows pray over anyone it will assure him .” Ibn Majah transmitted something similar.
Ja'far b. Muhammad told on his father’s authority that when al- Hasan b. ‘All was sitting a bier was brought past him and the people stood up till the bier had gone by. Al-Hasan then said, “A bier carrying a Jew was brought past when God’s messenger was sitting in its path, and just because he did not like having a Jew’s bier higher than his head he stood up.”
