حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَقَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ عَنْ مَرْثَدٍ الْيَزَنِيِّ عَنْ مَالِکِ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوتُ فَيُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَةُ صُفُوفٍ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا أَوْجَبَ قَالَ فَکَانَ مَالِکٌ إِذَا اسْتَقَلَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَازَةِ جَزَّأَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ صُفُوفٍ لِلْحَدِيثِ
سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 3166
Narrated Malik ibn Hubayrah: The Prophet ﷺ said: If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him, it will assure him (of Paradise). When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be a few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020