Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:16724Yazīd b. Hārūn > Ḥammād b. Zayd > Muḥammad b. Isḥāq > Yazīd b. Abū Ḥabīb > Marthad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Yazanī > Mālik b. Hubayrah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "There is no believer who dies and a group of Muslims pray upon him, reaching the number of three rows, except that he will be forgiven." Malik ibn Hubayrah used to make sure, when the family of a deceased person is few, to make them three rows.  

أحمد:١٦٧٢٤حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ عَنْ مَرْثَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْيَزَنِيِّ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يَمُوتُ فَيُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَبَلَغُوا أَنْ يَكُونُوا ثَلَاثَ صُفُوفٍ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُ قَالَ فَكَانَ مَالِكُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ يَتَحَرَّى إِذَا قَلَّ أَهْلُ جَنَازَةٍ أَنْ يَجْعَلَهُمْ ثَلَاثَ صُفُوفٍ