Walking before or behind the funeral procession

[AI] Abu Bakr and Umar would walk in front of the funeral procession, while Ali ؓ would walk behind it. Ali ؓ was asked about that, and he said, "The two of them know just as I know, but they wished to make things easy for the people."

We do not know of anyone who narrated this hadith from Ismail, from Qays, except Buhlul ibn Ubayd.

قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ يَمْشِيَانِ أَمَامَ الْجَنَازَةِ وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ يَمْشِي خَلْفَهَا فَقِيلَ لِعَلِيٍّ ؓ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيَعْلَمَانِ كَمَا أَعْلَمُ وَلَكِنَّهُمَا أَحَبَّا أَنْ يُسَهِّلَا عَلَى النَّاسِ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَا نَعْلَمُ رَوَاهُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ إِلَّا بُهْلُولُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ

[AI] Bakr and Umar used to walk in front of the funeral, while Ali walked behind it. It was said to Ali, "Indeed, they walk in front of it." He said, "Indeed, they know that walking behind it is better than walking in front of it, just as the virtue of a person's prayer in congregation is better than his prayer alone. However, they are lenient and make it easier for people. This is the son of Khirash, or it was said, the son of Aws bin Khirash Al-Kindi, who narrates from Sa'eed bin Abdul Rahman bin Abza. This narration and the evidences regarding walking in front of the funeral are more authentic and more plentiful. And with Allah is success."

بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ؓ كَانَا يَمْشِيَانِ أَمَامَ الْجِنَازَةِ وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ يَمْشِي خَلْفَهَا فَقِيلَ لِعَلِيٍّ ؓ إِنَّهُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ أَمَامَهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا يَعْلَمَانِ أَنَّ الْمَشْيَ خَلْفَهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْمَشْيِ أَمَامَهَا كَفَضْلِ صَلَاةِ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ فَذًّا وَلَكِنَّهُمَا سَهْلَانِ يَسْهُلَانِ لِلنَّاسِ زَائِدَةُ هَذَا هُوَ ابْنُ خِرَاشٍ وَقِيلَ ابْنُ أَوْسِ بْنِ خِرَاشٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ يَرْوِي عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبْزَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ وَالْآثَارُ فِي الْمَشْيِ أَمَامَهَا أَصَحُّ وَأَكْثَرُ وَبِاللهِ التَّوْفِيقُ

"عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَن بْنِ أبزى عن أبيهِ: أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ كَانَا يَمْشِيَانِ أَمَامَ الْجِنَازَةِ، وَكَانَ عَلِىٌّ يَمْشِى خَلْفَهَا قِيلَ لِعَلِىٍّ: إِنَّهُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ أَمَامَهَا، فَقَالَ: إنَّهُمَا يَعْلَمَانِ أَنَّ الْمَشْىَ خَلْفَهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ الْمَشىِ أَمَامَهَا، كَفَضْلِ صَلَاةِ الرَّجُلِ فِى جَمَاعَةٍ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ وَحْدَهُ، وَلَكِنَّهُمَا يُسَهِّلَانِ لِلنَّاسِ".