There passed a bier and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for it and we also stood up along with him. We said: Messenger of Allah, that was the bier of a Jewess. Upon this he remarked: Verily, death is a matter of consternation, so whenever you come across a bier stand up.
The Book of Prayer - Funerals
Sahih Muslim 960 a
Hadith Text
There passed a bier and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for it and we also stood up along with him. We said: Messenger of Allah, that was the bier of a Jewess. Upon this he remarked: Verily, death is a matter of consternation, so whenever you come across a bier stand up.
Commentary
This hadith demonstrates the universal respect Islam commands for all human beings at the moment of death, regardless of their faith. The Prophet's action establishes that standing for a funeral procession is not an act of religious veneration for the deceased, but rather an acknowledgment of the gravity and solemnity of death itself.
The companions' clarification that it was a Jewish woman's funeral highlights their understanding that such honors were typically reserved for Muslims. The Prophet's response transcends religious boundaries, teaching that human dignity in death is universal. Death (mawt) being described as "consternation" (faza') emphasizes the profound awe and seriousness with which Muslims should regard this ultimate reality that awaits every soul.
This ruling applies to all funeral processions encountered, making standing an obligatory sunnah that demonstrates communal respect for the sanctity of human life and the solemnity of death's passage.