Tasliim in the funeral prayer
The majority of the people of knowledge hold the opinion that there is only one tasliim, on the right, during the funeral prayer.
Ibn Abd al-Barr said: The majority of the people of knowledge, from the Salaf and khalaf, are of the opinion that there is only one tasliimah [in the funeral prayer].
Ibn Qudaamah said: The tasliim in the funeral prayer is only one tasliimah. This has been transmitted from 6 Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). And no one was known to oppose this during their time. So, it is an Ijmaa.
Ahmad said: There is no dispute in this issue except from the side of Ibraahiim [i.e. al-Nakh'i].
Ahmad bin al-Qaasim said: It was said to Imaam Ahmad: Do you know any of the Companions who made two tasliim in the funeral prayer? He said no. Rather, six of the Companions would make one tasliim. Then he mentioned Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbaas, Abu Hurairah, waathilah bin al-'asQa', Ibn Abi 'aufa, and Zaid bin Thaabit.
al-BaihaQi added: Ali bin Abi Taalib, Jaabir bin Abd Allaah, Anas bin Maalik, and Abu 'umaama bin Sahl bin hunaif. This is 10 from among the Companions [in total].
Some of the scholars said that the Sunnah in the funeral prayer is that you say two tasliim just like you do in the obligatory and optional prayers. This is the opinion of the Shaafi'i and Hanafi Madhabs.
They have drawn evidence from the hadith of Ibn Masuud
Three khilaal which the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to do which people have abandoned: One of them is tasliim in the funeral prayer like the tasliim in prayer.
al-BaihaQi narrated it in al-Sunan al-kubraa. Al-Nawawi said its chain is jayyid. Al-Dhahab said its chain is Saalih. Sheikh al-albaani said it is hasan.
Abu Abd Allaah al-Haakim said: One tasliimah during the funeral prayer has reached through authentic narrations from Ali bin Taalib, Abd Allaah bin Umar, Abd Allaah bin Abbaas, Abd Allaah bin Abi 'aufa, and Abu Hurairah. They would say one tasliimah in the funeral prayer.
Ibn al-Mundhir said: Saying one salaam is loved to me...because it is what the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) were upon. They know best of the Sunnah as opposed to others. And because they witnessed the prayer of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and memorized it. And no one who has narrated from them regarding the tasliimah being one has differed in the narrations. And all of the people of knowledge agree that a person exits the prayer by means of one tasliimah.
Ibn Qudaamah notes that Ibn al-Mubaarak said: He who says two Salaams in the funeral prayer is a Jaahil, Jaahil.
إذا ثبت هذا فإن المستحب أن يسلم تسليمة واحدة عن يمينه، وإن سلم تلقاء وجهه فلا بأس، قال أحمد: يسلم تسليمة واحدة. وسئل يسلم تلقاء وجهه ؟ قال: كل هذا، وأكثر ما روي فيه عن يمينه. قيل: خفية ؟ قال: نعم. يعني أن الكل جائز، والتسليم عن يمينه أولى، لأنه أكثر ما روي، وهو أشبه بالتسليم في سائر الصلوات. قال أحمد يقول: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله. وروى عنه علي بن سعيد أنه قال: إذا قال السلام عليكم. أجزأه. وروى الخلال بإسناده عن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه أنه صلى على يزيد بن المكفف فسلم واحدة عن يمينه: السلام عليكم
[Paraphrase] And when this has been established, then it is mustahabb that one say one Salaam on the right side [during the funeral prayer]. And if he says Salaam in front of his face, there is no harm with this. Ahmad said: You say one Salaam [during the funeral prayer]. It was asked: [If] one says Salaam in front of his face? He said: All of this. It was asked: [If it is said] kufyah? He said: Yes, meaning that all of this is permitted. And to Salaam on the right side is better because it is the majority of what has been narrated and is more similar to the tasliim in all the prayers. Ahmad used to say: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله. Ali bin Sa'iid has transmitted from him that he said: If he [only] says السلام عليكم, it will suffice him. الخلال has narrated with its chain on the authority of Ali bin Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he prayed over يزيد بن المكفف and said one Salaam on his right side [with the words]: السلام عليكم
قال الشيخ محمد بن عثيمين رحمه الله في الممتع (1): (الاحتياط فيها أن يسلم تسليمتين, لأن المصلي سلم مرتين لم يقل أحد من أهل العلم ببطلان صلاته, ولو سلم مرة واحدة لبطلت صلاته عند بعض أهل العلم, والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر بالاحتياط فيما لم يتضح فيه الدليل, كما ورد في حديث النعمان بن بشير أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال {الحلال بيّن والحرام بيّن, وبينهما أمور مشتبهات, فمن اتقى الشبهات استبرأ لدينه وعرضه, ومن وقع في الشبهات وقع في الحرام (2)}.
وفي حديث الحسن بن علي قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم {دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك} (3)
Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthaymiin said: Caution in regards to it [i.e. the funeral prayer] is that one says two tasliimah because no scholar considers the prayer of the one who prays and says two tasliimah to be invalid. If he says only one tasliimah then his prayer is invalid in the opinion of some of the people of knowledge and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered to be careful in regards to that in which there is no daliil as has come in the hadith of النعمان بن بشير that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: al-halaal is clear and al-haraam is clear and between them are matters which are doubtful. So he who guards against doubtful things keeps his religion and his honour blameless. But he who falls into doubtful things falls into that which is unlawful. And it is mentioned in the hadith of الحسن بن علي who said that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.