It is narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Hubayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If a believing servant passes away and a group of Muslims, equal to three rows, offers his funeral prayer, he is forgiven. The narrator says that for this reason, whenever there were fewer participants at a funeral, Sayyiduna Malik bin Hubayrah would make special arrangements to divide them into three rows.