It is reported from Sayyiduna Malik bin Hubayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that whenever a funeral was brought to him and those attending were few, he would arrange them into three rows, then lead the funeral prayer over it, and he would say that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whichever Muslim has three rows formed at his funeral, (Paradise) becomes obligatory for him." The wording of Ibn Ulayyah's narration is "awjabathu" (it made it obligatory), while in al-Mahbubi's narration the wording is "illa ghufira lahu" (except that he is forgiven). This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Muslim, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.