Zurarah relates: I was in the company of Imam Baqir (as) in the funeral procession of a person from Quraish. ‘Ata, the jurist of Makkah, was amongst those present in the funeral procession. Suddenly, the air was filled with the wailing of a lady. ‘Ata instructed her to remain quiet as otherwise he would have to turn back. But the lady continued to wail and so ‘Ata left the procession.
I informed the Imam (as) about ‘Ata’s turning back.
“Why?” inquired the Imam (as).
I replied, “Due to the lamentation of a lady. He asked her to keep quiet and when she did not, he left.”
Imam Baqir (as) said, “Stay with me and we shall accompany the deceased. If we notice falsehood together with the truth and forsake the truth due to that falsehood, we would not have fulfilled the right of the Muslim.” i.e. escorting the funeral of the Muslim, which is his right, should not be forsaken for the sake of the wailing of that lady (which, according to the non-Shi’ite sects, is forbidden and prohibited).
When the prayers were offered for the dead person, his relative said to the Imam (as): “May Allah have mercy upon you! You can turn back for you do not possess the strength to walk.” Imam (as) continued to accompany the funeral procession.
Zurarah continues: I said to Imam Baqir (as), “The relative of the deceased has permitted you to turn back.”
“If you have some work, you may go,” said the Imam (as). “I have neither come here with his permission nor do I need his permission to return. I have come here to seek the rewards, since man shall be rewarded in the measure in which he accompanies a funeral procession. ( Ba Mardum In Guneh Barkhord Konim, Page 55; Al-Kafi, Volume 3, Page 171)