Dr. Muhammad Abu Laylah, professor of the Islamic Studies & Comparative Religions at Al-Azhar Univ. states: “A woman has most high status in Islam if compared by women belonging to any other system in modern or ancient times. Islam gives the woman the right to keep her name after marriage, keep her money and business separately from her husband. She is allowed to learn and teach, to work and hold high posts. She has her share in inheritance and she is highly respected in her Muslim community. She is equal to man in every thing except in something required by her nature and her religion, and this is so limited.
Woman can attend funeral if she is decently dressed and is not mingling with men. She is allowed to visit the grave of her deceased relatives to send them mercy, but this should be conducted according to Islamic morals and teachings.“
Moreover, Sheikh `Attiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, in which he states the following: “The Hadith reported as regards women following funeral procession is recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Umm `Atiyyah, who narrates: “We have been forbidden to accompany funeral processions but not strictly.” This implies, as Ibn Hajar states in Fath Al-Bari, that she meant they were not recommended to accompany funeral processions, but not forbidden to do so.
So, the warning in the Hadith is meant for Karaha Tanzihiyyah (proper disapproval) This is the view of the majority of scholars; however Imam Malik holds that it is permissible, and this is the opinion of the People of Madina, as Al-Qurtubi states. What supports the permissibility is the Hadith of Ibn Abi Shayba, who reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was attending a funeral and `Umar saw a woman (following the funeral procession). He yelled at her, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: “Leave her, `Umar! Verily her eyes shed tears, the soul feels the pangs, and the promised hour is near.”
All Hadiths which forbid women to accompany funeral procession are weak. What is prohibited is doing something haram while accompanying the funeral procession, according to the Hadiths: “He who (on befalling a calamity) slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and follows the ways and traditions of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period) is none of us.”
Having stated the above, it becomes clear that the majority of Muslim scholars are of the opinion that women are not prohibited from accompanying men in the funerals as long as they abide by the Islamic ethics and morals in this regard meaning that there should be no direct contact or touching between people of the opposite sex due to crowdedness. Also, there should be no slapping on cheeks, or tearing clothes, etc.