Is it permissible to perform the funeral prayer with spaced-out rows to observe social distancing during an epidemic?

Summary

Closing up the rows in prayer is a recommended act (sunat hai'ah), and spacing them apart is originally disliked and forfeits the reward of congregational prayer. However, if the rows are spaced out out of need, it is neither disliked nor forbidden, based on the legal maxims that necessity permits what is prohibited and that need takes the place of necessity. Where the state religious authority suspends congregational prayers at mosques and surau, the question of distancing there does not arise, except for the imam and bilal on duty.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.