حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي الْفُرَاتِ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الْأَسْوَدِ الدِّيْلِيِّ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ بِهَا مَرَضٌ فَهُمْ يَمُوتُونَ مَوْتًا ذَرِيعًا فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ جَنَازَةٌ فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَجَبَتْ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِأُخْرَى فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِالثَّالِثَةِ فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا شَرٌّ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَجَبَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا وَجَبَتْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ شَهِدَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ بِخَيْرٍ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ قُلْنَا أَوْ ثَلَاثَةٌ قَالَ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةٌ فَقُلْنَا أَوْ اثْنَانِ قَالَ أَوْ اثْنَانِ ثُمَّ لَمْ نَسْأَلْهُ عَنْ الْوَاحِدِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 204
It was narrated that Abul-Aswad ad-Deeli said: When I came to Madinah, sickness was occurring in the city and they were dying quickly. I sat with 'Umar bin al-Khattab (RA) and a funeral passed by. Good things were said about (the deceased) and 'Umar (RA) said: It is due. Then another (funeral) passed by; good things were said about (the deceased) and he said: It is due. Then a third funeral passed by; bad things were said about the deceased and 'Umar said: It is due. I said: What is due, O Ameer al-Mu'mineen? He said: I said what the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Any Muslim in whose favour four people testify, Allah will admit him to Paradise." We said: Or three? He said: "Or three." We said: Or two? He said: "Or two." Then we did not ask him about one.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020