مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 389

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Buraidah said: 'Umar (RA) sat where the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to sit, in a place where funerals passed by. A funeral passed by and they said good things (about the deceased). He said: It is due. Then another funeral passed by and they said good things (about the deceased). He said: It is due. Then another funeral passed by and they said good things (about the deceased). He said: It is due. Then another funeral passed by and they said: This man was the most dishonest of people. He said: The most dishonest of people is the one who tells the most lies about Allah, and the next worst is the one who is dishonest with his soul in his body. They said: What do you think if four people testify? He said: It is due. They said: Or three? He said: If they are three, it is due. They said: Or two? He said: It is due, and if I had asked about one, that would have been dearer to me than red camels. It was said to 'Umar: Is this something that you are saying on the basis of your own opinion or is it something that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)? He said: No; rather it is something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020