Riyad as-Salihin, 951

Abul-Aswad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I came to Al- Madinah, and while I was sitting beside 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, a funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased, and 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "He will certainly enter it." Then another funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "He will certainly enter it." A third funeral procession passed by and the people spoke ill of the deceased. He said: "He will certainly enter it." I (Abul-Aswad) asked: "O Amir Al-Mu'minin (i.e., Leader of the Believers)! What do you mean by 'He will certainly enter it'?" He replied: "I said the same as was said by the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) said, 'If four persons testify the righteousness of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Jannah.' We asked: 'If three persons testify his righteousness?' He (ﷺ) replied, 'Even three'. Then we asked: 'If two?' He (ﷺ) replied, 'Even two.' We did not ask him (regarding the testimony) of one." [Al-Bukhari].

وعن أبي الأسود قال‏:‏ قدمت المدينة، فجلست إلي عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه فمرت بهم جنازة، فأثني علي صاحبها خيراً فقال عمر‏:‏ وجبت، ثم مر بأخرى، فأثني علي صاحبها خيراً، فقال عمر‏:‏ وجبت، ثم مر بالثالثة، فأثني علي صاحبها شراً، فقال عمر‏:‏ وجبت‏:‏ قال أبو الأسود‏:‏ فقلت‏:‏ وما وجبت يا أمير المؤمنين‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ قلت كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ “أيما مسلم شهد له أربعة بخير، أدخله الله الجنة‏:‏ فقلنا‏:‏ وثلاثة‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “وثلاثة‏"‏ فقلنا‏:‏ واثنان‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏واثنان‏"‏ ثم لم نسأله عن الواحد‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Book 6, Hadith 58

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadiths: 1) The believers are Allah’s witnesses on earth. So, if they praise a person, Paradise becomes certain for him; and if they speak ill of him, Hellfire becomes certain for him. 2) According to the belief of Ahl-us-Sunnah, we should not confirm that anyone will enter Paradise or Hellfire, unless this is established by certain proofs, like in the case of the ten Companions given glad tidings that they would enter Paradise, as well as Abu Lahab who was given tidings that he would enter Hellfire. But when Muslims speak well of someone, this is a good sign and it is hoped he would enter Paradise, without decisively saying that he would.

Related hadiths3