1/950ــ عن أنَسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: مَرُّوا بجنَازَة، فأَثْنَوا عليها خيراً ، فَقَالَ النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «وَجَبَتْ». ثُمَّ مرُّوا بأخرىٰ، فأثْنَوْا عليها شَرّاً، فَقَالَ النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «وَجَبَتْ». فَقَالَ عُمرُ بن الخَطَّاب رضي الله عنه: مَا وَجَبَتْ؟ قَالَ: «هذا أثْنَيْتُمْ عَلَيْه خَيراً فَوَجَبَتْ لَهُ الجَنَّةُ، وهذا أثنيتُم عليه شرّاً فوَجَبَتْ لَهُ النّارُ، أنْتُم شُهَداءُ الله في الأرض». متفق عليه.
950/1 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Some Companions happened to pass by a funeral procession and they spoke in praise of the deceased. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Guaranteed!” Then, they passed by another funeral procession and they spoke ill of the deceased. The Prophet said: “Guaranteed!” ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: “What is guaranteed?” He replied: “You spoke in praise of this one, so Paradise has been guaranteed for him, and you spoke ill of this one, so Hellfire has been guaranteed for him. You are Allah’s witnesses on earth.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
2/951ــ وعن أبي الأسود قَالَ: قَدمْتُ المدينَةَ، فَجَلَسْتُ إلَىٰ عمرَ بنِ الخطاب رضي الله عنه، فَمَرَّت بهم جَنَازَةٌ، فأُثني عَلَىٰ صَاحبها خَيْراً، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: وَجَبَت، ثُمَّ مُرَّ بأخْرَىٰ، فأُثني عَلَىٰ صاحبها خَيراً، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: وجَبَت، ثُمَّ مُرَّ بالثَّالثَة، فأُثني عَلَىٰ صاحبها شرّاً، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: وجبتْ، قَالَ أبو الأسود: فقلْتُ: وما وَجَبَتْ، يا أميرَ المؤمنينَ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ كما قَالَ النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أيُّمَا مُسلمٍ شَهدَ لَهُ أربعةٌ بخَيْرٍ، أدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الجنَّةَ» فقُلنَا: وثلاثةٌ؟ قَالَ: «وثلاثَةٌ» فقلنا: واثنَان؟ قَالَ: «واثنَان» ثُمَّ لم نسألْهُ عن الواحد. رواه البخاري.
951/2 - Abu al-Aswad reported: I came to Madīnah and sat with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him). A funeral passed by and the deceased was praised. ‘Umar said: ‘Guaranteed.’ Then, another funeral passed by and the deceased was praised; whereupon ‘Umar again said: ‘Guaranteed.’ Then, a third funeral passed by and the deceased was dispraised; whereupon ‘Umar said: ‘Guaranteed.’ I asked: “O Commander of the Believers, what is guaranteed?” He said: “I said what the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Allah admits to Paradise any Muslim whose goodness is testified by four people.’ We said: ‘What about three people?’ He replied in the affirmative. We said: ‘What about two?’ He replied in the affirmative. Then, we did not ask him about one person.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) المؤمنون شهداء الله في الأرض؛ فإن أثنَوا عَلَىٰ عبدٍ خيراً وجبت لَهُ الجَنَّة، وإن أثنَوا عليه شراً وجبت لَهُ النّار.
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) من عقيدة أهل السُّنَّة ألا يُشهد لأحد بجنّة ولا نار إلَّا من شهدت لَهُ الأدلة بذلك، مثل العشرة المبشرين بالجنة، وتبشير أبي لهب بالنار. لكن ثناء الأمة عَلَىٰ الرجل بالخير مما يُستأنس به، ويُرجىٰ له أن يكون من أهل الجنة من غير جزم.
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.