When I came to Madinah, sickness was occurring in the city. ʿAbdus-Samad said: They were dying quickly. I sat with ʿUmar bin al-Khattab and a funeral passed by. Good things were said about (the deceased) and ‘Umar said: It is due. Then another (funeral) passed by: good things were said about (the deceased) and he said: It is due, Then another funeral passed by: bad things were said about the deceased and ‘Umar said: It is due, I said: What is due, O Ameer al Muʿmineen? He said: I say what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Any Muslim in whose favour four people testify, Allah will admit him to Paradise.ʿ We said: Or three? He said: “Or three.ʿ We said: Or two? He said: “Or two.ʿ Then we did not ask him about one.
أَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ بِهَا مَرَضٌ قَالَ عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ فَهُمْ يَمُوتُونَ مَوْتًا ذَرِيعًا فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ جَنَازَةٌ فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِأُخْرَى فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِأُخْرَى فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَيْهَا شَرٌّ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ وَجَبَتْ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا وَجَبَتْ؟ فَقَالَ قُلْتُ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ شَهِدَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ بِخَيْرٍ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ قُلْنَا وَثَلاثَةٌ ؟ قَالَ وَثَلاثَةٌ قُلْنَا وَاثْنَانِ؟ قَالَ وَاثْنَانِ قَالَ وَلَمْ نَسْأَلْهُ عَنِ الْوَاحِدِ