حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْفُرَاتِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ بِهَا مَرَضٌ، فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمْ جَنَازَةٌ فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرًا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَجَبَتْ. ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِأُخْرَى فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا خَيْرًا، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَجَبَتْ. ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِالثَّالِثَةِ، فَأُثْنِيَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا شَرًّا فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ. فَقَالَ أَبُو الأَسْوَدِ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا وَجَبَتْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ شَهِدَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ بِخَيْرٍ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ ". فَقُلْنَا وَثَلاَثَةٌ قَالَ " وَثَلاَثَةٌ ". فَقُلْنَا وَاثْنَانِ قَالَ " وَاثْنَانِ ". ثُمَّ لَمْ نَسْأَلْهُ عَنِ الْوَاحِدِ.
I came to Medina when an epidemic had broken out. While I was sitting with `Umar bin Al-Khattab a funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed to him.” And another funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed to him.” A third (funeral procession) passed by and the people spoke badly of the deceased. He said, “It has been affirmed to him.” I (Abu Al-Aswad) asked, “O chief of the believers! What has been affirmed?” He replied, “I said the same as the Prophet (ﷺ) had said, that is: if four persons testify the piety of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Paradise.” We asked, “If three persons testify his piety?” He (the Prophet) replied, “Even three.” Then we asked, “If two?” He replied, “Even two.” We did not ask him regarding one witness.