Musnad Abi Ya'la 145 — he said: I came to Madinah, and an epidemic had

It is narrated from Abu al-Aswad al-Dili (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: I came to Madinah, and an epidemic had spread there, because of which people were dying very rapidly. I sat in the gathering of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Meanwhile a funeral passed by, and the people praised the deceased with good, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It has become due." Then another funeral passed, and the people mentioned evil about him, and at this too Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It has become due." Abu al-Aswad (may Allah have mercy on him) relates: I said: O Commander of the Believers, what has become due? He said: "I said what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Any Muslim for whose goodness four people bear witness, Allah Almighty will admit him into Paradise.' We said: And if there are three? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'And (on the witness of) three too.' Then we said: And if there are two? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'And (on the witness of) two too.' After that we did not ask him (peace and blessings be upon him) about a single witness."