Strengthening the Ummah

Once I went to Medina where there was an outbreak of disease and the people were dying rapidly. I
was sitting with `Umar and a funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased. `Umar
said, "It has been affirmed" (Paradise). Then another funeral procession passed by. The people praised
the deceased. `Umar said, "It has been affirmed." (Paradise). Then another funeral procession passed
by. The people praised the deceased. `Umar said, "It has been affirmed (Paradise)." Then a third
funeral procession passed by and the people talked badly of the deceased. `Umar said, "It has been
affirmed (Hell)." I asked `Umar, "O chief of the believers! What has been affirmed?" He said, "I have
said what the Prophet (ﷺ) said. He said, 'Allah will admit into paradise any Muslim whose good character
is attested by four persons.' We asked the Prophet, 'If there were three witnesses only?' He said, 'Even
three.' We asked, 'If there were two only?' He said, 'Even two.' But we did not ask him about one
witness."