عنْ أَنسٍ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: مَرُّوا بجَنَازَةٍ، فَأَثنَوْا عَلَيْهَا خَيْرًا، فقالَ النَّبيُّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّمَ: «وَجَبَتْ»، ثُمَّ مرُّوا بِأُخْرَى، فَأَثنَوْا عليْهَا شَرًّا، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّمَ: «وَجبَتْ» فَقَالَ عُمرُ بنُ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ: ما وجبَتْ؟ قَالَ: «هذا أَثنَيتُمْ علَيْهِ خَيرًا، فَوَجَبتْ لَهُ الجنَّةُ، وهذا أَثنَيتُمْ عليْهِ شرًّا، فَوَجبتْ لَهُ النَّارُ، أنتُمْ شُهَداءُ اللّهِ في الأرْضِ». مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A funeral passed by and they praised the deceased well, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It has become certain." Then another funeral passed by and they spoke ill of the deceased, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It has become certain." Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What has become certain? He said: "This one you praised well, so Paradise has become certain for him; and this one you spoke ill of, so the Fire has become certain for him. You are the witnesses of Allah on earth." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
أثنوا عليها شرًا: لعله كان مجاهرًا بفسقه أو بدعته، والثناء هنا بمعنى الضد لأنّ الثناء لا يكون إلا في الخير. وجبت: ثبتت ولزمت.
"They spoke ill of it": perhaps he was flaunting his sinfulness or his innovation openly. "Praise (thana)" here is used in the opposite sense, since praise proper is only for good. "It has become certain (wajabat)": it was established and became binding.
الدروس · lessons
استحباب الثناء بالخير على الميّت وذكر محاسنه. ثناء المؤمنين الخُلَّص على المؤمن بطيب الباطن وحسن الظاهر دليل على رضا اللّهِ تعالى عنه. شهادة المؤمنين الخُلَّص على الميت بفساد الباطن وسوء الظاهر يشعر ذلك على أنّه من أهل النار عافانا اللّهُ وإياكم. أنّ المؤمنين حقًا الَّذِين لا يتّبعون الهوى هم شهداء اللّهِ، يُنطقهم الحقّ ويُلهمهم الصواب. شهادةُ الفسّاق بالخير أو الشرّ ليست معتبرة.
It is recommended to praise the deceased with good and to mention his good qualities. The praise of the sincere believers for a believer, for a sound inner self and good outward conduct, is a proof of Allah the Exalted's pleasure with him. The testimony of the sincere believers against the deceased, of a corrupt inner self and evil outward conduct, indicates that he is among the people of the Fire—may Allah keep us and you safe. That the true believers, who do not follow their whims, are the witnesses of Allah; the Truth causes them to speak and inspires them with what is correct. The testimony of the corrupt (fussaq), whether of good or of evil, is not to be reckoned with.