You Are Allah’s Witnesses Upon The Earth…

Hadeeth 686 – Narrated Anas (bin Mâlik) رضى الله عنه : A funeral procession passed and the people praised the deceased. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, It has been affirmed to him. Then another funeral procession passed and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, It has been affirmed to him. ‘Umar bin Al Khattâb asked Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم , What has been affirmed? He replied, You have praised this one so Paradise has been affirmed to him; and you have dispraised (spoken badly of) the other, so Hell has been affirmed to him. You people are Allâh’s witnesses on earth. (2:448O.B.)

This incident is made clearer by a narration in Imam Hakim’s Mustadrak. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked the sahabah that what good do you have to say about this person. They said that he loved Allah and His Rasul (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and he worked hard to please Allah and His Rasul (صلى الله عليه وسلم). When they spoke ill of the second person, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked them to clarify why they spoke ill of this person. They said that he disliked Allah and His Rasul (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and he worked hard to disobey Allah and His Rasul (صلى الله عليه وسلم). This is when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that Jannah has become obligatory for him (i.e. for the first deceased) and Jahanam has become obligatory for the second deceased.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to the companions ‘You are Allah’s witnesses upon the earth’. Sayidina Abu Bakr (رضى الله عنه) said ‘Ya Rasulullah. What is this?’ Sayidina Abu Bakr (رضى الله عنه) sought an explanation. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that Allah has angels upon the earth who speak on men’s tongues. When the angels want to say something good about someone their speech is manifest, or their inner feelings are expressed upon the tongues of man. Thus, Allah causes men to speak of what the angels want to say; good for good and bad for bad.

Edited from Source

~ by Hammad on October 14, 2009.