It is reported:

A funeral procession passed and the people praised the deceased. The Prophet said: It has become compulsory for him. Then another funeral procession passed and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The Prophet said: It has become compulsory for him. ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb asked Allah’s Apostle: What has been affirmed? He replied: You praised this [person], so Paradise has become compulsory for him; and you spoke badly of this [person], so Hell has become compulsory for him. You people are Allah’s witnesses on earth. (Tirmadhī, Kitābu’l-Janā’iz)

Another similar reporting is:

I came to Madīnah. While I was sitting with ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb a funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. ‘Umar said: It has been made compulsory for him. And another funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. ‘Umar said: It has been made compulsory for him. A third (funeral procession) passed by and the people spoke badly of the deceased. He said: It has been made compulsory for him. I (Abū Al-Aswad) asked: O chief of the believers! What has been made compulsory for him? He replied: I said the same as the Prophet had said, that is: if four persons testify to the piety of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Paradise. We asked: If three persons testify to his piety? He [the Prophet] replied: Even three. Then we asked: If two? He replied: Even two. (Nisā‘ī, Kitābu’l-Janā’iz)

Could you please explain what is implied in these Ahādīth?

If all the texts of the above Ahādīth are collected and analysed, and related to the Qur’ān the picture which emerges is:

1. These Ahādīth are specifically related to the testimonies of the Companions of the Prophet (sws) about some of the people of their own times. They have no bearing upon us.

2. The Qur’ān has called the Companions of the Prophet (sws) the witnesses of the religion of Truth:

Thus have We made you [O companions of the Prophet!] an intermediate group that you might be witnesses over the nations [about the religion of the truth] and the prophet a witness over yourselves. (2:143)

The words mentioned in some texts of these Ahādīth: ‘You people are Allah’s witnesses on earth’ also refer to this very fact. Bearing witness to the truth by the Prophets of Allah means that they unveil the truth before their nation in such an ultimate form that these people are left with no excuse to deny it. In such circumstances, the dividing line between the believers and the non believers becomes very distinct and the two groups become very distinguished from each other. In other words, the Prophets of Allah are given such signs by the Almighty that they in their personal capacity become witnesses of the truth. It is only as a result of this that their companions are able to extend this phenomenon to other nations of the world of their own times. Now if the Companions of the Prophet (sws) bear witness to the piety of a certain individual, then it is certain because of their special position that he will be sent to paradise. This of course means that his good deeds will outnumber the bad ones and will be instrumental in sending to him to paradise.

3. These Ahādīth, therefore, actually bring out the lofty status of the Companions of the Prophet (sws) and give glad tidings to the heirs of the deceased – for whom the Companions have testified – that they should rest assured: their dear departed will be sent to Paradise.