It is known that the one killed by a stomach wound is a martyr; should he be washed or not?
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The questioner : We know that the one killed by a stomach wound is a martyr, and a martyr is not washed. So, should the one killed by a stomach wound be washed or not?
The Shaykh : Yes, he must be washed. The martyr who is not washed—using a lenient expression for now, yes—is the martyr of the battlefield. As for those who are martyrs by ruling, meaning they are in the position of a battlefield martyr in terms of virtue, they are not equated with the battlefield martyr in the rulings pertaining to him. I said that the battlefield martyr is not washed, using a lenient expression, because such an expression means that washing him is not prescribed. But, excuse me, I made a mistake; the matter of washing and prayer confused me. The martyr is not prayed over, he is not washed, and he is not prayed over, but he is sometimes prayed over, and it is not the case that he is never prayed over, as is commonly believed. As for washing, the martyr is not washed. However, the one killed by a stomach wound, and everyone who is called a martyr in the authentic hadiths that I mentioned in my book "Rulings on Funerals", these martyrs are not in the position of the battlefield martyr in any of the rulings that came regarding this martyr. So all these martyrs are washed and prayed over. The battlefield martyr is specifically distinguished by the fact that he is not washed, but sometimes he is prayed over and sometimes he is not. It is very clear that when the battle is ongoing, it is not easy to establish the prayer over these martyrs. So Allah the Exalted made it easy for His fighting servants by ordering them to bury them in their blood and clothes, without praying over them. But if the opportunity arises and the army or the commander of the army prays over the martyr, then this is permissible and prescribed.
The questioner : The Tenth Question
The Shaykh : Yes, he must be washed. The martyr who is not washed—using a lenient expression for now, yes—is the martyr of the battlefield. As for those who are martyrs by ruling, meaning they are in the position of a battlefield martyr in terms of virtue, they are not equated with the battlefield martyr in the rulings pertaining to him. I said that the battlefield martyr is not washed, using a lenient expression, because such an expression means that washing him is not prescribed. But, excuse me, I made a mistake; the matter of washing and prayer confused me. The martyr is not prayed over, he is not washed, and he is not prayed over, but he is sometimes prayed over, and it is not the case that he is never prayed over, as is commonly believed. As for washing, the martyr is not washed. However, the one killed by a stomach wound, and everyone who is called a martyr in the authentic hadiths that I mentioned in my book "Rulings on Funerals", these martyrs are not in the position of the battlefield martyr in any of the rulings that came regarding this martyr. So all these martyrs are washed and prayed over. The battlefield martyr is specifically distinguished by the fact that he is not washed, but sometimes he is prayed over and sometimes he is not. It is very clear that when the battle is ongoing, it is not easy to establish the prayer over these martyrs. So Allah the Exalted made it easy for His fighting servants by ordering them to bury them in their blood and clothes, without praying over them. But if the opportunity arises and the army or the commander of the army prays over the martyr, then this is permissible and prescribed.
The questioner : The Tenth Question