What are the situations in which a person who dies is considered a martyr?
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The questioner : The questioner, Abdullah Muhammad, asks: What are the situations in which a person, or a human being, who dies is considered a martyr?
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the one who dies of plague, the one who dies of a stomach ailment, the one who is burned, the one who drowns, and those similar to them, all of these are among the martyrs. Likewise, the one who is killed unjustly is a martyr. However, these are not like the martyr of the battlefield; that is, they are not like the one who was killed in the cause of Allah. This is because the one who was killed in the cause of Allah, Allah the Exalted described their reward by saying:[Ali 'Imran 3:169-171] Therefore, no prayer is performed over them, and they are not shrouded; rather, they are buried in the clothes in which they were martyred, without a funeral prayer. This is because the glint of the swords on his head and the breadth of his neck against his enemy and the enemy of Allah is sufficient for the trial and intercession. But these are martyrs whom we designate as martyrs, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) designated them as such: Mishkat al-Masabih 3529 However, we do not equate them with the martyrs who were killed in the cause of Allah, because these people came to the battle of their own choice, knowing the ferocity of the enemy. As for those others, they were killed without their choice. That is why you find them defending themselves. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the one who dies of plague, the one who dies of a stomach ailment, the one who is burned, the one who drowns, and those similar to them, all of these are among the martyrs. Likewise, the one who is killed unjustly is a martyr. However, these are not like the martyr of the battlefield; that is, they are not like the one who was killed in the cause of Allah. This is because the one who was killed in the cause of Allah, Allah the Exalted described their reward by saying:
(169) And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, (170) Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (171) They receive good tidings of favor from Allah and bounty and [of the fact] that Allah does not allow the reward of believers to be lost -
وَلا تَحسَبَنَّ الَّذينَ قُتِلوا في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ أَمواتًا بَل أَحياءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِم يُرزَقونَ * فَرِحينَ بِما ءاتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضلِهِ وَيَستَبشِرونَ بِالَّذينَ لَم يَلحَقوا بِهِم مِن خَلفِهِم أَلّا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ * يَستَبشِرونَ بِنِعمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُضيعُ أَجرَ المُؤمِنينَhe who is killed in self-defence is a martyr, he who is killed in defence of his property is a martyr
من قتل دون دمه فهو شهيد ومن قتل دون ماله فهو شهيدThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.