I heard from some of the brothers that one who dies by collapse or drowning is a martyr, but does this equal the martyr in the path of Allah, and one who dies by one of these?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : I heard from some of the brothers that one who dies by collapse or burning is a martyr, but does this equal the martyr in the path of Allah, and one who dies by one of these and does not pray, is he considered a martyr? We ask for advice and information on this.
The Shaykh : Yes. What the questioner mentioned regarding one who dies by collapse, drowning, or burning being a martyr is correct; the hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is authentic in this regard. However, he is not given the ruling of the martyr killed in the path of Allah. The martyr killed in the path of Allah is forgiven for everything except debt. The martyr killed in the path of Allah is not washed, not shrouded, and no prayer is performed over him; he is buried in his clothes with his blood, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered regarding the casualties of Uhud. This is because he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection with his wound oozing blood, the color of blood and the scent of musk. Also, the martyr killed in the path of Allah is not tested in his grave; that is, the two angels do not come to him to ask about his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet, in sufficiency for the great trial he underwent by jihad in the path of Allah, where he exposed his neck and put his life at risk of destruction and ruin to exalt the word of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So, the glint of the swords over his head is sufficient as a trial.
These rulings do not apply to the martyr who died from the causes mentioned by the questioner, but it is hoped that he will be a martyr. Now, there is a point here that I would like to mention: whoever is killed in the cause of Allah, meaning the one who fights so that the word of Allah is the supreme one, is a martyr. However, we do not testify for a specific individual that he is a martyr, even if he was killed in battle. Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) titled a chapter in "his Sahih" on this issue, saying: "Chapter: It is not said: So-and-so is a martyr". He provided evidence with the authentic hadith: His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1656Sahih (Darussalam) is an indication that intention is considered. We do not know the intention of this killed person, even though we deal with him based on the outward appearance regarding washing, shrouding, and praying over him. But we do not rule on his inner state that he is a martyr from the people of Paradise. Rather, we say it is hoped that he is among the martyrs. It is known that this one who was killed in the cause of Allah in our era was not testified to by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as being a martyr.
It is also known that if we testified that he is a martyr, it would follow that we testify that he is from the people of Paradise, and this has not been realized by the testimony of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So, scrupulousness dictates that it not be said: So-and-so is a martyr, even if he was killed in the path of Allah; that is, it is not said specifically about him. Rather, we say: It is hoped that he is among the martyrs, or we say what the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 2804 in a general sense.
And as for the sayingThe questioner : If one dies by these causes, is he a martyr if he does not pray? Our answer to this is: No, not at all. For one who dies while not praying is not a martyr, even if he was killed in the front line fighting the disbelievers while not praying; he is not a martyr. This is because one who does not pray is a disbeliever.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And the disbeliever’s deeds do not benefit him at all. Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:54] And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Furqan 25:23] So, whoever dies upon disbelief, all his deeds are wasted, no matter what they are, even if he was a mujahid in the path of Allah and was killed in battle, but he did not pray. He has no reward, he is not a martyr, and he has no honor. He will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with Pharaoh, Haman, Qarun, and Abu Jahl.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : Yes. What the questioner mentioned regarding one who dies by collapse, drowning, or burning being a martyr is correct; the hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is authentic in this regard. However, he is not given the ruling of the martyr killed in the path of Allah. The martyr killed in the path of Allah is forgiven for everything except debt. The martyr killed in the path of Allah is not washed, not shrouded, and no prayer is performed over him; he is buried in his clothes with his blood, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered regarding the casualties of Uhud. This is because he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection with his wound oozing blood, the color of blood and the scent of musk. Also, the martyr killed in the path of Allah is not tested in his grave; that is, the two angels do not come to him to ask about his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet, in sufficiency for the great trial he underwent by jihad in the path of Allah, where he exposed his neck and put his life at risk of destruction and ruin to exalt the word of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So, the glint of the swords over his head is sufficient as a trial.
These rulings do not apply to the martyr who died from the causes mentioned by the questioner, but it is hoped that he will be a martyr. Now, there is a point here that I would like to mention: whoever is killed in the cause of Allah, meaning the one who fights so that the word of Allah is the supreme one, is a martyr. However, we do not testify for a specific individual that he is a martyr, even if he was killed in battle. Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) titled a chapter in "his Sahih" on this issue, saying: "Chapter: It is not said: So-and-so is a martyr". He provided evidence with the authentic hadith:
There is no one wounded in the path of Allah, and Allah knows best who is wounded in His path, but he will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wound, or he said: his wound, oozing blood, the color of blood and the scent of musk.
ما من مكلوم يُكلم في سبيل الله والله أعلم بمن يُكلم في سبيله إلا جاء يوم القيامة وجرحه أو قال كلْمه يثعب دماً، اللون لون الدم والريح ريح المسكand Allah knows better about who has been injured in His cause
والله أعلم بمن يُكلم في سبيلهIt is also known that if we testified that he is a martyr, it would follow that we testify that he is from the people of Paradise, and this has not been realized by the testimony of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So, scrupulousness dictates that it not be said: So-and-so is a martyr, even if he was killed in the path of Allah; that is, it is not said specifically about him. Rather, we say: It is hoped that he is among the martyrs, or we say what the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
Whoever is killed in the cause of Allah is a martyr
من قتل في سبيل الله فهو شهيدAnd as for the sayingThe questioner : If one dies by these causes, is he a martyr if he does not pray? Our answer to this is: No, not at all. For one who dies while not praying is not a martyr, even if he was killed in the front line fighting the disbelievers while not praying; he is not a martyr. This is because one who does not pray is a disbeliever.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And the disbeliever’s deeds do not benefit him at all. Allah the Exalted said:
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَنْ تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِAnd We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًاThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.