What is the criterion for applying the term "shahid" to one who died in battle or a righteous man who was imprisoned and died?
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The questioner : The Shaykh, may Allah honor him, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: to the end of the hadith. So what is the criterion for applying the term "shahid" to one who died in battle, or a righteous man who was detained or imprisoned and died, such that the term "shahid" is applied to him?
The Shaykh : Yes, the word "shahid" is undoubtedly a description beloved to souls,[Al-Hadid 57:19].
But it is not permissible for us to testify that a specific person is a shahid except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. So if we see a man fighting the disbelievers, we do not say: "This is a shahid if he is killed." Rather, we say: "We hope that he is a shahid," or we say in general terms: "Everyone who is killed in the cause of Allah is a shahid."
This is because martyrdom is based on a matter that is not known to us. On what is it based?
It is based on the intention of the heart, and the intention of the heart is not known. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1656Sahih (Darussalam): And this is a precaution of the best precautions. It is as if he is saying: "Do not judge that everyone who is killed or wounded in the cause of Allah is in the cause of Allah, for Allah knows best who is in His cause." And thus, we do not take the appearance as the basis, meaning we do not testify that this person is a shahid. Why?
Because there may be something in his heart that we do not know. A person may fight with bravery, or he may fight out of tribal loyalty, or he may fight out of partisanship, which is tribal loyalty, or he may fight so that the word of Allah is the highest, and this last one is in the cause of Allah. But this is based on intention.
The second aspect is that we do not say: "So-and-so is a shahid," because if we said: "So-and-so is a shahid," it would follow that we testify that he is from the people of Paradise, because every shahid is undoubtedly from the people of Paradise. And it is not permissible for us to testify that a specific person is from the people of Paradise except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. Do you understand?
So, if we do not say that he is a shahid, but he is a shahid with Allah, does it harm him?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Now, if we say that he is a shahid, but he is not a shahid with Allah, does it benefit him?
It does not benefit him. So if the matter is such, why do we let our tongues run in a matter we do not know? But we say: "Whoever is killed in the cause of Allah is a shahid," and we hope that this man is among those who were killed in the cause of Allah and thus attains martyrdom.
The master of the martyrs is Hamzah
سيد الشهداء حمزةThe Shaykh : Yes, the word "shahid" is undoubtedly a description beloved to souls,
and the martyrs, with their Lord. For them is their reward and their light.
وَالشُّهَدَاءُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْBut it is not permissible for us to testify that a specific person is a shahid except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. So if we see a man fighting the disbelievers, we do not say: "This is a shahid if he is killed." Rather, we say: "We hope that he is a shahid," or we say in general terms: "Everyone who is killed in the cause of Allah is a shahid."
This is because martyrdom is based on a matter that is not known to us. On what is it based?
It is based on the intention of the heart, and the intention of the heart is not known. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
None is wounded in Allah's cause - and Allah knows better about who has been injured in His cause
ما من مكلوم يُكلَم في سبيل الله والله أعلم بمن يُكلم في سبيلهBecause there may be something in his heart that we do not know. A person may fight with bravery, or he may fight out of tribal loyalty, or he may fight out of partisanship, which is tribal loyalty, or he may fight so that the word of Allah is the highest, and this last one is in the cause of Allah. But this is based on intention.
The second aspect is that we do not say: "So-and-so is a shahid," because if we said: "So-and-so is a shahid," it would follow that we testify that he is from the people of Paradise, because every shahid is undoubtedly from the people of Paradise. And it is not permissible for us to testify that a specific person is from the people of Paradise except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. Do you understand?
So, if we do not say that he is a shahid, but he is a shahid with Allah, does it harm him?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Now, if we say that he is a shahid, but he is not a shahid with Allah, does it benefit him?
It does not benefit him. So if the matter is such, why do we let our tongues run in a matter we do not know? But we say: "Whoever is killed in the cause of Allah is a shahid," and we hope that this man is among those who were killed in the cause of Allah and thus attains martyrdom.