Virtues Of Shahaadah In The Path Of Allah – Part 3

…..continued from Virtues Of Shahaadah In The Path Of Allah – Part 2

20 – “One who is killed defending his wealth is a Shaheed:

One who is killed defending his blood is a Shaheed, one who is killed defending his religion is a Shaheed, and one who is killed defending his family is a Shaheed” [Saheeh, reported by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nisaa`i and Ahmad from Sa’eed bin Zaid. Also in Saheeh al-Jami’ #6321]

This is known in Fiqh as “Repulsing the Aggressor”. An “Aggressor” is the one who assaults the honour, lives and wealth.

The scholars from the four schools of Fiqh have agreed upon the obligation of repelling the aggressor who assaults the honour. As for the aggressor assaulting life and property, then it is obligatory – according to the majority – to repel him, which agrees with the correctly chosen opinion of the Maliki and Shafi’i Math-hab, even if it results in killing of a Muslim aggressor.

Al-Jassas said, “We do not know if any difference, in a case where if a man raises his sword against a person to kill him without right, that the Muslims are obliged to repel him” Ibn Taymiya says, “As for the aggressive enemy, who assaults the religion and the worldly life, nothing becomes an obligation after Iman, than repelling him”

21 – “One who is killed repelling oppression is a Shaheed”

[Reported by an-Nisaa`i and adh-Dhiyaa` from Suwaid bin Muqrin. Also in al-Jami’ #6323]

This is also explained in a Hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurairah and reported by Muslim: that a person came to the Prophet – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – and said, “O Messenger of Allah, What if a person comes who wants to take my property?” He replied, “Then don’t give him your property” The man said, “What if he fights me?” He replied, “Fight him back” The man said, “What if he kills me?” He replied, “Then you are a Shaheed” The man said, “What if I kill him?” He replied, “He is in the Hellfire”.

22 – Desiring Shahaadah:

“By Him in whose Hand is my soul, were it not for some men amongst the believers, who disliked to be left behind me, and for whom I cannot provide any means of conveyance, I would certainly never remain behind any unit setting out for a military expedition in the Path of Allah. By Him in whose Hand is my soul, I would love to be killed in the Path of Allah, then be brought back to life again, then killed, then be brought back to life then killed, and then be brought back to life then killed” [al-Bukhari from Abu Hurairah]

Likewise, it is authentically reported about the Shaheed that he “would desire to return to this world, and be killed 10 times due to what he sees from honour”.

23 – “A Military expedition in the sea is better than ten military expeditions on land

And the one who traverses is as if he has traversed all the valleys. A seasick person is like the one covered with his blood” [Saheeh, related by al-Hakim from Ibn `Amr]

24 – “Every sin of a Shaheed is forgiven except debt” [Related by Muslim from Ibn `Amr]

As al-Qurtubi stated about the Shaheed who is barred from entering Paradise, that his soul is beside the river at the gate of Paradise, called “Baariq”, in a green dome from which provision comes to them morning and evening – and Allah knows best.

There comes an important question: Which of the two obligations overrule the other? Should he go in the Path of Allah? Or should he work until he pays off his debts and then go?

Here we say – may Allah give us ability: When a hand span of Muslim land is attacked, Jihad becomes an individual obligation, whereby a debtor may leave without the permission of his creditor, just as a boy may leave without the permission of his father, and this is a matter of agreement amongst the Salaf and the Khalaf of this Ummah.

Similarly, the debtor should evaluate the situation. If he is not able to pay off the debt, then he should leave and not wait to pay off the debt. And if the debtor is able to pay off the debt, then he should further evaluate the situation, and if he thinks that after paying off the debt, the creditor will use the payment for Jihad in the Path of Allah, then it is obligatory to pay off the debt, in order to achieve two benefits: paying off the debt, as well as aiding Jihad. This is how Ibn Taymiya has issued fatwa in al-Fatawa al-Kubra 4/183.

Ibn Taymiya also says: “It is obligatory upon the women to make Jihad with their wealth if they have this bounty, and similarly with the wealth of children. For if the enemy attacks, then to repel their harm upon the religion, lives and honour is obligatory by consensus”

25 – The Shaheed who did not bow down to Allah once:

“On the authority of Abu Hurairah: Amr ibn Uqaysh had given usurious loans in pre-Islamic period; so he disliked to embrace Islam until he took them. He came on the day of Uhud and asked: Where are my cousins? They (the people) replied: At Uhud. He asked: Where is so-and-so? They said: At Uhud. He asked: Where is so-and-so? They said: At Uhud. He then put on his coat of mail and rode his horse; he then proceeded towards them. When the Muslims saw him, they said: Keep away, Amr. He said: I have become a believer. He fought until he was wounded. He was then taken to his family wounded. Sa’d ibn Mu’adh came to his sister: Ask him (whether he fought) out of partisanship, out of anger for them, or out of anger for Allah. He said: Out of anger of Allah and His Apostle. He then died and entered Paradise. He did not offer any prayer to Allah.” [al-Haafidh said in al-Isaabah – its chain is strong, narrated by the group from Ibn Ishaaq]

26 – A Shaheed killed by his own weapon:

On the authority of Salamah bin al-Akwa’ who said: On the Day of Khaibar, my brother fought very fiercely, but he was hit by his own sword and killed. So the companions of the Messenger of Allah – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – said after having doubts about him [Salamah’s brother], “The man died due to his own weapon” So the Prophet – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – said, “He died while making Jihad, as a Mujahid” Ibn Shahaab said: I then asked Salamah Ibn al-Akwa’s son, so he narrated to me from his father the like of it, except that he also said: The Messenger of Allah – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – said, “They have lied! He died while making Jihad, as a Mujahid, so he will be rewarded twice”

[Extracted by Bukhari and Muslim and it is also found in the summarised Sunan Abi Dawud #2427]

On the authority of Abu Salaam – the Ethiopian – narrates about a man from the companions of the Prophet – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – so he says: We attacked a area from the Juhayna [tribe], so a man from the Muslims sought after a man from the tribe [to fight him], and he struck him but erred and injured himself with the sword. So the Messenger of Allah – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – said, “Your brother! O Muslims! [i.e. save him!]”, so the people rushed to him but found him dead. So the Messenger of Allah – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – wrapped him with his garment and his blood, prayed over him and then buried him. So the people said: O Messenger of Allah, is he Shaheed? He replied, “Yes! And I am a Shaheed for him [i.e. I bear witness to his martyrdom].”

[Abu Dawud and al-Mundhiri remained silent, thus it is Hasan. Also found in al-Mukhtasar #2428]

27 – It should not be said that so and on is a Shaheed:

This is how Imaam al-Bukhari titled the chapter for the Hadeeth: Amongst the companions of the Messenger of Allah – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – was a man who would not leave any isolated or detached person except that he would chase him and strike him with his sword. So they said: No one performed better than us today the way such person surpassed us. So he said – may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon him – “As for him then verily he is in fire”.

At the end of the Hadeeth, the person commits suicide.

As for the statement of al-Bukhaari: “It is not said that such and such is Shaheed”, then Ibn Hajr said commenting on his words, “Meaning, in absolute sense”

The meaning of the words of al-Bukhaari and Ibn Hajr is that we do not rule about the one killed on the battlefield that he is Shaheed and that he will enter Paradise. This is because entry into Paradise is a matter that rests on the intention of the one killed, and that is only in the knowledge of Allah. It is also a principle of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah that we do not rule a person to be either in Paradise nor Hellfire.

As for calling the one killed in the battlefield a “Shaheed” in order to apply the legal rulings of a Shaheed, based on a strong speculation, hence, not wrapping him in a shroud, nor washing him, nor praying over him, then this case has been supported by the vast majority of the Salaf and the Khalaf.

Thus, Ibn Hajr states, “Due to this reason, the Salaf practiced calling martyrs of Badr and Uhud and others “Shuhadaa`”, intending by it, the apparent ruling based on a strong speculation – and Allah knows best” [Fath al-Bari 6/90]

In fact, some of the Muhadditheen, such as Ibn Katheer would use the phrase “Istush-hida” (meaning “became Shaheed”) for some who did not even die in a battle. So he says about al-Fadhl bin al-`Abbas in al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah [4/96]: “Istush-hida (He became Shaheed) due to a plague epidemic”. Likewise, he says about al-Haarith bin Hishaam [4/95] “Istush-hida bish-Shaam” (meaning, `he became Shaheed in Shaam’)

Ibn Kathir also says about an-Nu’maan bin Muqrin al-Muzani [4/123]: “[`Umar] al-Faarooq sent him is a leader over the forces to Nahaawand. So Allah bestowed in his hands a great conquest, and Allah established him in that land, and established him as an authority over those servants, and through him Allah established the Muslims there until the Yawm at-Tunaad (lit. the Day of Calling – meaning the Day of Resurrection), and He granted him victory in this world, and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of Resurrection). And He granted him, after seeing how he loved the magnificent Shahaadah, which is the desired objective. So he became from those, about whom Allah, the Most High said in His clear Book, which is the straight path, “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers, their lives and their properties, and in return for them is Paradise” [at-Tawbah]

Adopted from the works of ash-Sheikh ash-Shaheed ‘Abdullah Azzam

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