Types of Martyrs in Islam: Insights from Quran and Hadith
Question: How many types of martyrs are there? Which causes of death are considered martyrdom? Clarify from the Quran and Hadith!
Answer…!!
All praise is due to Allah..!!
In the religion of Islam, death by martyrdom holds a very high rank. The person who is killed while fighting in the cause of Allah attains the highest and most virtuous rank of martyrdom. Besides this, there are certain other states of death in Islam due to which a person is granted the status of a martyr. This rank and status will be given to the believers in the hereafter in the form of reward, but the worldly rulings of a martyr will not apply to them.
To clarify which types of death grant believers the status of a martyr, first, let us look at the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
First Hadith
It is narrated from Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked:
مَا تَعُدُّونَ الشَّهِيدَ فِيكُمْ ؟ ” قَالُوا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ. قَالَ : ” إِنَّ شُهَدَاءَ أُمَّتِي إِذَنْ لَقَلِيلٌ “. قَالُوا : فَمَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ؟ قَالَ : ” مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي الطَّاعُونِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي الْبَطَنِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ “. قَالَ ابْنُ مِقْسَمٍ : أَشْهَدُ عَلَى أَبِيكَ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : ” وَالْغَرِيقُ شَهِيدٌ ”
“Whom do you count as a martyr among you?”
The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) replied:
“O Messenger of Allah, whoever is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said:
“If that is the case, then the martyrs of my Ummah (nation) would be very few.”
The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked:
“Then who are they, O Messenger of Allah?”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“He who is killed in the cause of Allah is a martyr; he who dies in the cause of Allah is a martyr; he who dies of the plague is a martyr; he who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr.”
Ibn Miqsam said: I bear witness upon your father regarding this hadith that he also said:
“And the one who drowns is a martyr.”
(Sahih Muslim | Book: The Book of Leadership | Chapter: The Martyrs, Hadith No. 1915)
Second Hadith
Another narration from Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
” الشُّهَدَاءُ خَمْسَةٌ ؛ الْمَطْعُونُ، وَالْمَبْطُونُ ، وَالْغَرِقُ، وَصَاحِبُ الْهَدْمِ ، وَالشَّهِيدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ “.
Translation:
“The martyrs are five:
(1) The one who dies of the plague (al-mat’un), and (2) the one who dies of a stomach disease, and (3) the one who drowns, and (4) the one who dies under a collapsed building, and (5) the martyr in the cause of Allah the Almighty.”
(Sahih Muslim | Book: The Book of Leadership | Chapter: The Martyrs, Hadith No. 1914)
A clarification and explanation:
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Fath al-Bari / Kitab al-Tibb / Bab Ma Yudhkar fi al-Ta’un, has mentioned many meanings for “al-mat’un” with reference to the explanations of various scholars. The summary is that “al-mat’un” can refer to a patient of the plague, someone wounded by a sharp instrument, or someone internally injured by an attack from the jinn. Therefore, “mat’un” has been kept in the translation.
Third Hadith
Sunan Abu Dawood
Book: Funerals
Chapter: The virtue of one who dies of the plague
Hadith No: 3111
Jabir bin ‘Utayk (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit ‘Abdullah bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) and found him unconscious. He ﷺ called him, but he did not answer. The Prophet ﷺ then said, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un” (Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return), and said: “We have been overcome by the decree concerning you, O Abu al-Rabi’.” The women shrieked and wept, and Ibn ‘Utayk began to quiet them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Leave them. When it becomes obligatory, no weeper should weep.” The people asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what does ‘obligatory’ mean?” He ﷺ said: “Death.” ‘Abdullah bin Thabit’s daughter said: “I was hoping that you would be a martyr, for you had prepared yourself for jihad.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah the Almighty has given him a reward according to his intention. What do you consider to be martyrdom?” They said: “Being killed in the cause of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Martyrdom is of seven kinds besides being killed in the cause of Allah: the one who dies of the plague is a martyr; the one who drowns is a martyr; the one who dies of pleurisy is a martyr; the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr; the one who dies in a fire is a martyr; the one who dies under a collapsed wall is a martyr; and the woman who dies while pregnant is a martyr.”
(Sunan an-Nasa’i/Al-Jana’iz 1847, 3196)
(Sunan Ibn Majah/Al-Jihad 2803)
(Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 3173)
(Also narrated in: Muwatta Imam Malik/Al-Jana’iz-36)
(Allamah al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared this hadith as Sahih [authentic])
Fourth Hadith
It is narrated from Rashid bin Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit ‘Ubadah ibn as-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) and said:
أَتَعلَمُونَ مَن الشَّھِیدُ مِن اُمتِی ۔
“Do you know who the martyrs of my Ummah are?”
‘Ubadah ibn as-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “O Messenger of Allah, (it is one who is) patient in affliction and certain of reward.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said:
إنَّ شُهداءَ أُمَّتِي إذًا لقَليلٌ، القَتلُ في سبيلِ اللهِ عزَّ وجلَّ شَهادةٌ، والطّاعونُ شهادةٌ، والغَرَقُ شهادةٌ، والبَطنُ شهادةٌ، والنُّفَساءُ يجرُّها ولدُهابسرَرِه إلى الجنَّةِ، [قال: وزادَ أبو العوامِ سادِنُ بيتِ المقدسِ:] والحَرقُ، والسُّلُّ
“In that case, the martyrs of my Ummah would be very few. (1) Being killed in the cause of Allah the Almighty is martyrdom, and (2) dying of the plague is martyrdom, and (3) drowning is martyrdom, and (4) dying of a stomach disease is martyrdom, and (5) the woman who dies in the state of postpartum bleeding is dragged into Paradise by her child (whose birth caused her death) with its umbilical cord, and (6) dying in a fire and (7) dying of tuberculosis (as-sull) is martyrdom.”
(Musnad Ahmad | Musnad al-Makkiyin | Hadith of Rashid bin Hubaysh, Hadith No. 15999) Sahih li-ghayrihi, and this chain is weak.
(Musnad al-Tayalisi, Hadith 586)
(Al-Albani (1420 H), Sahih al-Targhib 1396 • Hasan Sahih)
(Al-Haythami (807 H), Majma’ al-Zawa’id 5/302 • Its narrators are trustworthy)
(Al-Mundhiri (656 H), Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib 2/291 • Its chain is Hasan)
Various explanations are found for “As-Sull,” the essence of which is that it is a disease of the lungs.
Fifth Hadith
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ ”
“Whoever is killed protecting his property is a martyr.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith No. 2480)
(Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 141)
Sixth Hadith
It is narrated from Sa’id bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ أَهْلِهِ، أَوْ دُونَ دَمِهِ، أَوْ دُونَ دِينِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ ”
“(1) Whoever is killed protecting his property is a martyr, and (2) whoever is killed protecting his family is a martyr, and (3) whoever is killed protecting his own life is a martyr, and (4) whoever is killed protecting his religion is a martyr.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 4772)
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1421)
(Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 4095)
Imam al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared this hadith as Sahih (authentic).
Seventh Hadith
It is narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
سَيِّد الشُّهَدَاء حَمْزة بْن عَبْد الْمُطَّلِب ، وَرَجُل قَامَ إِلَى إِمَام جَائِر فَأَمَرَه وَنَهَاه فَقَتَلَه
“The master of the martyrs is Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, and a man who stands up to a tyrannical ruler, commands him (to do good) and forbids him (from evil), and is killed by him.”
(Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah: 374)
(Sahih al-Targhib: 2308)
(Sahih al-Jami’: 3675)
(Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib: 3/229)
In the light of the above-mentioned hadiths, the following types of martyrs emerge:
- One who is killed in the way of Allah, i.e., a martyr of the battlefield, and according to the definitive consensus of Muslims, this is the most virtuous form of martyrdom.
- One who dies in the way of Allah, i.e., one who set out in the path of Allah and died, such as a ghazi (warrior in the cause of Islam), a muhajir (emigrant for the sake of Islam), etc. (Surah An-Nisa (4)/Ayah 100)
- The one who dies of the plague (mat’un).
- The one who dies of a stomach disease.
- The one who dies by drowning.
- The one who dies under debris/collapsed structure.
- The one who dies of pleurisy (Dhat al-Janb, a disease in which there is inflammation on the inner sides of the ribs, usually due to bloating or sometimes other causes, leading to death).
- The one who dies in a fire.
- A woman who dies due to pregnancy, in whose womb a child has already formed.
- A woman who dies from the pains of childbirth (postpartum).
- The one who dies from a lung disease (tuberculosis).
- One who is killed while protecting their property.
- One who is killed while protecting their family.
- One who is killed while protecting their own life.
- One who is killed while protecting their religion. (Points 12, 13, 14, 15 also include the police, army, and every institution that protects Islamic countries from internal and external enemies).
- One who is killed for enjoining good and forbidding evil before a tyrannical and unjust ruler will also attain the rank of the “master of the martyrs,” Insha’Allah (if Allah wills).
To the best of our knowledge, for any other type of death besides these, there is no such report from Allah and His beloved, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that one should be considered a martyr.
((( And Allah the Almighty knows best what is correct. )))
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1366
