6th January 2020
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: This word Shaheed is used by people for every death resulting from an illness. I’m aware if one dies of stomach illness, plague, wall collapsing on them, drowning, killed unjustly, highway robbery went wrong, fighting against those in revolt against a Khalifah and as a result was killed etc will be called a proper Shaheed provided they did not talk excessively, slept, sold or bought, minor, insane, in their monthly illnesses, took medication and another salah has not entered and few more. If they did not do any of the above and died instantly then I’m aware they are Shaheed of the proper status. My question is, all those who died instantly after an impact, will they be buried without Ghusl or is Ghusl only not given to those who died the ultimate death i.e. in the battlefield?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to your query, the Shaheed status consists of two elements; a) a Shaheed in the case of worldly matters i.e. not to give ghusl to the person and burying them in their original clothing etc, and b) a Shaheed in the case of the hereafter i.e. attaining the lofty ranks in paradise promised in multiple Ahadeeth but with the ritual burial .[1] With regards to a person martyred on the battlefield and dying as a result thereof instantly, he will be classed as a Shaheed in both aspects (worldly and in the hereafter). Contrarily, a person who dies due to a plague, stomach illness or by drowning etc, will receive the reward of a Shaheed in the hereafter and not in this world; meaning that they will be rewarded with the lofty positions and honours promised to the martyrs,[2] even though they will be treated as a normal deceased individual,[3] as in, they will be given ghusl and shrouded just like everyone else.[4]
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by: Maulana Anas Mullah Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed
Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Ibn Ābideen, Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābul Salaat, Bāb Alshaheed, vol 2 p. 252
قَوْلُهُ فِي الشَّهِيدِ الْكَامِلِ) وَهُوَ شَهِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَشَهَادَةُ الدُّنْيَا بِعَدَمِ الْغُسْلِ إلَّا لِنَجَاسَةٍ أَصَابَتْهُ غَيْرَ دَمِهِ كَمَا فِي أَبِي السُّعُودِ، وَشَهَادَةُ الْآخِرَةِ بِنَيْلِ الثَّوَابِ الْمَوْعُودِ لِلشَّهِيدِ أَفَادَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ ط وَالْمُرَادُ بِشَهِيدِ الْآخِرَةِ مَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا أَوْ قَاتَلَ لِإِعْلَاءِ كَلِمَةِ اللَّهِ – تَعَالَى – حَتَّى قُتِلَ فَلَوْ قَاتَلَ لِغَرَضٍ دُنْيَوِيٍّ فَهُوَ شَهِيدُ دُنْيَا فَقَطْ تَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ أَحْكَامُ الشَّهِيدِ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَعَلَيْهِ فَالشُّهَدَاءُ ثَلَاثَةٌ
[2] Ibn Ābideen, Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābul Salaat, Bāb Alshaheed, vol 2 p. 248
وَقَيَّدَ بِالْقَتْلِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ مَاتَ حَتْفَ أَنْفِهِ أَوْ بِتَرَدٍّ أَوْ حَرْقٍ أَوْ غَرَقٍ أَوْ هَدْمٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَهِيدًا فِي حُكْمِ الدُّنْيَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ شَهِيدًا فِي الْآخِرَةِ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي
[3] Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitāb al-Salaat, Bāb al-Janaza, Fasl fi Shaheed vol 1, p. 169
وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ صَارَ مَقْتُولًا فِي قِتَالِ ثَلَاثٍ أَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ أَوْ الْبُغَاةِ أَوْ قُطَّاعِ الطَّرِيقِ بِمَعْنَى مُضَافِ الْعَدُوِّ وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ بِالْمُبَاشَرَةِ أَوْ التَّسْبِيبِ كَانَ شَهِيدًا وَكُلُّ مَنْ صَارَ مَقْتُولًا بِمَعْنًى غَيْرِ مُضَافٍ إلَى الْعَدُوِّ لَا يَكُونُ شَهِيدًا، كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ.
[4] Ibn Nujaym, Bahr Rāiq, Kitāb al-Janaaiz, Bāb al-Shaheed, vol 2 p. 211
(قَوْلُهُ هُوَ مَنْ قَتَلَهُ أَهْلُ الْحَرْبِ أَوْ الْبَغْيِ أَوْ قُطَّاعُ الطَّرِيقِ أَوْ وُجِدَ فِي الْمَعْرَكَةِ وَبِهِ أَثَرٌ أَوْ قَتَلَهُ مُسْلِمٌ ظُلْمًا، وَلَمْ يَجِبْ بِقَتْلِهِ دِيَةٌ) بَيَانٌ لِشَرَائِطِهِ، قُيِّدَ بِكَوْنِهِ مَقْتُولًا؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ مَاتَ حَتْفَ أَنْفِهِ أَوْ تَرَدَّى مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ أَوْ احْتَرَقَ بِالنَّارِ أَوْ مَاتَ تَحْتَ هَدْمٍ أَوْ غَرَقٍ لَا يَكُونُ شَهِيدًا أَيْ فِي حُكْمِ الدُّنْيَا وَإِلَّا فَقَدْ «شَهِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – لِلْغَرِيقِ وَلِلْحَرِيقِ وَالْمَبْطُونِ وَالْغَرِيبِ بِأَنَّهُمْ شُهَدَاءُ» فَيَنَالُونَ ثَوَابَ الشُّهَدَاءِ كَذَا فِي الْبَدَائِعِ، وَفِي التَّجْنِيسِ رَجُلٌ قَصَدَ الْعَدُوَّ لِيَضْرِبَهُ فَأَخْطَأَ فَأَصَابَ نَفْسَهُ فَمَاتَ يُغَسَّلُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مَا صَارَ مَقْتُولًا بِفِعْلٍ مُضَافٍ إلَى الْعَدُوِّ وَلَكِنَّهُ شَهِيدٌ فِيمَا يَنَالُ مِنْ الثَّوَابِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ قَصَدَ الْعَدُوَّ لَا نَفْسَهُ اهـ.