Seven Classfications Of Deaths By Shahada (Martyrdom).

format_quote Originally Posted by Nitro Zeus

No no, Shahada means Testimony not martyrdom.

The correct translation for martyrdom is Istishhad and not Shahada.

السلام عليكم



Hadîth on types of Martyrs


A hadîth from Sunan ibn Mâjah¹ :

فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ إِنْ كُنَّا لَنَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ وَفَاتُهُ قَتْلَ شَهَادَةٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ شُهَدَاءَ أُمَّتِي إِذًا لَقَلِيلٌ..."

الْقَتْلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ شَهَادَةٌ وَالْمَطْعُونُ شَهَادَةٌ وَالْمَرْأَةُ تَمُوتُ بِجُمْعٍ شَهَادَةٌ - يَعْنِي الْحَامِلَ - وَالْغَرِقُ وَالْحَرِقُ وَالْمَجْنُوبُ - يَعْنِي ذَاتَ الْجَنْبِ - شَهَادَةٌ ‏"‏ . ..‏."‏

English translation:

"...One of his family members said:“We hoped that when he died it would be as a martyr in the cause of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “In that case the martyrs of my nation would be few. Being killed in the cause of Allah is martyrdom; dying of the plague is martyrdom; when a pregnant woman dies in childbirth that is martyrdom; and dying of drowning, or burning, or of pleurisy, is martyrdom.”..."


'istishhad' - has not used (above). Rather, the terms shahâdah (martyrdom) & shuhadâh (martyrs).



Why the martyr is called Shahîd (witness)?

Imâm Ibn Nuhâs (may Allâh have mercy on him) in his ‘Mashâri' al-Ashwâq ilâ Masâri' al-'Ushâq' explains:

"...The scholars have different views on why the Martyr is called Shahîd. Some of which are:

- Because Allâh and His angels are witnesses that Paradise is granted for such a person.

- Because their souls witness Paradise. This is the opinion of al Qurtubi .

- Because they witnessed on the transaction between them and Allâh mentioned in the verse: “Indeed, Allâh has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allâh, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'ân. And who is truer to his covenant than Allâh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.” ³

- When soul of the martyr leaves his body it witnesses the bounties Allâh has prepared for him. Allâh has bestowed on the Shahîd many bounties, one of which is the fact that the Shahîd is alive: “And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allâh, “They are dead”. Rather they are alive, but you perceive not.” ⁴

Ibn Abbâs narrated: The Messenger of Allâh said: “The martyrs are on the banks of a river next to the gates of Paradise in a green dome. They receive their provisions from Paradise in the morning and night.” ⁵

Scholars interpreted the essence of the “life” of the martyr. Al Qurtubi mentions the various views on the subject: Al Qurtubi stated that the life of the martyrs is in the literal sense and that their bodies are dead but their souls are not – just like all the believers - but the difference is that the Shahîd receives provisions from Paradise while the rest of the believers don’t.

Mujâhid says that the martyrs feed from the fruits of Paradise but they are not actually in it. Others say that the souls of the martyr are inside green birds in Paradise. Al Qurtubi adopts this view because it is supported by sayings of the Prophet.
Al Qurtubi continues by saying that the Shahîd would receive the reward of fighting one battle every year and he would also share in the rewards of every Jihâd until the Day of Judgment!

My view is that the life of the Shahîd is different and it depends on the status of the Shahîd:

- Some Shuhadâh (Martyrs) would have their souls in the insides of birds of Paradise. flying wherever they want in Paradise.

- Others would be on the river just outside the gates of Paradise and they would receive their provisions every morning and night from inside Paradise.

- The souls of others would be flying with the angels wherever they want. - Others would be reclining on thrones in Paradise. ..." - End quote


The terms 'shahâdah' & 'istishhâd' have been defined (amongst other defintions) - as follows (see 'Hans Wehr' dictionary):


شھادة
šahāda pl. -āt testimony, witness, evidence, deposition; statement; certificate, certification, testimonial, affidavit; attestation, attest; credentials, identification; (Muslim) creed (= doftrinal formula); martyrdom

استشھاد
istišhād citation. quotation; death of a martyr; death of a hero, heroic death; martyrdom


So, it can be seen that both testimony & martyrdom are givens definitions for Shahâdah. It is also clear that shahâdah is a term used to refer to martyrdom - a mujâhid being killed in the path of Allâh.


And Allâh knows best.


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1. https://sunnah.com/urn/1276520

2. The author: Ahmad Ibrâhîm Muhammad al-Dimashqî al-Dumyâtî (died 814 hijrî) – commonly known as Imâm Ibn Nuhâs. He was a scholar and Mujâhid and was martyred fighting the Roman army in the year 814 Hijrî in Egypt.

The great scholar Ibn Hajar al-Asqalânî, author of Fath al-Bârî (commentary on Bukhârî) wrote that Ibn Nuhâs was, “inseparable from Jihâd in the front line of Dumyât, and this is a perfect and excellent quality.”

3. Soorah Al-Tawba 111.

4. Soorah Al-Baqarah 154.

5. Ahmad, Ibn Ab[ee] Shâybah, Tafsîr al-Tabarî and al-Hâkim.