16 June 2011

By Al-Ikhwah Al-Mujahidun

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

All praises be to Allah, Who has the perfect will. He does what He wants. So whatever He wants out of something will definitely happen. And on the other hand, whatever He does not want to happen, is not going to happen.

The death of the Mujahideen in jihad is not free from the will of Allah above and it is included in the generality of His words,

"And it is not [possible] for one to die except by permission of Allah at a decree determined." (QS. Ali Imran : 145). Meaning, no one dies except by the taqdir of Allah and until the time set by Allah for his lifespan is complete. Due to that, Allah says, "At a decree determined."

Sheikh Abu Bakar Jabir al-Jazairi in his tafsir, Aisar Tafasir, also explained that the death of a person occurs by the permission of Allah as his/her true Creator and Possessor. That no one dies without His knowledge. The Angel of Death also will not draw out the soul of a person before Allah allows him to do that. Other than that, the date of every human's death has been recorded, and in more detailed even the day and hour are recorded, in a special book which could not be moved forward or backward because of a condition. All this is the truth that must be known.

Moreover, Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Nashir al-Sa' in his tafsir explained, anyone who has reached the determined decree of his death, he will definitely die even for no apparent reason. On the other hand, anyone who wants death, although he has done various reasons (attempts), all those cannot put him to death before his ajal (doom) arrives. This is because, Allah has decided, determined and written for him to live up to a certain lifespan, "When their time has come, then they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it]." (QS. Yunus : 49)

So indeed, the death of a Mujahid in the jihad arena happens because Allah allows him to die, and he has reached the limit of his age. It's not the greatness of the enemy that takes his life. "The Jihad and battlefield do not hasten death of a slave. While, running away from jihad does not delay it." (Quoted from Aisar Tafasir)

Imam Ibnu Katsir rahimahullah said, "In this verse, there is motivation and encouragement for the timid to fight (jihad). Because advancing in battles or running away from it do not reduce the quota of an age, nor increase it."

Furthermore, in the death of a Mujahid, there is wisdom that Allah wills from that of His decision, "So that Allah may take to Himself from among you martyrs." (QS. Ali Imran: 140)

How can one obtain the degree of a Shuhada' if he does not die and was killed in the arena of jihad? And how can one be killed in the arena of jihad, if he avoids the land of jihad? Whereas, dying shaheed is a great way to enter paradise. So fitting was the question of Allah to the people who yearn for paradise but are afraid to conduct jihad because of the fear of death or getting killed in it, whereas paradise is not accessible except by the people who die first.

"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are steadfast?" (QS. Ali Imran: 142)

Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam said,

"Know that Paradise lies under the shade of the swords." (HR. al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Dying In The Path Of Jihad Is Better

Indeed, death is something that is certain. All animate things must taste it. Every thing that lives on the earth shall die. Nobody can escape from it. Allah Ta'ala says, "Every soul will taste death." (QS. Ali Imran: 185)

Whereas, death in the cause of Allah or getting killed in it is better, if they knew and believed in it, than whatever they are accumulating in this world, because of which they are leaving jihad due to the fear of death and getting killed from it.

Allah Ta'ala says,

"And if you are killed in the cause of Allah or die - then forgiveness from Allah and mercy are better than whatever they accumulate [in this world]." (QS. Ali Imran: 157)

Imam Ibnu Katsir said, "This verse of Allah implies that getting killed in Allah's cause (jihad) and being dead (in it) is a means to get the rahmah of Allah, His forgiveness and pleasure. And it's better than staying in the world and accumulate all the luxuries which are finite."

So, as for the opinion of those munafiq (hypocrites) who are materialistic, that falling and dying in jihad is heinous, and because of their hatred against Islam and its Shari'ah, they always wait for it to befall the Mujahideen, Allah commanded His Prophet to negate their beliefs:

"Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things"." (QS. Al-Taubah: 52). Meaning one of the two goods is victory against the enemies and gaining the dunyawi (worldly) and ukhrawi (heavenly) rewards; or attaining shaheed which is the highest degree and the noblest position of Allah's creatures in His sight.

Therefore, falling in the field of jihad is not to be feared because it is not a badness and disgraceful achievement. In fact, it should be seized by those people who hasten towards Allah and His paradise. Due to that, Allah purchases their short and transitory lives which are filled with annoyances, sufferings and pains, for an eternal life where the pleasure is never-ending and there is no more suffering and pain. Allah Ta'ala says,

"Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment." (QS. Al-Taubah: 111)

Allah tells us about the conditions of the Shuhada's, their virtues and superiority, as well as the grace and goodness that Allah gives to them:

"And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision. Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. They receive good tidings of favor from Allah and bounty and [of the fact] that Allah does not allow the reward of believers to be lost." (QS. Ali Imran: 169-171)

The Shuhada's are not dead and thus losing all the rizq and enjoyments of life as they think. Whereas, it is this which makes many people worry, the cowards are afraid to fight and do not yearn for shaheed. But they (the Shuhada's) live blissfully in the presence of Allah by obtaining various enjoyments where the delights is not known except by those who are feeling it.

Allah perfects the gifts of blissfulness to them by combining the bodily pleasures in the form rizq and the pleasures of the heart and ruh (soul) in the form of happiness for the gifts bestowed on them. Until their pleasures and happiness are perfected.

The Aroma of the Blood of Those Who Die Shaheed

The people who die shaheed are the humans with the highest human position. The rewards of their deeds keep flowing until they day they are raised. The smell of their blood is that of a musk fragrance.

The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is! Whoever is wounded in Allah's Cause....and Allah knows well who gets wounded in His Cause....will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wound having the colour of blood but the scent of musk." (HR. Bukhari)

Dr. Abdullah Azzam conveyed, "Subhanallah! Indeed, we have witnessed it on most of the people who have died shaheed. The smell of their blood are like the aroma of musk. And indeed, in my pocket is a piece of letter – on it are drops of blood belongings to Abdul Wahid (Al Shaheed, insha Allah)- it has been 2 months, but the scent is very fragrant like that of musk." (Special Gifts For The Mujahids, by Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Azzam)

Where Are The Arwah Of The Shuhada's?

After knowing the virtues of dying shaheed and the superiority of the Shuhada's, that they are essentially not dead and are not losing the pleasures of this world. Hence, we are asking, "Where are their arwah (spirits) actually?"

The arwah (plural of ruh – ed) of the Shuhada's are placed in the the highest paradise i.e. Firdaus. This is based on the hadith of Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam who said to Ummu Haritsah binti Nu'man – her son got killed in the battle of Badar – when she asked him (about the fate of her son): "Where is he?" The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: "Verily, he is in the high paradise of Firdaus." (HR. Al Bukhari)

In the Saheeh Muslim, from Mashruq rahimahullah, he said: "We asked Abdullah about this verse (QS. Ali Imran: 169)"

He answered, "It so happens that we asked (the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) about this matter, thus he answered:

"Verily, the arwah of the Shuhada's are in the insides of green birds having lanterns suspended from the Throne, roaming freely in Paradise where they please, then taking shelter in those lanterns. So their Lord cast a glance at them and said: ‘Do you wish for anything?' They said: ‘What shall we wish for when we roam freely in Paradise where we please?' And thus did He do to them three times. When they say that they would not be spared from being asked [again], they said: 'O Lord, we would like for You to put back our souls into our bodies so that we might fight for Your sake once again.' And when He saw that they were not in need of anything they were let be." (HR. Muslim)

Imam al-Darimi in his Sunan narrated from Mashruq, he said: "We have asked Abdullah about the arwah of the Shuhada's. If not because of Abdullah, no one would have told us. He (Abdullah) said:

"The arwah of the Shuhada's are with Allah on Judgement Day inside the belly of green birds. They have lanterns suspended from the ‘Asrh. They fly in Paradise to where ever they want. Then, they return to those lanterns, and their Lord honored them by saying: 'Do you wish for anything?' They asnwered: 'No, except for us to be returned to the world until we are killed (die shaheed) for the umpteenth time.'"

Imam an-Nawawi in Sharh Saheeh Muslim wrote, ". . . when they know that they can ask, they ask so that their souls would be returned to their jasads, to conduct jihad again or to provide their souls for the cause of Allah Ta'ala and enjoy the bliss (of dying) in Allah's path." Walahu A'lam

The Shuhada's ask to be returned to the world, whereas they are already in paradise, to feel the blissfulness of dying in Allah's cause as Shuhada's.

Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam had known the blissfulness gained by the Shuhada's. For that reason, he expressed his desires to die in Allah's cause in his hadith:

"By the One in Whose Hand is my life, I love that I should be killed in the way of Allah; then I should be brought back to life and be killed again in His way." (HR. Al Bukhari)

Death in Allah's Cause, Not as Scary as Imagined

Indeed, death in the way of Allah is not as frightening as people have imagined. They are a lot of hadiths which relate that the Shuhada's do not feel the pain when finding martyrdom, except like that of a pinch.

It was said by Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, "The people who die shaheed do not feel (the pain of) the slaying except like when one amongst you are feeling (the pain of) a pinch." (HR. Ahmad, At Tirmidzi, An Nasa'i – hadith hasan)

Therefore, are we still afraid to conduct jihad fie sabilillah and find martyrdom in the way of Allah??

Original author: Badrul Tamam