Fatwa: # 18219
Category: Beliefs
Country: United States
Date: 12th August 2009

Title

Someone in my family Alla yarhama has died.He was killed by a robber at work. I want to know if that maks him a shaheed and will get hasbd for not praying salat when he was alive....

Question

Someone in my family Alla yarhama has died.He was killed by a robber at work. I want to know if that maks him a shaheed and will get hasbd for not praying salat when he was alive. But he was a very good muslim.

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful


Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

 

A martyr (shahīd) is of three types:

1.       Martyr of the World and Hereafter (Shahīd al-Dunyā wa al-Ākhirah)

a.       One who is killed unjustly by a non-Muslim army, rebels, bandits, etc.

2.       Martyr of the Hereafter (Shahīd al-Ākhirah)

a.       One who dies due to drowning, falling from a height, car accident, etc.

3.       Martyr of the World (Shahīd al-Dunyā)

a.       A hypocrite (munāfiq) who dies as an apparent martyr, but, in reality, is not a martyr due to not being a Muslim

 

Therefore, if your family member was killed by a robber, then he will fall into the first category of martyrs. 

 

As for not praying salāh, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned,

 

حدثنا علي بن نصر بن علي حدثنا سهل بن حماد حدثنا همام حدثني قتادة عن الحسن عن حريب بن قبيصة قال : قدمت المدينة فقلت اللهم يسر لي جليسا صالحا قال فجلست إلى أبي هريرة فقلت إني سألت الله أن يرزقني جليسا صالحا فحدثني بحديث سمعته من رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لعل الله أن ينفعني به فقال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول إن أول ما يحاسب به العبد يوم القيامة من عمله صلاته فإن صلحت فقد أفلح وأنجح وإن فسدت فقد خاب...

(سنن الترمذي، أبواب الصلاة، باب ما جاء أن أول ما يحاسب به العبد يوم القيامة الصلاة: 2/269؛ إحياء التراث)

Verily, the first thing a servant will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment from his actions will be his prayer.  If this is good, then he has certainly succeeded.  And if this is bad, then he has certainly failed… (Tirmidhī)

 

However, the mercy of Allāh Ta’ālā has no limits.  Through the du’ās of his family and friends, his other good deeds, and his becoming a shahīd, we hope that Allāh Ta’ālā will forgive him. 

 

قوله ( هو من قتله أهل الحرب أو البغي أو قطاع الطريق أو وجد في المعركة وبه أثر أو قتله مسلم ظلما ولم يجب بقتله دية ) بيان لشرائطه قيد بكونه مقتولا لأنه لو مات حتف أنفه أو تردي من وضع موضع أو احترق بالنار أو مات تحت هدم أو غرق لا يكون شهيدا أي في حكم الدنيا وإلا فقد شهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم للغريق وللحريق والمبطون والغريب بأنهم شهداء فينالون ثواب الشهداء كذا في البدائع

(البحر الرائق، كتاب الصلاة، باب الشهيد: 2/211؛ المعرفة)

 

(والشهيد) شرعا هو (من قتله أهل الحرب) مباشرة أو تسببا بأي آلة كانت ولو بماء أو نار رموها بين المسلمين (أو) قتله (أهل البغي أو) قتله (قطاع الطريق) بأي آلة كانت (أو) قتله (اللصوص في منزله ليلا ولو بمثقل)

(مراقي الفلاح المطبوع بحاشية الطحطاوي، كتاب الصلاة، باب أحكام الشهيد: ص 625)

 

قيد بالقتل لأنه لو تردى من موضع أو احترق بالنار أو مات بهدم أو غرق فإنه لا يكون شهيدا في حكم الدنيا وهو شهيد الآخرة

(حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي القلاح، كتاب الصلاة، باب أحكام الشهيد، ص 626)

 

And Allah knows best

Wassalaamu `alaykum

Ml. Abrar Mirza,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa

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