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The Permissibility of Saying 'So and so is Shaheed'
By: Abuz-Zubair
Article ID: 1053 | 2110 Reads

Bismillahir-RaHmaanir-RaHeem.

From the problems faced by the youth turning to Allah in our time is a slight extremism
in their fervent desire to follow the Sunnah, which pushes them into inventing a new
understanding of legal texts and innovative ways of implementing their understanding.
Sheikh Bakr ibn 'Abdillah Abu Zaid gives many examples of it in his excellent book,
"Laa Jadeeda Fee Ahkaamis-Salaah" (There is nothing new in the Rulings of Salaah),
from standing whilst spreading the legs wide apart in Salaah so that one causes
discomfort to the next person, placing the hands right underneath one's chin during
Qiyam, moving the index finger between the two prostrations and so on.

Another example of the aforementioned is the new understanding attributed to the

Chapter in Saheeh al-Bukhaari "It is not said that such and such is a Martyr", and the
hadeeth mentioned therein, as some people have deduced from this the impermissibility
[or disapproval to say the least] of saying 'ash-Shaheed so and so', furthermore they have
introduced a new expression in its place, that is, to say 'Shaheed Inshaa'Allah (a martyr, if
Allaah wills)' instead.

However, the actual meaning of the Hadeeth is that we should not claim for anyone that
he or she has truly achieved the status of a martyr and thus in paradise with absolute
certainty. This is because Ahlus-Sunnah do not claim paradise or hellfire for anyone,
except for whom there is a legal text from the Qur'aan or the Sunnah. In spite of that, it is
permissible to call someone a 'Shaheed' due to what is apparent to us, and in order to
apply the rulings of the Shaheed on the one killed, so, for example, we do not wash his
body, nor do we cover him with a shroud, nor do we pray over him - rather we treat him
like a Shaheed due to what is obvious to us.

For this reason it has been the practice of the companions of the Prophet - SallAllahu
'Alaihi wa-sallam, and their followers in righteousness, throughout Islamic history until
the present time, to call the one killed in battle, or even someone killed by a tyrannical
ruler - a 'Shaheed'.

This can be noted particularly in the books of Taraajim (biographies), of those who were
killed in battles, or by the rulers of their time, or killed due to any other unjust reason.
Let's take some examples from Adh-Dhahabee's famous Siyarul-A'laamin-Nubala':

1) He says about the ruler al-Kaamil, "al-Malik al-Kaamil ash-Shaheed Naasirud-Deen

Muhammadib-nul-Malik al-Mudhaffar" (23/201) because he was killed by the Tataar. He
also mentions his father al-Mudhaffar and calls him 'ash-Saheed'.
2) He says about al-Mu'tasim bilLah, "al-Khaleefah ash-Shaheed Abu Ahmad
'Abdullahibn-ul-Mustansir bilLah…" (23/174).
3) He says about Najmud-Deen al-Kubraa "ash-Sheikh al-Imaam al-'Allaamah, an
example, the Muhaddith ash-Shaheed, the Sheikh of Khurasaan, Najm al-Kubraa'…"
(22/111).
4) He says about ar-Rumaili, "al-Imaam al-Haafidh al-'Aalim ash-Shaheed Abul-Qaasim
Makki ibn 'Abdis-Salaamibn al-Husain ar-Rumaili…" (19/178).
5) He says about Ibnun-Naabalasee, "al-Imam, al-Qudwah, ash-Shaheed, Abu Bakr
Muhammadibnu Ahmadibnu Sahl ar-Ramli…" (16/148).
6) He says about Ibnil-Bardoon, "al-Imaam ash-Shaheed al-Mufti Abu Ishaaq
Ibraaheemibnu Muhammadib-nul-Bardoon…" (14/215).
7) He says about the famous Sa'eedibnu-Jubair who was killed by al-Hajjaaj, "Ibnu
Hishaam al-Imaam al-Haafidh al-Muqri' al-Mufassir ash-Shaheed Abu Muhammad…"
(4/321).

These were just a few examples to quote from one of the famous books of Taraajim, yet
there are over 100 books of Taraajim that are filled with such expressions.

Such usage of the term 'Ash-Shaheed' has been a practice even amongst the contemporary
scholars, and from them ash-Sheikh Bakr ibnu 'Abdillah Abu Zaid who writes about the
son of al-Qaadhi Abi Ya'laa al-Kabeer, al-Qaadhi Abul-Husain: "al-Qaadhi Abul-Husain
ash-Shaheed Muhammadibnu Muhammad: The author of 'Tabaqaat' (d. 526 AH).
Thieves killed him in his house over some property he had. So Allah willed the
manifestation of his killers, so they were all killed." (al-Madkhal al-Mufassal 1/514) 1

Therefore it is absolutely permissible to call someone ash-Shaheed as long as one does

not testify Paradise for this individual, which is clear from the aforementioned Hadeeth in
al-Bukhaari.

On the other hand, the introduction of the term: 'Shaheed Inshaa'Allah' is strange - in
spite of its correct meaning and intention - since it has never been the practice of the
companions, nor has it been narrated by their followers, or written in the books of the
scholars throughout Islamic history. Therefore, it is safer to adhere to that which the
scholars have been adhering to and to stop where they have stopped, as that suffices us,
rather than to adhere to something which has no firm root in the writings of the scholars,
and Allah knows best.

Below is a small passage from the book 'Ithaaful-Ibaad' by ash-Sheikh ash-Shaheed

'Abdullah Yoosuf 'Azzam - Raheemahullah - dealing with the issue at hand.

27 - Chapter: It should not be said that so and on is a Shaheed:

This is how Imaam al-Bukhari titled the chapter for the Hadeeth: Amongst the
companions of the Messenger of Allah - may the Salaah and the Salaam of Allah be upon
him - was a man who would not leave any isolated or detached person except that he
would chase him and strike him with his sword. So they said: No one performed better
than us today the way such person surpassed us. So he said - may the Salaah and the
Salaam of Allah be upon him - "As for him then verily he is in fire".

At the end of the Hadeeth, the person commits suicide.

As for the statement of al-Bukhaari: "It is not said that such and such is Shaheed", then
Ibn Hajr said commenting on his words, "Meaning, in absolute sense"

The meaning of the words of al-Bukhaari and Ibn Hajr is that we do not rule about the
one killed on the battlefield that he is Shaheed and that he will enter Paradise. This is
because entry into Paradise is a matter that rests on the intention of the one killed, and
that is only in the knowledge of Allah. It is also a principle of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah
that we do not rule a person to be either in Paradise nor Hellfire.

As for calling the one killed in the battlefield a "Shaheed" in order to apply the legal
rulings of a Shaheed, based on a strong speculation, hence, not wrapping him in a shroud,
nor washing him, nor praying over him, then this case has been supported by the vast
majority of the Salaf and the Khalaf.

Thus, Ibn Hajr states, "Due to this reason, the Salaf practiced calling martyrs of Badr and
Uhud and others "Shuhadaa`", intending by it, the apparent ruling based on a strong
speculation - and Allah knows best" [Fath al-Bari 6/90]

In fact, some of the Muhadditheen, such as Ibn Katheer would use the phrase "Istush-
hida" (meaning "became Shaheed") for someone who did not even die in a battle. So he
says about al-Fadhl-ubn-ul-'Abbas in al-Bidaayati wan-Nihaayah [4/96]: "Istush-hida (He
became Shaheed) due to a plague epidemic". Likewise, he says about al-Haarith bin
Hishaam [4/95] "Istush-hida bish-Shaam" (meaning, 'he became Shaheed in Shaam')

Ibn Kathir also says about an-Nu'maan bin Muqrin al-Muzani [4/123]: "['Umar] al-
Faarooq sent him is a leader over the forces to Nahaawand. So Allah bestowed by his
hands a great conquest, and Allah established him in that land, and established him as an
authority over those servants, and through him Allah established the Muslims there until
the Yawm at-Tunaad (lit. the Day of Calling - meaning the Day of Resurrection), and He
granted him victory in this world, and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth,
(i.e. Day of Resurrection). And He granted him, after seeing how he loved the
magnificent Shahaadah, which is the desired objective. So he became from those, about
whom Allah, the Most High said in His clear Book, which is the straight path, "Indeed,
Allah has purchased from the believers, their lives and their properties, and in return, for
them, is Paradise" [at-Tawbah]
Footnote:
1 In fact, Sheikh Bakr Abu Zaid - may Allah preserve him - has sufficiently dealt with
this term in his book "Mu'jam al-Manaahee al-Lafdhiyah" where he says:

Al-Bukhaari - may Allah have mercy on him - said in his Saheeh: Chapter: It is not said
that so and so is Shaheed. Ibn Hajr said [commenting on it]: "Meaning, in absolute sense,
unless it is reported in revelation. As if [by this statement] he is referring to the Hadeeth
of 'Umar".

In the book: "an-Nadhrul-Faseehu 'Inda Madhaayiqil-Andhaari Fil-Jaami'is-Saheeh" by

Muhammad at-Taahir 'Aashoor, the author says on page 118 about this choice of heading
by al-Bukhaari:

"This title by al-Bukhaari is strange, for indeed, to say the word 'Shaheed' for a Muslim
killed in an Islamic Jihad is established in the Sharee'ah, and much frequented on the
tongues of the Salaf and those after them. It has also come in the Hadeeth in al-Muwattaa'
as well as the Saheehain [al-Bukhaari and Muslim], that the Shuhadaa' [Martyrs] are of 5
types, apart from the Shaheed Fee Sabeelillah [i.e. Jihad], and the description of such
deeds is dependant on looking at the apparent state [of the one killed], which cannot be
established by any other way. Also, in what al-Bukhaari has extracted here, there is no
chain of narration, nor an annotation, which necessitates ruling out of saying: so and so is
Shaheed, nor is there a prohibition for such.

Therefore, the apparent meaning intended by al-Bukhaari, is that no one should be certain
about someone having achieved the reward of Shahaadah from Allah, for he does not
know what this person intended by his Jihad. But this is in no way a ban, on saying about
someone: He is a Shaheed, or the application of the ruling of Shuhadaa' on this person, if
the conditions for that are fulfilled. Thus, the entitlement of the chapter should have been:
Chapter: It is not said with certainty that so and so is Shaheed, except if based on a report
from the Messenger of Allah - SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa-Sallam - such as his statement
regarding 'Aamir Ibnil-Akwa': Indeed he is a striving Mujaahid.

From this perspective [it is like] the Messenger of Allah - SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa-Sallam -
rebuking Ummul-'Alaa' al-Ansaariyah when said regarding 'Uthmaan Ibn Madh'oon: My
guarantee for you, indeed Allah has honoured you. So he said to her: And how do you
know that Allah has honoured him?" - End of Quote.

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