باب بيان جماعة من الشهداء في ثواب الآخرة يغسلون ويصلى عليهم بخلاف القتيل في حرب الكفار
Here the Prophet (peace be upon him) widens the meaning of martyrdom (shahadah) far beyond the battlefield. The believer who dies of plague, of a stomach illness, by drowning, or crushed beneath rubble is counted among the martyrs, a sign of Allah's expansive mercy toward this community.
Read these hadith as comfort and as honour: ordinary deaths that bring suffering or fear can carry the reward of the highest sacrifice. The chapter also affirms the believer who dies defending his life, family, faith, or rightful property. Where these touch questions of how one may respond to aggression, the hadith give the spiritual standing of the one wronged; the practical limits of such matters rest with the scholars.
Hadith 1353
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "الشهداء خمسة: المطعون والمبطون، والغريق، وصاحب الهدم والشهيد في سبيل الله" ((متفق عليه))
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The martyrs are of five kinds: One who dies of plague; one who dies of disease of his belly; the drowned; one who dies under the debris (of construction, etc.), and one who dies while fighting in the way of Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet (peace be upon him) named five kinds of martyrs: those who die of plague, of a stomach illness, by drowning, under fallen rubble, and in Allah's cause. It shows Allah's mercy in granting that honour to many kinds of painful death.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1353 In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 69
Hadith 1354
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "ما تعدون الشهداء فيكم؟ قالوا: يا رسول الله من قتل في سبيل الله فهو شهيد. قال: "إن شهداء أمتي إذًا لقليل!" قالوا: فمن يا رسول الله ؟ قال: "من قتل في سبيل الله فهو شهيد، ومن مات في سبيل الله فهو شهيد، ومن مات في الطاعون فهو شهيد، ومن مات في البطن فهو شهيد، والغريق شهيد" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whom do you reckon to be martyr amongst you?" The Companions replied: "The one who is killed in Allah's way." He said, "In that case, the martyrs among my people would be few." The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Then who are the martyrs?" He replied, "He who is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr; he who dies naturally in the Cause of Allah is a martyr; he who dies of plague is a martyr; and he who dies of a belly disease is a martyr; and he who is drowned is a martyr." [Muslim]. This Hadith shows the care Allah has for this Ummah, which is the best Ummah of mankind. (Editor's Note)
In plain words
When the Companions thought martyrs were only those killed in battle, the Prophet (peace be upon him) widened it to include death by plague, stomach illness, drowning, and dying in Allah's cause. Allah's care for this community extends the highest honour to ordinary, hard deaths.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1354 In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 70
Hadith 1355
'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص، رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “من قتل دون ماله فهو شهيد" ((متفق عليه))
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who is killed while defending his property is a martyr." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
One who is killed defending his property is counted a martyr. The standing of the person wronged is honoured, even as the wider rulings rest with the scholars.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1355 In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 71
Hadith 1356
Sa'id bin Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail (May Allah be pleased with him) reported, one of the ten Companions who were given the glad tidings of entering Jannah reported:
وعن أبي الأعور سعيد بن زيد بن عمرو بن نفيل، أحد العشرة المشهود لهم بالجنة، رضي الله عنهم، قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "من قتل دون ماله فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون دمه فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون دينه فهو شهيد، ومن قتل دون عرضه فهو شهيد" ((رواه أبو داود والترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "He who dies while defending his property is a martyr; he who dies in defence of his own life is a martyr; and he who dies on defense of his faith is a martyr, he who dies in defence of his family is a martyr." [Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].
In plain words
Whoever dies defending his property, his life, his faith, or his family is a martyr. It gives high spiritual honour to the one who is wronged while protecting what is rightly his.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1356 In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 72
Hadith 1357
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: جاء رجل إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا رسول الله أرأيت إن جاء رجل يريد أخذ مالي؟ قال: "فلا تعطه مالك" قال: أرأيت إن قاتلني؟ قال: "قاتله" قال: أرأيت إن قتلني قال: "فأنت شهيد" قال: أرأيت إن قتلته؟ قال: "هو في النار" ((رواه مسلم)).
A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What shall I do if someone comes to me with the intention of taking away my property?" He replied, "Do not hand over it to him." The man asked, "What shall I do if he fights me?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Then fight him." "What will be my position in the Hereafter if he has killed me?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "In that case you are a martyr." The man asked: "What if I killed him?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "He will be in the Hell- fire." [Muslim].
In plain words
Told not to surrender his property and to resist if attacked, a man was assured that if killed he is a martyr, while the wrongful aggressor faces the Fire. The one defending what is his is honoured, and injustice is gravely warned against.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1357 In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 73