Do Not Say "They
are Dead"
Imaam
ash-Shanqeetee (d.1392H) [1]
Allaah - the Most High - said:
"And do
not say about those who are killed fighting in the Path of Allaah that they are
dead. Rather, they are alive!" [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:154].
This verse is
an apparent proof that the martyrs [those who are killed in the Path of Allaah]
are not dead. Yet in another verse Allaah says, whilst addressing the Prophet
Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam; who is better than any and every martyr:
"Indeed
you will die, and they will die." [Soorah az-Zumar 39:30].
The reply to
this [apparent contradiction] is: That the martyrs are dead from a worldly
point of view, this is why they can be inherited from, and why their wives can
remarry again - a point about which the Scholars have ijmaa' (consensus) upon.
It is this death, the worldly death, that Allaah informed would occur to the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. This is why Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq
radiallaahu 'anhu said, when the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam passed
away: "May my mother and father be sacrificed for you O Prophet of Allaah!
By Allaah! Allaah will never combine two deaths for you. You have died the
death that Allaah decreed for you ... Whosoever worships Muhammad, let him know
that Muhammad is dead." Then he deduced this by reciting the [above]
verse, and the Companions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam accepted
this. [2]
As for the life
that Allaah affirmed in the Qur'aan for the martyrs, and the life that has been
affirmed for the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam in which he is able to
return the greetings of salaam to whosoever sends it upon him, then both of
them refer to the life of the barzakh (a state of existence between the present
life and the Hereafter); an existence which cannot be truly comprehended by the
people of this world. So with regards to the martyrs there is a reference to
this in Allaah - the Most High's - saying:
"Rather,
they are alive, but you do not perceive it." [Soorah
al-Baqarah 2:154].
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
explained this verse by saying:
"Their
souls ore in the bellies of green birds, which hove lanterns suspended for them
from Allaah's Throne. They roam around in Paradise wherever they desire, then
return to these lanterns ..." [3]
As for [the life affirmed for] the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, then he said:
"There is
no one who sends the greetings of salaam upon me, except that Allaah returns my
soul hock until I reply to their greeting." [4]
And:
"Indeed
Allaah's Angels roam around the earth conveying to me the greetings of salaams
from my Ummah." [5]
So this life
also cannot truly be comprehended by the intellects of the people of this
world. Since, along with this [fact], his sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's
blessed soul resides in the loftiest part of Paradise with the companionship of
the highest company; a company higher than the souls of the martyrs. Yet the
reality of how his pure soul links itself to his noble body 'alayhis-salaam - a
body which the earth cannot consume - is a reality which no one knows, except
Allaah alone. Thus, if this type of life was like the life that is understood
by the people of this world, then why did Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq radiallaahu 'anhu
say that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was dead, and why was it
permitted to bury him? [And if he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did not die]
then why was there a need to appoint a khaleefah (succesor) after him. Also,
those events; such as the [tragic] killing of 'Uthmaan radiollaahu 'anhu, or
the differences which arose between the Companions, or that which occurred with
'Aaishah radiallaahu 'anhaa need not have happened if he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam were still alive! Since if that were the case, they could have referred
judgement back to him concerning those issues in which they differed [if he
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam were still alive and could fulfill such needs].
Thus, just as
the Qur'aan is explicitly clear that the martyrs are actually living; due to
Allaah - the Most High's - saying:
"Rather,
they are alive."
Then likewise,
the Qur'aan is just as explicitly clear that this state of living is one whose
reality cannot be truly understood by the people of this world; due to Allaah's
saying:
"But you
do not perceive it."
Similarly, just
as it is established that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is living
in the grave; replying to the greetings of salaam, yet even though his
Companions actually buried him, they were still unable to perceive this state
of living. Thus, we know that this state of living is likewise a reality which
cannot be truly understood by the people of this world. However, what could
make this more clear is by considering the example of someone who is