Martyrdom

A martyr ("witness") is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, refusing to renounce, or refusing to advocate a belief or cause as demanded by an external party. In the martyrdom narrative of the remembering community, this refusal to comply with the presented demands results in the punishment or execution of an actor by an alleged oppressor. Accordingly, the status of the 'martyr' can be considered a posthumous title as a reward for those who are considered worthy of the concept of martyrdom by the living, regardless of any attempts by the deceased to control how they will be remembered in advance.

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Battle of Karbala . Martyrdom

Did Imam Hussain (as) know the exact details of what would happen in Karbala or did he just know that he would be martyred?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 years ago

Imam Hussain (AS) knew definitely that he will be martyred in Karbala and went for his martyrdom because it was the only way to save Islam from deviation and Muslim Ummah from doing astray.

No doubt, Imam Hussain was informed by his grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), his mother (SA) , his father (AS) and his brother Imam Hasan (AS) about details of what will happen in Karbala. Allah (SWT) grants His best servants from His knowledge of the Unseen.

Wassalam.

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Martyrdom . Sunni-Shi'a

Do martyrs really get 72 virgins? What is the Shia view on this concept?

These narrations are in Sunni books.

I did not find them in our authentic Shia books of Hadeeth. We have narrations that the believer will get in the Paradise his believing wife as the most beautiful woman along with the Hoor.

Wassalam.

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Children . Battle of Karbala . Martyrdom . Muslim ibn Aqil

Which narrative about the children of Muslim bin Aqeel (as) is more authentic, were they martyred before Karbala or after Karbala as depicted in a TV series?

According to Amaali al-Shaikh al-Sadouq, Janab e Muslim ibn Aqeel (AS) had two sons martyred in the day of Ashura with Imam Husain (AS) and another two sons who ran away from Karbala after the martyrdom of imam Husain (AS). These two sons where martyred later on after Karbala and were buried near Musayyab in Iraq. أمالي الشيخ الصدوق

Wassalam.

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Battle of Karbala . Martyrdom . Imam Husayn . Al-Abbas ibn Ali

Why did Imam Hussain (AS) not allow Hazrat Abbas (A) to fight in Karbala? Given that after all attempts, it finally had to be a war and that chance to fight was given to all martyrs, why was Abbas (A) not allowed to fight?

Hazrat Abbas (AS) was the chief commander of the army of imam Husain (AS) and he had to remain till the end of the battle.

Wassalam.

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Grave . Martyrdom

Is it true that if we place a letter addressed to a martyr on their grave, it will reach them? Do we have any Hadith regarding this matter?

Those who were been martyred in the way of Allah are alive ( Sura 2, verse 154 and Sura 3, verse 169). No doubt that the martyrs listen to us when we talk to them. In fact, every dead person can hear us when we talk to him loudly as the Prophet (SAWA) spoke to the dead Kafirs who were killed in the battle of Badr.

Martyrs have real life in which they can listen. Regarding the letters, it depends on the status of the martyr. Letters written to the Infallible Imams will be seen they them and might be even replied, but that is not for every martyr.

'Wassalam.

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Women . Martyrdom

Can ordinary women be also martyrs give the fact that Jehad is not required for them?

Yes. Woman can be a martyr in different ways. Mother of Ammar ibn Yaasir was martyred by the disbelievers in Makkah and mother Wahab was martyred in Karbala and any Momina who dies with the love of Ahlul Bayt (AS) will die as a martyr. (Tafseer Al-Zamakhshari , v. 4, Tafseer Al-Raazi) v. 27.

Wassalam.

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Battle of Karbala . Martyrdom . Al-Abbas ibn Ali

How many sons did Hazrat Abbas (as) have? What were the names of the sons martyred in Karbala?

Books of History mention that Hazrat Abul Fazl Al-Abbas (a.s.) had 5 sons;

1. Obaydullah,
   2.   Al Fazl,
   3.   3. Al Hasan,
   4.   4. Al Qasim and
   5.   5. Muhammad.
   6.   History also mentioned that he had 2 daughters. Mohammad Ibn Al-Abbas is mentioned as one of the Martyrs in Karbala.
Obaydullah son of Al-Abbas Ibn Ameerul Momeneen (a.s.) is been mentioned as the son who left children. All the grandchildren of Al-Abbas (a.s.) were from the sons of Obaydullah. The grand and great grand children of Al-Abbas (a.s.) are many and they include many Scholars and very pious Momeneen and very respected Personalities in the history of Muslims. Of the well-known personalities from the great grandchildren of Al-Abbas is Al-Hamza who is buried in Al-Midhatiyyah near Al-Hilla and the whole area is now is called after him as Al-Hamza.
Wassalam.

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Battle of Karbala . Martyrdom . Imam Ali b. Abi Talib . Sunni-Shi'a

I heard somewhere that in the tragedy of Karbala some of the martyrs were those who did not consider Imam Ali (a) as their first caliph and Imam. Is that true?

Some of the martyrs were like that before Karbala like Zuhair ibn al Qayn who was previously a supporter of Othman ibn Affan, but after listening and following Imam Hussain (AS), he believed fully in Ameerul Mo'mineen and Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (AS), that is why he sacrificed his life in the way of Allah under the divine leadership of Imam Husain (AS).

Wassalam.

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Death . Coronaviruses . Martyrdom

Nowadays people are quoting a hadith according to which one who dies during a plague is considered to be a martyr. Is this hadith authentic?

This narration المطعون شهيد is found in Sunni books of Hadeeth ( Riyadh al-Saliheen 1:1353 from Abu Huraira) but I did not find it in our authentic books of Hadeeth. It has been mentioned in few of our books of Fiqh but the meaning of مطعون is not a victim of plague but a stabbed person. مطعون can be from طاعون plague and can be from طعن which means stabbing. The meaning of the narration if it was authentic can be a victim of plague or a stabbed to death.

If it is an authentic, it does not mean a real martyr who should not be given Ghusl, but it means the reward which he gets because he was a victim.

Wassalam.

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Imam Husayn . Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib . Martyrdom

Are both Imam Hussain (AS) and Hamza Abdul Muttalib (R) known as Sayyid al-Shuhada? If so, is there a difference between them in regards to this title?

Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib was Sayyid al-Shuhada in his time. Imam Husain (AS) is Sayyid al-Shuhada for all the times till the Day of Judgement.

'Wassalam.

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Martyrdom . Muslim ibn Aqil

When was Muslim bin Aqeel born and what his age when he was martyred?

Muslim Ibn Aqeel (AS) was born in Madina in year 12 Hijri and was martyred in Kufa in year 60 Hijri by Bani Umayyah as he was the envoy of Imam Husain (AS) to Iraq. His age when he was martyred was 48 years.

Wassalam.

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Martyrdom . Coronaviruses

Are those who are dying from Corona virus to be considered martyrs? If so, what is the Islamic basis for it?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 5 years ago

There are a number of hadith in both Shi'i and Sunni hadith collections which describe types of honorary martyrdom; that is, they describe people who die in certain ways as "martyrs". (This ranges from things as dying from drowning, to dying with love of Ahl al-Bayt (A), to dying while sleeping with wudu.)

From these narrations, it can be gleaned that there is a certain respect or acknowledgment given to people who pass away in these ways, and/or some of the acts (obviously the voluntary ones, not involuntary ones) are respectable.

However, my understanding that the formal or highest notion of martyrdom is reserved for those who give their lives in the way of Allah (and Allah is the One who knows who they are). Perhaps one could consider someone who is intentionally putting themself at risk of infection to serve the people, and then dies, as this sort of martyr.

In the Sunni hadith collection of Sahih Muslim, it is related that the Prophet (S) described five types of people as martyrs; among those are those people who die from the plague. I am not sure offhand if this narration is transmitted via Shi'i chains of narration or in Shi'i books. However, this narration (or others similar to it) is the source of the idea, being circulated today, that people who die from the plague are martyrs.

However, with respect to Shi'i texts, it is related that Imam Reza (A) told someone: "Every beliver whom God afflicts with a misfortune and who exhibits patience over it, shall surely come to possess the rank and recompense of a martyr in the eyes of God.” The person who was told this did not understand why the Imam was telling him this, as he was not going through any major difficulties at the time, but he soon developed a painful and difficult condition that lasted for a number of months, and then he died - the implication here being that his patience over his illness granted him the status of martyrdom.

God knows best.