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not perform his usual daily good deeds), will receive the same reward as he would
receive while in good health and stationary (not on a journey)” (Mishkat).
According to one Hadeeth: “When that man, who had been usually busy in some good
work falls ill, the Angel, appointed to register his good deeds is commanded to continue
to write down for him the reward of the good deeds as if he had done them.” (Mishkat).
Another Hadeeth states that when any prohibited deed is being performed and someone
who dislikes such deeds, had been forced due to cirsumstances taken part therein, he shall
be considered not to have participated therein. And he who likes such deeds, even though
he was not present there, shall be considered as if he had indeed participated therein.
(Mishkat).
Another Hadeeth will shortly be quoted wherein we hear: “Whosoever sets forth with the
aim of earning that with which to maintain and support his small children, is in the path
of Allah. And whosoever sets forth to help his aged parents, he too is in the path of
Allah.”
Who is a Shaheed
Once Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) went to visit the ailing Abdullah bin
Thaabit (Radiallahu anhu). When he reached there he found him laying silently without
speech. He spoke to him but the patient did not answer. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) seeing this remarked:
“We are from Allah and to Him we shall return.”
“We have been defeated as far as you are concerned (for death which has been preordained
has taken you.)”
On hearing this, the ladies of the household began weeping as they realized that death had
occured. In a sorrowftil tone the daughter exclaimed: “I had so hoped that you would die
a martyr’s death because you had prepared the provisions for Jihad.”
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied: “He has indeed received the reward for
the intentions he had. What do you understand by martyrdom?” She replied: “To be
killed in battle in Allah’s path.” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) then said:
“Apart from being thus killed, there are seven other forms of dying a martyr’s death:
Whosoever dies of plague dies a martyr; whosoever dies of drowning is a martyr;
whosoever dies of pneumonia is a martyr; whosoever dies of an abdominal disease is a
martyr; whosoever dies burnt by a fire is a martyr; whosoever dies crushed (under a
collapsed roof or wall) is a martyr; whosoever among women dies in giving birth is a
martyr.” (Muatta Imam Malik)
(Regarding death through abdominal diseases, as stated in the above Hadeeth the Ulema
have various interpretations. Some take it to mean dropsy; some say diarrhoea, some say
colic and even others say that it refers to and includes every stomach ailment).
According to another version of this Hadeeth, the daughter said that she only knew a
shaheed (martyr) to be that one who dies fighting in the path of Allah. Thereupon
Al- Eti’daal Fi Maraatibur- Rijaal 46