the-islamic-ruling-on-the-permissibility-of-self-sacrificial-operations-suicide-or-martyrdom

• Encouraging <strong>the</strong> Muslims to attack
• Demoralizing <strong>the</strong> enemy, by showing <strong>the</strong>m that if one man can do this, what will all of <strong>the</strong>
o<strong>the</strong>rs combined toge<strong>the</strong>r be able to do!” 58
And all of <strong>the</strong>se four are fulfilled in martyrdom operations.
Sixth)
Al-Qurtubī رحمه االله said, “Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybānī, <strong>the</strong> student of Abū
Hanīfah, said: If a man single-handedly plunges into and attacks 1,000 mushrikīn, <strong>the</strong>re is no
objection to it if <strong>the</strong>re is hope of success, or inflicting loss on <strong>the</strong> enemy - o<strong>the</strong>rwise it is
disliked, for <strong>the</strong>n he would expose himself to death without having benefited <strong>the</strong> Muslims.
As for someone whose aim is to incite <strong>the</strong> Muslims to emulate his feat, it’s permissibility is
not far-fetched, for it contains benefit for <strong>the</strong> Muslims in certain ways. If his intent is to
terrorize <strong>the</strong> enemy, and demonstrate <strong>the</strong> Muslims’ strength of Īmān, its permissibility is not
far-fetched. If <strong>the</strong>re is benefit in it for <strong>the</strong> Muslims, <strong>the</strong>n giving one’s life for <strong>the</strong>
streng<strong>the</strong>ning of <strong>the</strong> Dīn and weakening of <strong>the</strong> infidels - <strong>the</strong>n it is <strong>the</strong> Noble Status by which
Allāh has praised <strong>the</strong> Believers, in His Statement,
﴿ إِن َّ الل َّه اشترى مِنال ْمؤمِنِين أ َنف ُسهم وأ َموال َهم بِأ َن َّ ل َهم ال ْجنة َ ﴾
“Verily, Allāh has purchased from <strong>the</strong> believers, <strong>the</strong>ir lives and <strong>the</strong>ir wealth in return
for Paradise being <strong>the</strong>irs.” 59
And o<strong>the</strong>r such verses in which Allāh has extolled those who sacrifice <strong>the</strong>mselves.” 60
Seventh)
Imām Ash-Shawkānī said about <strong>the</strong> verse of self-destruction, “The truth is that words have
general implication, and are not specific to <strong>the</strong> circumstances of revelation. So everything
which may be described as worldly or religious self-destruction is implied by it, as stated by
Ibn Jarīr At-Tabarī. Amongst that which comes under this verse is a man attacking an enemy
army which he can nei<strong>the</strong>r overcome, nor have any effect beneficial to <strong>the</strong> Mujāhidīn.” 61
The implication of Ash-Shawkānī’s words are - that if <strong>the</strong>re is a benefit, it becomes
permissible.
58
Refer to Ahkām Al-Qur’ān by Ibn Al-‘Arabī (1/116), and also Al-Qurtubī (2/363-364).
59 At-Tawbah: 111. (9/111).
60 Refer to Tafsīr Al-Qurtubī (2/364). Also refer to Ahkām Al-Qur’ān by Al-Jassās (3/262-263).
61
Refer to his Tafsīr, Fat’h al-Qadīr (1/297).
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