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

4. One should consult with war strategy experts [i.e. <strong>the</strong> commanders of <strong>the</strong> Mujāhidīn, etc],
and especially with <strong>the</strong> Amīr of war, for o<strong>the</strong>rwise he may ruin a plot which <strong>the</strong> Mujāhidīn
have been preparing, and alert <strong>the</strong> enemy of <strong>the</strong>ir presence.
If <strong>the</strong> first condition is absent, <strong>the</strong> deed is worthless (Bātil), but if it is fulfilled while some
o<strong>the</strong>r conditions are lacking, <strong>the</strong>n it is not <strong>the</strong> best thing, but at <strong>the</strong> same time, this does not
necessarily mean <strong>the</strong> Mujāhid is not Shahīd.
We also explained how indirectly causing a death carries <strong>the</strong> same verdict as actual killing.
Hence one who plunges without armor into <strong>the</strong> enemy ranks, being certain of death, is
indeed just like one who engages in a martyrdom operation – and thus, (in both situations)
he is effectively causing his own death, but <strong>the</strong>y are praiseworthy because of <strong>the</strong>
circumstances and intention; and hence, <strong>the</strong>y are not considered to have committed suicide.
We also clarified that (according to <strong>the</strong> majority) <strong>the</strong> “hand of <strong>the</strong> killer” does not have an
effect on whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Mujāhid will be considered Shahīd. This dispels <strong>the</strong> hesitation arising
from <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> Mujāhid is taking his own life. Thus, such operations could take on
any of <strong>the</strong> five Shar’ī verdicts (of obligatory, preferred, neutral, disliked, or forbidden 113 )
depending on intention and circumstances.
Finally, we clarified that taking one’s own life is not always blameworthy; ra<strong>the</strong>r it is
dependent on <strong>the</strong> motives behind it. So, we conclude that one who kills himself because of
his strong Īmān and out of love for Allāh and <strong>the</strong> Prophet, and in <strong>the</strong> beneficial interests of
<strong>the</strong> Dīn, to raise high <strong>the</strong> Word of Tawhīd – <strong>the</strong>n this is a praiseworthy deed.
113
Also known as <strong>the</strong> five <strong>ruling</strong>s of Fiqh: Wājib, Mandūb, Mubāh, Makrūh, and Harām.
57