Categories of Martyrdom

We affirm the categories of "Shaheed" (martyrdom) - the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed beneath a falling wall, and the martyr who is killed for the sake of Allaah. So, whoever is killed in one of these ways, then we think good for them, but we do not explicitly label anyone as Shaheed or the people of the Jannah, because these are from the matters of the unseen. We affirm Jannah and the status of martyrdom only to those who have been mentioned in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah.

Narrated Kharija bin Zaid bin Thaabit: Um Al-`Alaa’ al-Ansaariyah who had given the Pledge of allegiance to Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said: `Uthman bin Madh`oon came in our share when the Ansaar drew lots to distribute the emigrants (to dwell) among themselves. He became sick and we looked after (nursed) him till he died. Then we shrouded him in his clothes. Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم came to us. I (addressing the dead body) said: 'May Allaah's Mercy be on you, O Aba As-Saa’ib! I testify that Allaah has honored you.' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝How do you know that?❞ I replied, 'I do not know, by Allaah.' He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝As for him, death has come to him and I wish him all good from Allaah. By Allaah, though I am Allaah's Apostle, I neither know what will happen to me, nor to you.❞ Um Al-`Alaa’ said: "By Allaah, I will never attest the righteousness of anybody after that." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]