Hadith: Whoever Dies Sick Dies as a Martyr

Question

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) discussed with his companions about who among his nation is considered a martyr. They replied that it is the one who is killed in the way of Allah, facing the enemy. The Prophet then stated that the martyrs of his nation are indeed few. He mentioned that a martyr includes the one who dies from a disease, the one who dies from a stomach ailment, the one who dies in a collapse, the one who drowns, and a woman who dies during childbirth. When asked how a woman dies during childbirth, he explained that it is when her child obstructs her in her womb.

Answer 1

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.

We have two points to consider regarding this hadith:

The first is related to its chain of narration.

The second is related to its implications.

Before addressing these points, it is important to note that even if we assume the hadith is authentic (which it is not, as will be clarified), scholars differentiate between two matters: the reward and the rank or status. A sick person may receive the reward of a martyr, but the rank of a martyr remains higher and more esteemed. There is no greater virtue than dying in the way of Allah.

Thus, the martyr retains his rank and the significance of his actions, and we can conclude that the expressions regarding those who do not die in the way of Allah refer to their reward, while the uniqueness of the one killed in the way of Allah pertains to their status and rank with Allah.

Now, regarding the first point: the mentioned hadith is weak and cannot be relied upon or trusted to be attributed to our scholars, as its chain is considered 'disconnected' in our literature.

As for the second point:

We have sufficient commentary from the one who transmitted it, namely the author of 'Bihar al-Anwar' (may his soul be sanctified), who noted:

((Clarification: The weakness of this hadith contradicts some of our principles, and it will be shown that the deceased is not punished for the weeping of the living. Perhaps, if the hadith is authentic, it could be understood that the deceased deserved some form of punishment due to their actions, and thus they were punished in this manner, or it was done to alleviate their sins, or because they were complicit or pleased with it. The term 'woman who dies during childbirth' refers to a woman who dies while carrying a child, or it could refer to one who dies as a virgin. The term 'gathering' means something that is combined within her, such as a pregnancy or virginity.)). Bihar al-Anwar, Volume (78), Page (245)

May you be successful in all good.