Surah Al-Baqara: Verse 154 - ولا تقولوا لمن يقتل في... - English

Earlier, alluding to an unpleasant incident, patience and steadfastness were inculcated and the excellence of Sabirun (the patient people) was mentioned. The next verses mention, in some detail, other unpleasant incidents and culminate in describing the excellence of pa-tience, and perseverance in it. Those verses give preference to the theme of war with infidels over other themes for two reasons: first, the sacrifice of life is a grand sacrifice; whoever steadfastly endures this loss will, undoubtedly, learn to be patient on losses of lesser magnitude; second, it is relevant to the situation too, as the objectionist on the orientation of Ka'bah کعبہ had been facing it.

Injunctions and related considerations:

According to Islamic traditions the dead person is given some kind of a "new life" in Barzakh44 برزخ which develops in him a sensitivity to punishment and reward. Regardless of whether one is a believer or disbeliever, virtuous or vicious, this taste of life-in-Barzakh برزخ is given to everybody. However, the life there has many categories: one of them is for the general lot, while some others are for prophets and virtuous people. The later ones vary in their degree of excellence. A number of scholars have collected relevant facts to assert their points of views, about the life-in-Barzakh برزخ . All of them cannot be summed up here. I will restrict myself here, to presenting the considered and the very balanced view of my worthy teacher Maulana Ashraf ` Ali (رح) of Than a Bhawan; incidentally, his view is in close conformity with the teachings of the Holy Qur'an, as also, those of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

44. An intermediary stage which begins with death and stretches till the Doomsday.

The Martyrs are not dead

One who dies in the cause of Allah is a Shahid (Martyr) and, although, it is correct and even allowed to call him "dead", yet we are forbidden to regard their death like ordinary deaths. For, though, life in Barzakh برزخ is given to' everybody which gives him perception of reward and punishment but Shahid شھید in the Barzakh برزخ life is qualitatively different from the one given to other persons. The distinction a Shahid شھید has over others in Barzakh برزخ is that in effect, for the fullness and sensitivity of life, his perception is, keener and deeper. As, for instance, the life sensation is there in finger tips, as also, it is there in heels, but the sensitivity of finger tips is sharper than that of heels. The effect of the finer life-quality of a Shahid شھید in Barzakh برزخ reaches his physical body as well; whereas ordinarily bodies remain unaffected. Consequently, a Shahid's body does not waste away, decay or mingle with dust. On the contrary it retains it freshness and a semblance of being alive too. This is duly endorsed by Ahadith and observations. They are, therefore, reported as living and we are forbidden to call them dead. However, for all worldly purposes they are treated at par with the dead; their properties are divided and their wives can remarry. Lives of prophets in Barzakh برزخ have a further distinction. Their life-sensitivity is even finer and keener than that of Shahids. In Barzakh برزخ their bodies retain their life-quality and, in some ways, its manifestation is extended to this life as well; their properties are not divided and their wives cannot again enter into wedlock.

The most strong in the retention of this life-quality are the prophets, then are the Shahids شُهَدَا ، then the ordinary human beings. Nevertheless, according to some ahadith some of the men of Allah and virtuous people share this excellence with Shahids شُهَدَا . Apparently, those who die while exercising stringent discipline against their selves (مجاھدہ النفس) are ranked with Shahids شُهَدَا . In other words, though this verse specifically refers to Shahids شُهَدَا as against the broad humanity, it does not, for that reason, exclude the virtuous and the truthful. If, therefore, the body of a Shahid returns to dust, as bodies of ordinary persons, generally do, the chances are that the person did not, perhaps,, die in the cause of Allah which is the only criterion of martyrdom (Shahadah شهَادہ).

In case a person who fulfilled all the prerequisites of martyrdom and, beyond, any doubt, died in the cause of Allah and whose martyrdom (Shahadah شهَادہ) has been unmistakably and repeatedly demonstrated, his body must not, on the authority of a hadith , return to dust. If, in spite of Ahadith, the body mingles with earth (what, in fact, has made the author of Ruh al-Ma` ani doubt is how can, in spite of Ahadith, the body of a Shahid شھید be eaten away by earth) the explanation would be that according to Hadith the body would not return to dust; however, it does not deny the process of decay and decomposition caused by other factors like geo-chemical reaction, body enzymes, and bacteria. Neither does it confute the verse.

Other compound objects like weapons, medicines, food, and the commingling of various natural elements like water, fire and air had, undoubtedly, their effects on the bodies of prophets in this world and, obviously, the life-quality of Shahid شھید in Barzakh برزخ is not superior to that of the prophets in this world; if, therefore, the other ingredients register their impact on the bodies of Shahids شُهَدَا in برزخ Barzakh it does not confute, in any sense, the meanings of Ahadith which say the Shahids' bodies are sacred to earth.

Another answer is that the distinction which Shahids have over others is apparent from the fact that, comparatively, their bodies remain unspoiled for a pretty long time, although the likelihood of their disintegration in the longer run does exist. The aim of the hadith should, therefore, be explained by saying that the immunity from decay for such a long time is, in itself, an excess on the customary behaviour of dead bodies. Eternal preservation, and preservation for a considerable long time, both are an "excess on the customary behaviour" of dead bodies.

By the words, " لَّا تَشْعُرُ‌ونَ ": "you perceive not", the Holy Qur'an asserts the fact that the life in Barzakh برزخ transcends all sensory perceptions.