To die a martyr in the Islamic faith is one of the greatest honors. The rewards granted to the martyr are so sublime and are superior to the rewards for performing almost any other righteous act.


Narrated Al-Miqdam bin Ma'diykarib: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There are six things with Allah for the martyr. He is forgiven with the first flow of blood (he suffers), he is shown his place in Paradise, he is protected from punishment in the grave, secured from the greatest terror, the crown of dignity is placed upon his head - and its gems are better than the world and what is in it - he is married to seventy two wives along Al-Huril-'Ayn of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives." [Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1663]


Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and His Apostle, offer prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah's Cause or remains in the land where he is born." The people said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! Shall we acquaint the people with the is good news?" He said, "Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-firdaus which is the best and highest part of Paradise." (i.e. The sub-narrator added, "I think the Prophet also said, 'Above it (i.e. Al-Firdaus) is the Throne of Beneficent (i.e. Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.") [Sahih al-Bukhari 2790]


Hope for a very high reward in the Hereafter for this lofty action.


Narrated Anas bin Malik: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "None of the people of Paradise would wish to return to the world except for the martyr who indeed would love to return to the world saying that he would love to be killed ten times in Allah's cause because of what he has seen of the honor that He has given him." [Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1661]


O Allah, grant us the status of martyr. Ameen


I long for the ranks that a martyr will attain, and I desire these blessings. However, I do not seek martyrdom for these rewards. Instead, I aspire to be a martyr solely to attain the pleasure of Allah. O Allah, grant us the status of Martyr. Ameen

...And Allah‘s pleasure is above all. That is the supreme success. [Quran 9:72]


To die a martyr does not mean that one must raise a sword, stand in the front lines of a battle, and fight. Loss of life and bloodshed are not the goals of a Muslim.


There are so many ways that a believing Muslim can be granted the honor of dying a martyr.


Narrated Jabir ibn Atik: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to visit Abdullah ibn Thabit who was ill. He found that he was dominated (by the divine decree). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called him loudly, but he did not respond. He uttered the Qur'anic verse "We belong to Allah and to Him do we return" and he said: We have been dominated against you, AburRabi'. Then the women cried and wept, and Ibn Atik began to silence them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Leave them, when the divine decree is made, no woman should weep. They (the people) asked: What is necessary happening, Messenger of Allah? He replied: Death. His daughter said: I hope you will be a martyr, for you have completed your preparations for jihad. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah Most High gave him a reward according to his intentions. What do you consider martyrdom? They said: Being killed in the cause of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: There are seven types of martyrdom in addition to being killed in Allah's cause: one who dies of plague is a martyr; one who is drowned is a martyr; one who dies of pleurisy is a martyr; one who dies of an internal complaint is a martyr; one who is burnt to death is a martyr; who one is killed by a building falling on him is a martyr; and a woman who dies while pregnant is a martyr. [Sunan Abi Dawud 3111]


Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Five are regarded as martyrs: They are those who die because of plague, Abdominal disease, drowning or a falling building etc., and the martyrs in Allah's Cause." [Sahih al-Bukhari 2829]


Narrated Zaid bin Aslam from his father: `Umar said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death be in the city of Your Apostle." [Sahih al-Bukhari 1890]


Abu Thabit from Sahl bin Hunaif (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "He who asks Allah for martyrdom, Allah will raise him to the high status of the martyrs, even if he dies on his bed". [Muslim]. [Riyad as-Salihin 57]


Narrated Al-Mughira: Our Prophet has informed us our Lord's Message that whoever of us is martyred, will go to Paradise. [Sahih al-Bukhari 7530]


It has been reported on the authority of 'Amr b. al-'As that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: All the sins of a Shahid (martyr) are forgiven except debt. [Sahih Muslim 1886a]


Debt is one of the sins that leads some people to punishment in the hereafter. May Allah help me in paying off all of my debts before I die.


If you were to die defending your family from an attacker, defending your wealth from an armed robber, or defending yourself from an assailant, you would die a martyr.


It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin 'Amr said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: 'Whoever fights to protect his wealth and is killed, he is a martyr.'" [Sunan an-Nasa'i 4084]


It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if someone comes to steal my wealth?' He said: 'Urge him by Allah.' He said: 'What if he persists?' He said: 'Urge him by Allah.' He said: 'What if he persists?' He said: 'Urge him by Allah.' He said: 'What if he persists?' He said: 'Then fight. If you are killed you will be in Paradise, and if you kill him, he will be in the Fire.'" [Sunan an-Nasa'i 4082]


It was narrated from Sa'eed bin Zaid that: The Prophet [SAW] said: "Whoever fights to protect his wealth and is killed, he is a martyr. Whoever fights to protect himself, he is a martyr. Whoever fights to protect his family is a martyr." [Sunan an-Nasa'i 4094]


It was narrated that Sa'eed bin Zaid said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Whoever is killed protecting his wealth, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting his family, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting his religion, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting himself, he is a martyr.'" [Sunan an-Nasa'i 4095]


Some habits and rituals of worship, if performed on a daily basis, can give us exactly what we are seeking, martyrdom, sometimes without even leaving our home. Take the following examples.


Narrated Ma'qil bin Yasar: that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever says three times when he gets up in the morning: 'A'udhu Billahis-Sami Al-'Alim Min Ash-Shaitanir-Rajim' and he recites three Ayat from the end of Surah Al-Hashr - Allah appoints seventy-thousand angels who say Salat upon him until the evening. If he dies on that day, he dies a martyr, and whoever reaches the evening, he holds the same status." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2922] Grade: Da'if (Darussalam).


It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The trustworthy, honest Muslim merchant will be with the martyrs on the Day of Resurrection." [Sunan Ibn Majah 2139] Grade: Da'if (Darussalam)


Alhamdulillah, It has always been my dream to die as a martyr.

O my Allah, please, I don't want to die a casual victim of death, but I want to die as a martyr with faith. O Allah, please grant us the status of martyr. It doesn't matter how we live our life; what matters is how we die because true life begins after death.