The Merits of Martyrdom in the Way of Allah

Anas related that the Prophet said, "Nobody who dies and finds good from Allah (in the akhira) wants to return to this world - even if he were to be given the whole world and what is in it - except for a martyr who, on seeing the excellence of being a martyr, wants to come back to this world and be killed again (in the Way of Allah)."[1]

Abu Hurairah related that the Prophet said, "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, I would like to fight jihad in the Way of Allah and be killed, and then fight jihad in the Way of Allah and be killed, and then fight jihad in the Way of Allah and be killed."[2]

'Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-'As related that the Prophet said, "All the wrong actions of a shahid are forgiven except debt."[3]

For the wrong actions of a martyr to be forgiven, his jihad should be sincerely in the Way of Allah, seeking the reward of Allah.

Abu Qatadah related that the Messenger of Allah stood up among his companions and gave a talk in which he told them that jihad in the Way of Allah and trust in Allah are the most excellent of actions. A man stood up and said, "Messenger of Allah, do you think that if I am killed in the Way of Allah all my wrong actions will be wiped out for me?" The Messenger of Allah replied, "Yes, if you are killed in the Way of Allah and you were always steadfast and sincere and you always fought facing the enemy and never turned your back on him." Then he added, 'What did you just say?" The man asked, "Do you think that if I am killed in the Way of Allah all my wrong actions will be wiped out for me?" The Messenger of Allah said, "Yes, if you were steadfast and sincere and always fought facing the enemy and never turned your back on him - except for debt. Jibril has just told me this."[4]

Al-Miqdam Ibn Ma'd Yakrib related that the Prophet said, "The martyr receives six good things from Allah: he is forgiven at the first shedding of his blood; he is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved from the punishment in the grave; he is kept safe from the Greatest Terror; he has placed on his head a crown of honour, a ruby of which is better than the world and what it contains; he is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens with large dark eyes; and he is made intercessor for seventy of his relatives."[5]

A man asked the Prophet "O Messenger of Allah! Why is it that all the believers are tried in their graves except the martyr?" The Prophet replied: "The head of the martyr is protected by the gleam of swords."[6]