Is the Highest Level of Reward of the Martyr Exclusively for Men?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

 

Question 

I read there is different types of martyrs but not all types of martyrs share the same reward and the one with greatest reward is getting killed on the battlefield. For example, a woman who dies while giving birth even though is martyr she gets less than those killed in battle. Since fighting on the battlefield is for men only, is there something that will give women the exact same reward as being killed on the battlefield or is the highest level of rewards of martyr exclusive to men?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Even though in majority of situations, it was exclusively men that fought in battles. Due to this it was most common for men to achieve martyrdom. However, any person, male or female, who is wrongfully killed by a non-muslim for his or her religion achieves the same reward.

The First Martyr of Islam

The first martyr of Islam was Sumayya (Allah be pleased with her). She was killed for her religion and her refusal to renounce her faith.

Martyrdom

Martyrdom in a battle is not exclusive to men. Many woman have achieved this great rank in Islam, defending their religion with bravery and courage. There are, however, other ranks of martyrdom that women can achieve that are exclusive to women.

Dying in Childbirth

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Who do you count as a martyr amongst you?” They said, “The one who fights and is killed in the path of Allah.” The Messenger (may Allah bless him and give him peace)replied, “Indeed, the martyrs of my community (in that case) would be few. The one who dies due to a plague is a martyr; the one who dies due to a stomach illness is a martyr; and the woman who dies due to childbirth is a martyr.” [Ahmad]

Hope this helps

Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.