Sayyiduna Utbah bin Abd Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him, who was among the Companions of the Messenger, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: There are three types of killing: (1) The believer who fights in the way of Allah with his life and wealth; when he confronts the enemy, he fights them until he is martyred. He is the martyr who will boast in the tent of Allah under the Throne of Allah; the Prophets will only have superiority over such a martyr due to the rank of Prophethood. (2) The believer who has committed sins against himself and fights in the way of Allah with his life and wealth; when he meets the enemies, he fights them until he is martyred. The sins of such a martyr are forgiven; indeed, the sword wipes away sins. Such a martyr will enter Paradise through whichever of its eight gates he wishes; some of these gates are superior to others, and Hell has seven gates. (3) The hypocrite who fights with his life and wealth; when he confronts the enemy, he fights in the way of Allah until he is killed. This person will be in Hell, because the sword cannot wipe away the sin of hypocrisy.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Fadala bin Ubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Martyrs are of three types: (1) The believer who possesses excellent faith, when he faces the enemy, he fights affirming Allah Almighty until he is martyred. He is the martyr to whom people will raise their necks on the Day of Resurrection. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head upwards until either his or Sayyiduna Umar’s (may Allah be pleased with him) cap fell off. (2) The believer whose faith is excellent, but when he faces the enemy, such fear overcomes him as if a thorn from an acacia tree has been pricked into his skin. Then suddenly a stray arrow strikes him and he is martyred; such a person will be in the second rank. (3) The believer whose faith is excellent, but he has performed both good and bad deeds, when he faces the enemy, he fights affirming Allah Almighty until he is martyred; this martyr will be in the third rank.

(The second chain) Its wording is as follows: There are four types of martyrs … Then the three types mentioned in the previous hadith were mentioned, and then he said: … (4) That believing man who has greatly wronged himself with sins, when he meets the enemy, he fights affirming Allah, until he is martyred; he is a martyr of the fourth rank.

Abu Muhammad, who is among the companions of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates that he related this: The martyrs were mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Most of the martyrs of my Ummah will be those of the beds, and among those killed between two rows, there are many whose intentions are best known by Allah Almighty.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Refrain from saying such things as“So-and-so’s death is martyrdom,”or“So-and-so has become a martyr,”because some people fight for the sake of spoils, some fight for fame, and some fight so that their status may be known. If you must bear witness, then bear witness of martyrdom only for those people whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent in a military expedition and they were killed, and before being killed they said:“O Allah! Convey this message from us to our Prophet, that we have met You and we are pleased with You and You are pleased with us.”

Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When a man is killed in your battles, you say about him that so-and-so has become a martyr, whereas it is possible that he had loaded gold and silver on the back of his animal or on the sides of his mount for the sake of trade. Therefore, do not say this statement of martyrdom about anyone. Yes, you may say what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever is martyred in the way of Allah will go to Paradise.