Does a person who died of cancer as a result of smoking attain the status of a martyr?

Does a person who died of cancer as a result of smoking attain the status of a martyr?.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is proven in the saheeh Sunnah that there are various kinds of martyrs who will attain the status of martyrdom in the Hereafter; this is by the grace and mercy of Allah. 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The martyrs are five: the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed beneath a falling wall, and the martyr who is killed for the sake of Allaah.” 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Ibn al-Teen said: All of these are deaths which involve hardship. Allah has bestowed His grace upon the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by making them means of erasing their sins and increasing their rewards, and enabling them to attain the status of martyrdom. 

Fath al-Baari, 6/44 

If a person dies of cancer, some of the scholars are of the view that he is included among the types of martyr mentioned in the hadeeth, on the basis that the word mabtoon (the one who dies of a disease in the abdomen) is general and includes everyone who dies of a disease in his abdomen and that this does not apply to any one specific disease. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The word mabtoon means the one with a disease in the abdomen, which is diarrhoea. Al-Qaadi said: And it was said that he is the one who suffers from dropsy or oedema and swelling of the abdomen. And it was said that it refers to the one who suffers some disease in his abdomen. And it was said that it refers to anyone who dies from a disease in the abdomen in general. End quote from Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi. 

But it should be noted that this suggestion is connected to two conditions: 

(i)                that the site of the cancer be in the abdomen so that he may truly be said to be mabtoon. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad (may Allah preserve him) was asked: 

Does a person who dies of cancer come under the heading of mabtoon? 

He replied: 

No, because cancer is not always in the stomach; it may be somewhere other than the stomach. 

Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood (tape no. 230) 

As the site of your friend’s cancer was in the throat, he is not included among any of the groups who are regarded as martyrs. 

(ii)              that the disease should not have been caused by smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol, or other haraam things, unless he has repented sincerely from that and has given up consuming those haraam things. 

This condition is general and applies to all those mentioned in the hadeeth. If a woman is pregnant as the result of zina and dies in labour, she is not regarded as one of the martyrs. If a person who drowned had boarded the boat or ship in order to commit sin or some immoral activity, and dies as a result of drowning, he is not one of the martyrs. A person who is killed by a falling wall when he is committing zina or drinking alcohol is not one of the martyrs. In the answer to question no. 45669, we have quoted the Standing Committee as saying that a person who dies as the result of a car accident when he was inside the car comes under the same heading as one who was killed by a falling wall, so he is a martyr, by Allah’s leave. But this cannot be applied to those foolish young men to whom this happens when they are racing in their cars, or to those who compete in difficult circumstances in the mountains or in the snow (“extreme sports”). 

In the answer to question no. 22140, we quoted Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah as saying that if a person drowns after boarding a ship for sinful purposes, he is not a martyr. 

And elsewhere he said: 

Whoever wants to follow a path where the possibilities of being safe or being killed are equal has to refrain from following it; if he does not refrain, then he is aiding in his own destruction so he is not a martyr. 

Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/381 

Al-Suyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Al-Qurtubi said: This and the previous one -- i.e., those who are killed by a falling wall or drowning -- if they did not take risks and did not fail to take precautions, (then they are martyrs). But if they did not take precautions and died as a result of that, then they are sinners. 

Al-Deebaaj ‘ala Muslim (4/508) 

In al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (26/273, 274) it says: 

An exception is made in the case of one who travels for the purpose of sin and dies away from home. Another exception is made in the case of one who drowns but was sinning by boarding the ship when he knew that it was most likely not to be safe for him to do so, or he boarded it for the purpose of committing sin. Another exception is made in the case of a woman who is pregnant as a result of zina and dies in childbirth. End quote. 

If the person who is slain in battle was fighting for the sake of tribalism or to show off, he does not attain the virtue or status of martyrdom, and it is more likely that such people will not attain that great reward. 

Summary: 

Cancer in and of itself does not mean that the person who dies of it is one of the types of martyrs, unless the disease was in his abdomen. That is not what is stated in the hadeeth; rather it is the ijtihaad (opinion) of some scholars with regard to the meaning of mabtoon. If a person’s disease was caused by smoking and the like, and he dies of it before repenting, then he is not a martyr, even if the disease was in his abdomen. But if the disease in his abdomen was not the result of a haraam action, we hope that he will attain the status of the martyrs in the Hereafter, in sha Allah. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

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Attending the funeral of a non-Muslim relative in the church

I am a new muslim and my parents and relatives are muslim. One of my relative has dies recently and i was very close to her. I like to know if i can attend her funeral in church? I wont say any words during prayer just sit there.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

It is not permissible for a Muslim to attend the funeral of a non-Muslim even if it is a relative, because attending a funeral is a right that one Muslim has over another and it is a kind of showing respect, honour and friendship that it is not permissible to show to a kaafir. 

Abu Taalib, the paternal uncle of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died, and he instructed ‘Ali to bury him, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not attend his funeral or his burial, even though Abu Taalib’s support and defence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was well known, and even though the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a great deal of compassion and mercy towards him. Nothing stopped him from doing that except the fact that Abu Taalib died in a state of kufr. In fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I shall certainly pray for forgiveness for you so long as I am not forbidden to do so.” Then the words were revealed (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaah’s forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief)” [al-Tawbah 9:113] and: “Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like,” [al-Qasas 28:56]. 

Abu Dawood (3214) and al-Nasaa’i (2006) narrated that ‘Ali said: I said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Your paternal uncle, the misguided old man, has died. He said: “Go and bury your father.” 

Although Islam promotes upholding ties of kinship and treating relatives kindly, it forbids close friendship between the believer and the disbeliever, so whatever is one of the forms of close friendship is forbidden, but whatever is kindness that is less than close friendship is permitted. 

Imam Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The Muslim should not wash his father if his father died as a disbeliever, or attend his funeral, or go down into his grave, unless he fears that he may be neglected, in which case he may bury him. End quote from al-Mudawwanah, 1/261 

It says in Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat (1/374): The Muslim should not wash the kaafir because it is not allowed to form a strong bond with the kuffaar, and because that implies respecting him and purifying him; therefore it is not permissible, as is the case with offering the funeral prayer for him: “Do not shroud him or pray for him or attend his funeral,” because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allaah” [al-Mumtahanah 60:13]. 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (9/10): What is the ruling on attending the funerals of disbelievers which has become a political custom and a tradition that all agreed upon? 

Answer: If there are some kuffaar present who can bury their dead, then the Muslims should not bury them or join the kuffar or help them with burying them, or seek to be kind to them by attending their funerals, acting in accordance with political customs. Such matters are not known to have been done by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or by the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Rather Allah forbade His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to stand over the grave of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, and the reason given was that he was a disbeliever. Allah said (interpretation of the meaning): “And never (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allaah and His Messenger, and died while they were Faasiqoon (rebellious, — disobedient to Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم)” [al-Tawbah 9:84]. But if there are none of them present who could bury him, then the Muslims should bury him as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did with the slain of Badr and his paternal uncle Abu Taalib when he died, and he said to ‘Ali: “Go and bury him.” 

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas

‘Abd-Allah ibn Qa‘ood, ‘Abd-Allah ibn Ghadyaan, ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allah ibn Baaz. End quote. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) issued a similar fatwa in Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb. 

Secondly: 

Attending the funeral of a kaafir in the church is much more serious than merely following the funeral procession, because this attendance implies listening to kufr and falsehood. This is something that is ignored by those who say that it is permissible to attend and stipulate that one should not participate in the rituals that take place there. Just sitting and watching and listening to kufr and falsehood is a wrong action that one should not do. 

And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Qur’aan) that when you hear the Verses of Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allaah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:140]. 

Al-Jassaas said in Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (2/407): In this verse there is evidence that it is obligatory to denounce the evildoer’s action and that part of denouncing it is expressing disapproval, if it is not possible to remove it, as well as leaving the gathering where it is happening, until they stop doing that evil action. End quote. 

Thus it is clear that attending the funeral rituals in the church is a great evil because of what it involves of listening to kufr and being present at innovation, whilst keeping quiet about it, in addition to the fact that attending the funeral is a sign of honour and friendship as mentioned above. 

We ask Allah to help us and you to be steadfast and to guide us and help us all. 

And Allah knows best.

The food comes back up to his throat – what should he do?

I have a problem with my fasting, which is that at the beginning of the day the food comes back up from the stomach to the throat, and often it passes the throat. This is something that happens every day. What should I do? Do I have to repeat the fasts of those days? Please note that this happens every day in Ramadaan.

Praise be to Allaah.

If some of the food comes back up from the stomach to the throat, this is something that a person has no control over, rather it may be due to some medical problem or because the stomach is filled with food. 

This is called regurgitation and the one to whom that happens should expel it from his mouth if he can. But if he cannot expel it and it goes back to his stomach, there is no blame on him and it does not affect his fast. 

Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The fast is not invalidated if a person regurgitates and it comes out of his throat, so long as he does not deliberately swallow it after it reaches his mouth and he is able to spit it out. End quote. 

Al-Muhalla (4/335). 

For more details on this issue, please see question no. 40696 and 12659.

Having fillings and applying medicine to the teeth does not affect the fast

I have braces on my teeth and every three weeks I have to go to the dentist and he adjusts the braces on my teeth, and he puts some things and materials in my mouth. Does this invalidate the fast?.

Praise be to Allaah.

That does not invalidate the fast so long as you do not deliberately swallow any of these materials. If it is possible to do that at night, that will be better and more on the safe side with regard to your fast. 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked (15/285): If a person has a toothache and he goes to the dentist, and he does some cleaning or a filling or pulls out one of his teeth, does that affect his fast, or if the dentist gives him an injection to numb his tooth, does that affect his fast? 

He replied: 

The things mentioned in the question do not affect the validity of the fast, rather that is excused. But he has to be careful to avoid swallowing any of the medicine or blood. Similarly, the injection mentioned does not invalidate the fast either, because it is not like food and drink, and the basic principle is that the fast remains valid. End quote.

Having dental treatment whilst fasting

Please can you tell me if it is permissable to go to the dentist while fasting. As I have to have some treatment done on my teeth, which is quite important. What is my situation if I was fasting (Ramadan)and something went down my thoat unintentionally.

Praise be to Allaah.  

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (May Allaah have mercy on him) was asked, 

If a person suffers pain in his teeth and he goes to the dentist who cleans them or does a filling or extracts one of his teeth, does that affect his fast? If the dentist gives him an injection to anaesthetize his tooth, does that affect his fast? 

He answered: 

The things mentioned in this question doe not have any effect on the validity of the fast, rather that is allowed. But he has to be careful not to swallow any medicine or blood. Similarly, the injection mentioned does not affect the validity of the fast because it is not a kind of food or drink, and the basic principle is that his fast is valid. (Ajwabah Muhimmah tata’allaq bi Arkaan al-Islam). 

If you can go to the dentist in the evening, this is preferable. 

And Allaah knows best.

Is saying Ramadan Mubarak be bidah

Is saying "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramadan Kareem" considered to be bid3ah?.

Praise be to Allaah.  

There is nothing wrong with congratulating one another at the beginning of the month. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell his Companions the good news of the onset of Ramadaan, and urge them to make the most of it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month. Allaah has made it obligatory on you to fast (this month). During it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are locked, and the devils are chained up. In it there is a night that is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is deprived indeed.’” (Reported by al-Nisaa'i, 4/129; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/490)

And Allaah knows best.

See: (Alsiyam - 70 Issues Related to Fasting).

Ruling on using kohl, henna and cosmetics

What is the ruling on women using kohl and some cosmetics during the day in Ramadaan? Do these things break the fast or not?

Praise be to Allaah.  

Kohl does not break the fast of either women or men, according to the more correct opinion of the scholars, but using it at night is preferable for one who is fasting. The same applies to other things that are used to beautify the face such as soap, creams and so on, which has to do with the outer layer of the skin. That also includes henna, make-up and the like, but make-up should not be used if it will harm the face. 

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