There was a man who fought most bravely of all the Muslims on behalf of the Muslims in a battle (Ghazwa) in the company of the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) looked at him and said. "If anyone would like to see a man from the people of the Fire, let him look at this (brave man)." On that, a man from the People (Muslims) followed him, and he was in that state i.e., fighting fiercely against the pagans till he was wounded, and then he hastened to end his life by placing his sword between his breasts (and pressed it with great force) till it came out between his shoulders. Then the man (who was watching that person) went quickly to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I testify that you are Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "Why do you say that?" He said, "You said about so-and-so, 'If anyone would like to see a man from the people of the Fire, he should look at him.' He fought most bravely of all of us on behalf of the Muslims and I knew that he would not die as a Muslim (Martyr). So when he got wounded, he hastened to die and committed suicide." There-upon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A man may do the deeds of the people of the Fire while in fact he is one of the people of Paradise, and he may do the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact he belongs to the people of Fire, and verily, (the rewards of) the deeds are decided by the last actions (deeds)".
Divine Will (Al-Qadar)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6607
The Hadith of the Brave Warrior
This profound narration from Sahih al-Bukhari presents a remarkable incident where a man displayed exceptional bravery in battle, yet the Prophet (ﷺ) identified him as being from the people of the Fire. The apparent contradiction between his outward deeds and his ultimate destiny serves as a crucial lesson about the nature of faith and divine decree.
Scholarly Commentary
The scholars explain that this hadith demonstrates the principle that deeds are judged by their conclusion (khawatim). A person may perform righteous actions throughout life, but if they end in disbelief or major sin, it nullifies previous good deeds. Conversely, a sinner may repent at life's end and attain Paradise.
Imam al-Nawawi comments that this narration emphasizes the danger of despairing of Allah's mercy and taking matters into one's own hands through suicide. The warrior's final act of self-destruction, despite his earlier bravery, revealed his true spiritual state.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that the Prophet's knowledge of this man's fate came through divine revelation (wahy), not personal judgment. This highlights that only Allah knows the ultimate destiny of souls.
Key Theological Principles
1. The principle of "sealing of deeds" - that the final actions determine the ultimate outcome
2. The distinction between outward appearance and inward reality
3. The prohibition of suicide regardless of circumstances
4. The comprehensive nature of divine knowledge encompassing all apparent contradictions
5. The importance of maintaining proper intention and consistency in worship until death