the Prophet came to visit 'Abdullah bin Thabit (when he was sick) and found him very close to death. He called out to him and he did not respond, so the Messenger of Allah said: "Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return," and said: "We wanted you to live but we were overtaken by the decree of Allah, O Abu Ar-Rabi." The women screamed and wept, and Ibn "Atik started telling them to quiet. The Messenger of Allah said: "Leave them; when the inevitable comes, no one should weep." They said: "What is the inevitable, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Death." His daughter said: "I had hoped that you would become a martyr, for you had prepared yourself for it." The Messenger of Allah said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has rewarded him according to his intention. What do you think martyrdom is?" They said: "Being killed for the sake of Allah." The Messenger of Allah said: "Martyrdom is of seven types besides being killed for the sake of Allah. The one who dies of the plague is a martyr; the one who is crushed by a falling building is a martyr; the one who is crusheds by a falling building is a martyr; the one who dies of pleurisy is a martyr; the one who dies of pleurisy is a martyr; the one who is burned to death is a martyr, and the woman who dies in pregnancy is a martyr."
The Book of Funerals - Sunan an-Nasa'i 1846
A profound commentary on the visitation of the sick and the comprehensive understanding of martyrdom in Islam, as narrated through the final moments of 'Abdullah bin Thabit.
The Etiquette of Visiting the Dying
When the Prophet (ﷺ) found 'Abdullah bin Thabit unresponsive, he recited "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" - affirming divine ownership and return. This teaches us that visiting the dying is a collective obligation (fard kifayah) wherein we should remind ourselves of Allah's decree.
The Prophet's statement "We wanted you to live but we were overtaken by the decree of Allah" demonstrates the balance between human hope and divine predestination (qadar). This is the essence of tawakkul - striving while accepting what Allah decrees.
The Wisdom Behind Permitting Initial Weeping
The Prophet (ﷺ) allowed the women's initial weeping, distinguishing between natural emotional expression and excessive lamentation. The prohibition comes "when the inevitable comes" - meaning after death is confirmed. This reflects Islam's balanced approach to human emotion.
The Expansive Definition of Martyrdom
The Prophet's enumeration of seven types of martyrs beyond military jihad revolutionizes our understanding of shahadah. Each category represents death through circumstances beyond human control, demonstrating that martyrdom encompasses all who die while patient through divine tests.
The plague martyr dies patiently through pandemic; the drowned martyr through water calamity; the building collapse victim through structural failure; pleurisy through internal disease; burning through fire accident; and the pregnant woman through childbirth complications. All receive martyr's reward without military combat.
The Primacy of Intention in Reward
When 'Abdullah's daughter expressed hope for military martyrdom, the Prophet confirmed that Allah rewards according to intention (niyyah). This establishes the principle that sincere intention can elevate a natural death to the status of martyrdom if one had prepared for jihad.