"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Wrap them up with their blood, for there is no wound incurred in the cause of Allah, but he will come on the Day of Resurrection bleeding with the color of blood, but its fragrance will be that of musk.'"
Hadith Text & Reference
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Wrap them up with their blood, for there is no wound incurred in the cause of Allah, but he will come on the Day of Resurrection bleeding with the color of blood, but its fragrance will be that of musk.'"
Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3148, The Book of Jihad
Commentary on the Command
The instruction "Wrap them up with their blood" refers to martyrs who fall in battle. Scholars explain this means they should be buried in their blood-stained garments without being washed, honoring their supreme sacrifice. This practice distinguishes martyrs from other deceased Muslims, whose bodies are traditionally washed before burial.
This ruling applies specifically to those killed in battlefield combat while fighting for Allah's cause. Their blood becomes a witness to their faith and sacrifice, making ritual washing unnecessary and even disrespectful to their honored status.
The Spiritual Reality of Martyrdom
The Prophet (ﷺ) describes a profound spiritual transformation: though the martyr's wounds appear as blood on Judgment Day, they emit the fragrance of musk. This illustrates how physical suffering in Allah's path is transformed into spiritual beauty.
Musk, being the most precious of perfumes in classical Islamic culture, symbolizes the elevated status of martyrs. Their wounds, rather than being sources of defilement, become badges of honor and means of divine recognition.
Scholarly Insights
Classical commentators note that this hadith emphasizes the honor Allah bestows upon those who sacrifice their lives for His cause. The apparent blood serves as visible proof of their martyrdom, while the musk fragrance demonstrates Allah's pleasure and the spiritual purity of their sacrifice.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explains that this transformation shows how worldly suffering becomes otherworldly honor, and physical pain becomes spiritual pleasure in the sight of Allah.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This hadith establishes the special funeral rites for martyrs and reinforces the concept that physical appearances in this world may be completely transformed in the Herebased on one's intentions and actions.
The teaching encourages believers to value spiritual realities over physical appearances and to understand that sacrifices made for truth and justice are eternally honored by Allah, regardless of how they might appear to worldly eyes.