He died fighting “for Allah’s sake” and entered Hell!

He died fighting “for Allah’s sake” and entered Hell!

Imam Muhammad ibn Wadaah [1] (may Allah shower him with Mercy) narrated in his book Al-Bida’ (1/87) that, Abu Ubaida ibn Huzaifa said:

حَدَّثَنا أَسَدٌ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا المُبَارَكُ بنُ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بنِ عُبَيْدٍ عنِ ابنِ سِيرينَ قالَ: أَخْبَرني أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بنُ حُذَيْفَةَ قالَ:ـ

جاءَ رَجُلٌ إلى حُذَيْفَةَ بنِ اليَمانِ وأبو موسى الأشعري قاعدٌ فقالَ: أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً ضَرَبَ بِسَيْفِهِ غَضَباً لله حتى قُتِلَ، أينَ هو، أفي الجَنَّةِ أَمْ في النَّارِ؟ فقالَ أبو موسى: في الجنَّةِ، فقالَ حذيفة: اسْتَفْهِمِ الرَّجُلَ وَأَفْهِمْهُ ما تَقُولُ؟ قالَ أبو موسى: سُبْحَانَ الله! كيفَ قلتَ؟ قالَ: قُلتُ: رَجُلٌ ضَرَبَ بِسَيْفِهِ غَضَباً لله حتى قُتِلَ، أفي الجَنَّةِ أم في النَّارِ؟ فقالَ أبو موسى: في الجَنَّةِ. قالَ حُذَيْفَةُ: اسْتَفْهِمِ الرَّجُلَ وَأَفْهِمْهُ ما تَقُولُ. حتى فَعَلَ ذلِكَ ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ في الثَّالِثَةِ قالَ: والله لا أَسْتَفْهِمهُ. فَدَعا بِهِ حُذَيفَةُ فَقَالَ: رُوَيْدَكَ إنَّ صَاحِبَكَ لو ضَرَبَ بِسَيْفِهِ حتى يَنْقَطِعَ فَأَصَابَ الحَقَّ حتى يُقتلَ عليه فهو في الجَنَّةِ، وإنْ لَمْ يُصِبِ الحَقَّ ولم يُوْفِّقْهُ الله للحَقِّ فهو في النَّارِ. ثُمَّ قالَ: والَّذي نَفْسِي بيده لَيَدْخُلَنَّ النَّارَ في مِثْلِ الّذي سألتَ عنهُ أكثرُ من كذا وكذا

A man came to Huzaifa ibn Al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him), while Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting, and said:

What do you say of a man who fought [vigorously] with his sword, angered for Allah’s [sake], until he was killed, where would he be: in Heavens or in Hell?

So Abu Musa said: In Heaven.

So Huzaifa said: Inquire more from the man [about what he is asking] and then explain to him more what you are saying!

So Abu Musa said: Subhan Allah! What was that you asked?

So the man said: I said: A man fought [vigorously] with his sword, angered for [the sake of] Allah until he was killed, is he in Heaven or in Hell?

So Abu Musa said: In Heaven.

So Huzaifa said: Inquire more from the man [about what he is asking] and then explain to him more what you are saying!

This repeated for three times.

At the third time, he (i.e. Abu Musa) said: By Allah, I will not ask him [to clarify]anymore.

So Huzaifa called for the man, and said:

رُوَيْدَكَ إنَّ صَاحِبَكَ لو ضَرَبَ بِسَيْفِهِ حتى يَنْقَطِعَ فَأَصَابَ الحَقَّ حتى يُقتلَ عليه فهو في الجَنَّةِ، وإنْ لَمْ يُصِبِ الحَقَّ ولم يُوْفِّقْْهُ الله للحَقِّ فهو في النَّارِ. ثُمَّ قالَ: والَّذي نَفْسِي بيده لَيَدْخُلَنَّ النَّارَ في مِثْلِ الّذي سألتَ عنهُ أكثرُ من كذا وكذا

“Slow down, for if your companion fought with his sword until he [is killed], and was in line with the Truth until he dies upon it then he is in Heaven.

But if he was not on the path of the Truth [rather was on the path of Falsehood], and Allah did not aid him to the Truth [until he dies], then he is in Hell!”

Then he said:

“By the One in whose Hand is my soul!, There will enter in Hell, from the likes of that which you have asked about, more than such-and-such (signifying a huge number)” [2].

Reference:

[1] He is Al-Imam al-Haafiz, Abu Abdillah, Muhammad ibn Wadaah al-Marawani. The Muhaddith of Andalus, along with Baqi ibn Makhlad (may Allah have mercy on them both). He died in the year of 286 or 287 of Hijra.

Imam Al-Dhahabi said in the Siyar: “Through Baqi ibn Makhlad and Muhammad ibn Wadaah Andalusia was turned into a land of Hadith”.

[2] And from the examples of these are the Khawarij, who the Messenger of Allah foretold about, who fought vigorously for their Falsehood against Ali (may Allah be well pleased with him), claiming and believing that it was for Allah’s sake. The Messenger of Allah said of them, as was reported by Imam Abu Dawud:

“They are worst of the people and creation. Glad tidings is to the one who kills them or is killed by them. They call to the book of Allah, but they have nothing to do with it. He who fights against them will be nearer to Allah than them.”