Martyrs are alive with their Lord Fatwa No: 12114
- Fatwa Date:27-1-2011
Will martyrs enter Paradise before the Day of Resurrection?
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It has been affirmed that some believers, that is, the martyrs, are alive and living in comfort in Paradise after their deaths. This was stated in the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet . Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allaah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.} [Quran 3:169]
In a Hadeeth on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ood related to the meaning of the above verse, the Prophet mentioned that the souls of these martyrs roam in Paradise wherever they wish and that they desire nothing but to return to this worldly life again and to be killed in the cause of Allaah again. [Muslim]
Al-Qurtubi stated that scholars unanimously agree that it is only for martyrs that food and delight are brought immediately. Others are only shown their would-be place in Paradise until they are resurrected on the Day of Judgment. Ibn ‘Umar mentioned that the dead person is shown his seat either in Paradise or in Hell until the Day of Resurrection. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Allaah Knows best.