I am a Muslim girl whose single greatest concern is attaining martyrdom for the sake of Allaah The Almighty but I cannot fight in the battlefield, so what should I do to attain such a rank when I die? May Allaah The Almighty Reward you with good.

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.

May Allaah The Almighty Bless the questioner and Grant all of us sincerity regarding all acts of obedience.

It is an established fact that if an individual observed sincere intentions to offer any act of worship and was then prevented from fulfilling it due to any reason, Allaah The Almighty Will Reward him even though he did not do it.

This ruling is supported by the following Hadeeth:

-         Sahl Ibn Haneef narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever sincerely asks Allaah for martyrdom, Allaah Will Grant him the status of the martyrs even if he died on his bed.” [Muslim]

-         Anas ibn Maalik narrated that when the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, returned from the Battle of Tabook and approached Al-Medeenah, he said, "There are some people in Al-Medeenah who were with you all the time. You did not travel any portion of the journey nor crossed any valley but they were with you”. They (i.e. the Companions) said, "O Messenger of Allaah, even though they were in Al-Medeenah?" He said, "Yes, because they were prevented by a genuine excuse." [Al-Bukhari].

Jihaad is confined to men and not women. However, cases in which women participate in Jihaad are few. Moreover, most women may not be able to participate in Jihaad due to their situations and natural biological conditions that Allaah The Almighty Created them with.

Therefore, Allaah The Almighty Legislated peculiar rulings for women. Having realized the great reward of Jihaad, ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers wished to share in it. So the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, directed her to an affordable way to attain such a reward. She said: "O Messenger of Allaah, we consider Jihaad as the best of deeds. Should we not then go for Jihaad?" The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied, "No, but the best Jihaad for you (women) is a Hajj Accepted by Allaah." [Al-Bukhari].

So an accepted Hajj is your way and of women like you to attain such a reward. It is also the way of weak men as stated in other narrations.

Anas narrated that women came and complained to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that men attained superiority as they participate in Jihaad whereas women do not. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: “The efforts of a woman in serving her family at home raises her to the rank of the Mujahideen, Allaah Willing” [Abu Ya`laa].

Allaah Knows best.