“And do not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah that they are dead; they are alive even though you have no knowledge of their life. We shall certainly test you by afflicting fear, hunger, loss of properties and lives and fruits upon you. Give glad tidings, then, to those who remain patient and when an affliction smites them, they say: ‘Verily to Allah do we belong, and it is to Him that we are destined to return’.”
(Al-Qur’ān – 2:154-56)
The word ‘death’ has a depressing effect. People have therefore been instructed not to refer to martyrs who laid down their lives for God as ‘dead’, since this might lead to the dissipation of the spirit which enables people to struggle and make sacrifices in the cause of God. Instead, people have been instructed to bear in mind that anyone who lays down his life for God has in fact attained immorality. As well as being a statement of fact this also helps to arouse and sustain courage.
There is a Tradition from the Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) that he who leaves the world after having lived righteously is greeted with a life so felicitous that he never wishes to return to the world. The only exception to this are martyrs who wish to be sent back to the world so that they may once again attain martyrdom and thereby enjoy that unique joy, bliss and ecstasy which one experiences at the time of laying down one’s life for God.