Topic Of Fatwa Palestine Martyrs (ittijihadiyah)
Questioner

ear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. First of all, let me thank the Fatwa Corner for providing such a great service. This is commendable and it deserves recognition. The following statement is not so much a question as it is a sharing of opinion. I would like to know what you feel about this opinion: Some friends and I were talking about the Intifadah. One of the most critical topics that we discussed was the suicide bombing. Most scholars and Muslims generally agree that the suicide bombing is allowed (Halal), yet an interesting point my friend brought up could possible invalidate this ruling.
In all the hadiths I have heard and read, and what scholars quote, I got impression that suicide is Halal. No one says that the early Muslims who died in a suicide operation killed himself. In carrying out these operations, each martyr (Shaheed) obviously had nothing in mind than to die for the sake of a cause. Yet he never stabbed himself, nor did he drink poison, nor shoot himself with a bow. Each Shaheed in the operation died in a suicide mission, yet not by his own hand, or most notably, not intentionally. To go yet a little further into the matter, the only thing I can remember is that when a Mujahid did kill himself, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) condemned him.
These suicide bombers have other alternatives to resistance than strapping a bomb to themselves and dying, sometimes the plan went futile and sometimes taking other souls with them. These alternatives might lead to their demise nonetheless, yet the intention of the Muslim would not have been to die at that spot. Instead, his intention would be to carry on with the Jihad. Please respond and tell me what you think.
Name of Mufti Dr. Fu'ad Mukhaymar
Reply:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear brother in Islam, we would like to appreciate the great confidence you place in us. We thank you in return and we are to admit that it is our responsibility to convey Allah's word and disseminate knowledge.
We'd like to address a point; all scholars agreed that what the Palestinians carry out in showing resistance against their enemies is not a suicide bombing; rather, it's to be called martyr operation.
As regards your question, the late Azharite scholar and the head of the Sunni Egyptian Institutions in Egypt, Sheikh Fu'ad Mukhaymar, states the following:
"The view adopted by the majority of our contemporary Muslim scholars, describing as martyrs the Palestinians who blow themselves up in the occupied land in showing resistance against the aggression, is correct for the following reasons:
A person who blows himself up sacrifices his life for the survival of others. He dies for his homeland and his holy sites.
Those disarmed people are annihilated every day. Their houses and factories are destroyed and their farms are devastated. They stand with their hands tied before the tanks and armored vehicles of their enemies. The least they can offer is this sacrifice. A person who does this operation is considered by Ulama as a martyr especially as he sacrifices his life, not for a material gain, but for the sake of Allah.
The Palestinians lack the military support of the whole world. In this case, do they have to wait their doom or try their best to defend themselves?
The instances cited by scholars, in supporting their arguments, are also correct. History is full of many fascinating examples in which Muslims demonstrated an outstanding courage and strong spirit in fighting their enemies; they would sacrifice their lives for the sake of achieving their aim.
As regards the questioner’s reference to the narration that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved the act of a fighter who killed himself, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this when he knew that the man killed himself out of despair and discontent. But on the issue at hand, a Palestinian knows well what he does and chooses it with his free will. It’s for this great sacrifice that he deserves martyrdom