ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Maqtal al-Husayn The Verse of Perdition From what we have already established, it has become clear to us that the Imams (‘a) were never ignorant of the martyrdom of each one of them: who would commit it, how and when. They were informed of it by Allah Who bestowed upon them of the types of knowledge whereby they comprehended the events, in addition to the heavenly tablet which descended upon their grandfather, the Supreme Saviour (S), and which they read.

Their welcoming martyrdom in a way that assisted the demise of their holy selves, or hurled them into perdition, is something that the Holy Qur’an prohibits. Safeguarding one's life and taking precautions against falling into perdition is obligatory so long as it is destined, or when it does not serve a higher purpose.

But in the presence of a purpose that is served by one exposing his life to peril, as is the case with performing jihad or in self-defense, death will claim the lives of a number of Mujtahids . Allah ordered His prophets and messengers who approached it determined to be martyred, and many of them were quite happy to do so. A number of prophets were killed in the line of their duty; they never flinched nor relented till their holy souls departed from their bodies.

A group from among the Israelites sought to worship their Lord by putting an end to their lives; He, the Great and the Almighty, said, “So repent to your Creator and kill your own selves”. (Qur’an, Sura al-Baqara, 2:54). [^1] To read this verse as is [rather than in its context] will only take it out of our discussion of the topic of revelation: to warn against an imminent danger. It succeeded a verse dealing with transgression during the months regarded by the Muslims as sacred.

Allah Almighty says, “The sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury that he has inflicted on you, and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and keep in mind that Allah is with those who guard (themselves against evil)” (Qur’an, Sura al-Baqara, 2:194).

The prohibition of putting someone’s life in jeopardy becomes [in such a context] dependent on the polytheists attacking the Muslims during the sacred months, and when the Muslims did not have enough force to fight them back.