1) To be a Muslim: the basic requirement is that the martyr be a believer (a Muslim.) It is determined that non-Muslims cannot be beneficiaries of the spiritual blessings provided by Islam; these include the rank of martyrdom.

2) To be responsible: According to Islamic principles, for a person to be held responsible in Islam, he or she has to be of sound mental health and to have reached puberty. Therefore, children and mentally ill persons are not held to be responsible, thus making them illegible for "perfect martyrdom." This is the view of Imam A'zam; but scholars who oppose this view maintain that "those who reach puberty and those who do not are on equal footing regarding the conditions of martyrdom. Since those who have not yet reached puberty are considered to be Muslims, and if they die while fighting the infidels, then they have acted like those who have reached puberty. Thus, justice requires that they be treated equally. In fact, the treatment of the Prophet of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud supports this view, because there were very young persons among the martyrs, like Harith ibn Numan" (Zuhayli 3:105).

3) Cleanliness: The martyr must be clean with regard to the conditions named as canonical impurity. According to this condition, men who are in need of ablution, and women who are in their menstrual period, or within the post partum period are excluded from the scope of the burial treatment of "perfect martyrs." That is to say that, those who are killed in this condition will be given ablution. This view, again, is according to Imam A'zam. On the other hand, other scholars, namely Imam Muhammad, Abu Yusuf, Shafii, Ahmet ibn Hanbal and Imam Malik argue that martyrdom itself cleans the impurity, thus there is no need for ablution to be given to persons killed in these conditions. The latter scholars substantiate their view with the case of Hanzala, who fought in the Battle of Uhud and was killed. He had been married the day before, and had run to fight without even having a chance to make his ablution (which is required after intercourse). Even though his wife informed the Prophet that he was canonically impure when he died, the Prophet declared that he had been given ablution by the angels, and buried him without ablution (like all the other martyrs) (Ibn Abidin 3:514).

4) Not to be killed for a just cause: Those who are not killed for a just cause, for example as a legal punishment to a crime, such as qisas (retaliation killing), are considered to be "perfect martyrs."

5) Not to be a murtas (wounded person carried away from the battle field): This word, which literally means "a person wounded in a war, and carried to another location," includes those who undergo medical treatment, who eat, drink, sleep, have prolonged conversations, who make their last will, and things of this nature before dying. If all of these, which are regarded as worldly matters, happen after the person has been fatally injured and taken to another location, then the person is regarded as a murtas. If these actions are all engaged in at the place where one is injured, while the war is still being fought, then this does not alter the conditions of being a "perfect martyr." The case of ‘Umar, ‘Ali and ‘Uthman (the second, fourth and the third caliphs) are perfect examples for this condition. ‘Umar and ‘Ali were transported to another place after being fatally injured, thus, their bodies were given ablution. However, ‘Uthman, who died at the spot he was wounded, was not given ablution, and was subject to the procedures followed for a "perfect martyr."

6) Beyond the scope of blood money: In Islamic law, murder is punished by qisas, retaliation in kind. However, if the murder took place unintentionally or mistakenly qisas is not applied. For example, if the act is committed in a city, during the daytime, by an unforced kick, or by hitting with any weapons and/or tools not made specifically for killing, like a whip (the usage of such a tool raises suspicion about the intention to kill) then retaliatory killing is not allowed. In short, according to Islamic Law, those who are the victims of a murder (in cases where the perpetrator is sentenced to retaliatory killing) are considered to be martyrs; whereas those who have been killed otherwise (that is, in a way that retaliation is not applied) are not considered to be martyrs (al-Kasani 1/321). Those who are killed while fighting against non-Muslims, outlaws, and rebels are considered to be martyrs, no matter how they die. Those who do not qualify for one of these conditions are not given the "perfect martyr" rituals in their funeral. (Yüce, 32-36)

When you go to war in the cause of God, investigate carefully and do not say to anyone who offers you peace (salutation) "you are not of the believers." (Nisa 4:94)

It is permissible for a person to plunge into a group of enemy forces, or to attack them in cases where he hopes that he will be saved in the end, or—if there is no such hope—in cases where he will inflict damage on the enemy, and demoralize them, or will encourage his own combatants, or due to an extraordinary power he might feel, or in the case of a captive who is afraid that he will give up secret information. (Al-Shaibani 4/1512)

1) The situation in which the martyr finds themselves must be a state of war. The presence of two rival armies is required, where the combatant enemies have prepared for and come together to fight.

2) It is not absolutely certain that the attacker will die.

3) Death itself has been brought about by the other side.

1) No distinction is being made here between the goal and the means employed to reach it; these two have been confused. For a believer, both the goal and the means that lead to the goal must be legitimate, and these two should not be confused. Since the ultimate goal is to achieve God's pleasure, the desire of achieving something at any cost should not replace this fundamental aim.

2) If any means at any cost was to be considered permissible if it led to the goal, this would then open the door to other illegal and inhumane activities, such as the employment of drug addiction or prostitution among rival groups to destroy their mental and moral health, the manipulation of science in order to produce harmful medicines instead of useful ones, the mistreatment of patients in hospitals, or the murder of them in one way or another in order to save resources. However, religion and the prophets that have been sent to lead the people both to the happiness of this world and the afterlife have never used any inhumane methods nor have they approved of any such actions. Martyrdom is a rank achieved only when the principles of religion are observed; it cannot be reached by employing revenge and hatred. The methods that a Muslim employs must be as righteous as his or her purpose.

Transgression can be seen as being aimed at women, children, the elderly and the members of the clergy of any religion who have devoted themselves to worship, or any other harmless and trustworthy people who are not participating in the war, and do not constitute a danger to either the effort of calling for Islam, or to the Muslim community. It (transgression) can also be understood as the violation of the rules of war as instituted by Islam. In fact, Islam has put forth the rules of war in question to minimize the cruelties of jahiliyya (ignorance) wars of both olden times and modern times, and to end these brutalities. These are the cruelties that Islamic sensitivity hates, and that Islamic piety is disgusted with.

The Muslims knew that they had not won wars due to quantitative superiority, since their number was less. They also knew that the victory was not due to the superiority of their weaponry or equipment, since they had fewer weapons and equipment than their enemy. They achieved victory because of their faith, their devotion to God, and the help God gave to them. Thus, if they had behaved in contradiction to what God and the Prophet had directed them, they would have deprived themselves of the only means to achieve victory. That is why they strictly observed the rules of war that were mentioned above, even against enemies who made them suffer unbearable agonies, and who killed some of their friends by unimaginable torture. (Qutb, commentaries on verse 2:290)

1) There are suicide attacks that are carried out systematically and resolutely by designated persons within the armies of two rival countries that are waging war against one another. Basically, this type of attack can be categorized into two sub-groups:

a) The attack by a person or a group on a sizable enemy group or on a barracks with weapons, such as planes, tanks, hand grenades, etc. The examples drawn from Islamic history substantiate that such acts and the persons who carry out such attacks are considered to be martyrs if they die. But there is always a possibility that the attackers will survive these kinds of attacks.

b) A person or a group of people tie bombs to their bodies, or load the vehicle that they are driving with bombs, and plunge into the midst of enemy soldiers, or into an enemy stronghold, exploding the bombs. This type of attack can only be permitted under very limited conditions that are put forth only by Islamic jurists, and can only be conceivable during an active war. Outside these circumstances, such attacks can only be destined as being incomprehensible, disgusting deeds, and they must be condemned. Some attacks are carried out in countries which are not even at war, countries which permit the attackers to enter the country, with a visa or without a visa, countries which permit the citizens of other countries to work, pursue an education, reside, open businesses, marry, and—if certain requirements are fulfilled—even to become a citizen. In this case the country on which the attack is carried out has taken both sides under its protection, allowing both sides to enter and reside there. The violation of this security means contravening and betraying the visa issued (in the words of Islamic law scholars, treachery against a sanctuary, refuge, and the right to free mobility); this is not permissible. Ibn Hajar Haythami considers the murder of a person with whom an agreement has been made as being one of the greatest sins (Az-Zawajir 2, 153).

2) These assaults, either directed toward foreigners, or the citizens or soldiers of another country with which the attacker may be at war, or by whom the attacker's country may be occupied, can be neither permissible nor comprehensible. The perpetrators cannot be called martyrs. Moreover, the person who perpetrates such a crime is also guilty of: a) killing innocent people, b) betraying and harming the state which granted visa, c) traumatizing people and creating psychological injuries, d) inflicting damage on the property of innocent people, e) if the perpetrator is a Muslim, then tarnishing the image of Islam, f) humiliating the country of which they are a citizen of internationally, g) making their families suffer, h) probably aiding the success of an international crime organization, i) if the attacker is Muslim, then making the enemies of Islam happy…. and finally, j) being responsible for an unforgivable crime. The grave responsibility of committing suicide and taking innocent lives (Muslim or non-Muslim) from the standpoint of religion is beyond the scope of this subject.

1. Gökbilgin, M. Tayyip. Osmanlı Müesseseleri, Teşkilatı ve Medeniyeti Tarihine Genel Bakış, Istanbul: 1977
2. Az-Zuhayli, Vehbi. İslam Fıkhı Ansiklopedisi. Ibn Abidin, Redd al-Muhtar; Shatibi, Mawkufat; Al-Kasani, Badayi as-Sanayi; Al-Ayni, Al-Binaya;
3. Yüce, A. Şehitlik ve Şehitlerin Hayatı, Istanbul: 2001
4. Sarahsi, Al-Mabsut; Mansur Ali Nasıf, Gayat al-Ma'mul Sharhu at-Taj al-Jaim al-Usul.
5. Qutb, Sayyid, Fi zilal al Koran [In the Shade of Koran];
6. Naim A. Miras K. Tecrid Tercümesi
7. Al-Isfahani, Hilya al-Awliya; Ibn Athir, Usd al-Gabe; Ibn Hajar, Al-Isaba, I, 144.
8. Ash-Shaibani, Muhammad. Seerah al-Kabir, (with commentaries); Al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Koran.

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