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Lesson 54: Martyrdom And Purity

Tradition

إذا مُتَّ عَلَى طَهارَة تَكُونُ شَهِيْداً

The Prophet (S) is narrated to have said: “If you leave this world in a state of purity, you will be counted as being amongst the martyrs.”1

Brief Commentary

This tradition is part of the commands which the Prophet (S) gave to his companion Anas. He said to him: “If you are able to be in a state of purity (Wudu) day and night, then be as such. This is because if you were to leave this world in such a state, then you would be a martyr.” The tradition is primarily referring to the state of ritual purity known as Wudu but it also refers to a more important reality and that is the living of a pure life and the dying of a pure death.

Those whose thoughts, bodies, and lives are pure and they end up dying in this state are without a doubt in the same ranks as the martyrs. Other traditions from the Ahl al-Bayt also emphasize this same reality.

  • 1. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 720.