Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Every person has the right that his life, his property, and his honor remain protected; therefore, it is his right to defend himself against an attacker.

➋ If it is permissible to fight against an attacker for the protection of one’s property, then it is even more permissible to fight for the protection of one’s honor and life.

➌ If the defender is martyred, then he is a martyr (shaheed); however, his rank is less than that of one who is martyred while striving to protect faith or the Islamic state. Such a person should be given a proper ritual bath (ghusl) and shrouded (kafan) before burial, whereas for a martyr (shaheed) of the battlefield of jihad, ritual bath and shrouding are not required.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
(1)
Protecting and safeguarding one’s wealth and property is a deed of reward, merit, and virtue, because if every person begins to tolerate oppression, and does not confront the oppressor, then the oppressors will become emboldened, and their greed for wealth and property will incite them to further injustice and tyranny. However, if the oppressors are confronted and brought to justice, then the path of oppression and tyranny will be blocked. For this reason, the Shariah considers this act to be a cause of reward and merit, so that people may develop the courage and resolve to block the way of oppressors. Unfortunately, today we have abandoned acting upon this hadith; that is why, day by day, murder, bloodshed, and terrorism are increasing.

(2)
To inflict oppression and tyranny upon others, to seize someone’s wealth, is such a heinous act that the blood of such a person is no longer inviolable; in case of necessity, it becomes permissible to shed his blood, and the consequence of this act is specifically the punishment of Hellfire, if he does not repent or is not forgiven. And the one who is killed at the hands of such an oppressor, from the perspective of reward and merit in the Hereafter, will be considered a martyr (shaheed).