For this reason, we must not suppose that all martyrs occupy the same rank merely because they are martyrs. Rather, each has his own rank. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “And for all are درجات according to what they have done” [al-Ahqaf 46:19].

The correct view is that all deceased Muslims are washed, shrouded, and prayed over, except for martyrs slain in battle alone. They are neither washed nor shrouded, nor is the funeral prayer offered over them, because the purpose of praying over them is to intercede for them. The gleam of swords above their heads is sufficient intercession for them: this sacrifice which they made intercedes for them, for they gave what was most precious to them—their very lives—in order to make Allah’s word supreme.

Unless he is in a state of major ritual impurity. .......

His statement, “unless he is in a state of major ritual impurity.”

If the text reads, “A martyr slain in battle and one wrongfully slain are not washed,” then the rules of Arabic grammar would require it to say, “unless both are in a state of major ritual impurity,” because joining them with “and” makes them two separate entities. Thus, the pronoun must refer to two entities in the dual form. However, in al-Rawd al-Murbiʿ, “one wrongfully slain” is treated as an explanatory qualification, which accords with the wording, “unless he is in a state of major ritual impurity”—that is, unless the martyr is in a state of major ritual impurity. If the martyr is in such a state, he is washed. Likewise, according to the madhhab, if a woman is martyred or wrongfully killed while menstruating and has not performed the ritual bath after her menstruation, she too is washed. This is the view adopted by the author.

Yet the apparent meaning of the reports is that there is no distinction between one in a state of major ritual impurity and anyone else, for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not wash those who were killed at Uhud (1).