1041 – ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever is killed while defending his wealth is a martyr.” It was related by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i, and al-Tirmidhi, who ruled it authentic (1).

Degree of authenticity:
The hadith is ṣaḥīḥ (sound). Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ahmad transmitted it through the chain of ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAlī ibn Abi Talib. Al-Tirmidhi remarked, “A good, sound hadith.” I say: its chain is sound; all its narrators are trustworthy. The hadith is also reported through other chains in the Musnad and enjoys many corroborating narrations with additional wording. Al-Suyuti, al-Kattani, al-Manawi, and others included it among the mass-transmitted reports. Ibn Majah (2581) narrated a similar version from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar.

Vocabulary:
– dūna mālihī (while safeguarding and defending his property).

Points derived from the hadith:

1. A jāniʾ (aggressor) is someone who violates another’s life, limb, honor, or property. When such an aggression occurs, the victim may repel the attacker with the least amount of force that he reasonably believes will suffice; if the assault cannot be stopped except by killing the aggressor, the defender bears no liability. This is the view of the three Imams: Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and Ahmad.