Riyad as-Salihin, 1357

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What shall I do if someone comes to me with the intention of taking away my property?" He replied, "Do not hand over it to him." The man asked, "What shall I do if he fights me?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Then fight him." "What will be my position in the Hereafter if he has killed me?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "In that case you are a martyr." The man asked: "What if I killed him?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "He will be in the Hell- fire." [Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ جاء رجل إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال‏:‏ يا رسول الله أرأيت إن جاء رجل يريد أخذ مالي‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏فلا تعطه مالك‏"‏ قال‏:‏ أرأيت إن قاتلني‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏قاتله‏"‏ قال‏:‏ أرأيت إن قتلني قال‏:‏ ‏"‏فأنت شهيد‏"‏ قال‏:‏ أرأيت إن قتلته‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏هو في النار‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Book 11, Hadith 73

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadiths: 1) The property, life, and honor of a Muslim are inviolable. He who dies as he defends any of these is a martyr. 2) We should defend religion with our own lives, and he who dies doing this is a martyr. How far from this are Muslims nowadays! Some of them treat religion as something insignificant and worthless. 3) We should adopt an approach of gradation as we confront an attacker. Our goal should be to repel him, not to kill him. But, if we cannot repel him except by killing him, the Shariah permits us to do so. 4) The Shariah is keenly concerned with preserving and defending five necessary things: religion, life, mind, honor, and property.

Related hadiths5