Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary
- Chronology
- 1 Martyrs in religions
- 2 Martyrdom in the genesis of Islam
- 3 Legal definitions, boundaries and rewards of the martyr
- 4 Sectarian Islam: Sunni, Shiʿite and Sufi martyrdom
- 5 Martyrs: warriors and missionaries in medieval Islam
- 6 Martyrs of love and epic heroes
- 7 Patterns of prognostication, narrative and expiation
- 8 Martyrdom in contemporary radical Islam
- 9 Martyrdom in Islam: past and present
- Appendix: The classical story of the Ashab al-ukhdud and translated contemporary martyrdom narratives
- Bibliography
- Index
7 - Patterns of prognostication, narrative and expiation
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary
- Chronology
- 1 Martyrs in religions
- 2 Martyrdom in the genesis of Islam
- 3 Legal definitions, boundaries and rewards of the martyr
- 4 Sectarian Islam: Sunni, Shiʿite and Sufi martyrdom
- 5 Martyrs: warriors and missionaries in medieval Islam
- 6 Martyrs of love and epic heroes
- 7 Patterns of prognostication, narrative and expiation
- 8 Martyrdom in contemporary radical Islam
- 9 Martyrdom in Islam: past and present
- Appendix: The classical story of the Ashab al-ukhdud and translated contemporary martyrdom narratives
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
ʿAbdallah b. Ghalib al-Harrani … broke the sheath of his sword, advanced and fought until he was killed and was carried from the battlefield while there was still a breath of life in him, but died short of the army camp. When he was buried there was a smell of musk emanating from his grave, and his brethren saw him in a dream, and he said: O Abu Firas, what has happened? He said: The best!
Martyrdom, since it is a theme within Islam, has been given a set form by tradition (both the Islamic tradition as well as the martyrdom tradition of religions that preceded it). This form often demands that the martyr be given knowledge of his or her death just prior to its occurrence, either in a dream/vision by means of an earthly figure who is privy to divine or supernatural knowledge, or occasionally by the drama that leads up to his or her death. Sometimes there are dreams or visions that occur after the martyr's death as well, so that the audience knows he or she has been suitably rewarded. Usually the martyr must die in a dignified manner, to the extent that such a death is possible under the circumstances, with his or her faith untainted, and have the ability or opportunity to speak to the audience before death supervenes.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Martyrdom in Islam , pp. 116 - 134Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007