Is the following Hadith authentic?
Narrated from Abu Burdah ibn Qays, the brother of Abu Musa Al ‘Ash’ari (radiyallahu ‘anhu), that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “O Allah, make the end of my ummah through being killed in your cause, by piercing (bloodshed) and plague.”
Answer
Imams Ahmad and Hakim (rahimahumallah) have recorded this Hadith.
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3 pg. 437, vol. 4 pg. 238, Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 93)
Imam Hakim (rahimahullah) has declared the Hadith authentic and ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) concurs. ‘Allamah Mundhiri and ‘Allamah Haythami (rahimahumallah) have declared the narrators of Musnad Ahmad credible.
(Targhib, vol. 2 pg. 337, Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 2 pg. 312. Also see: Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 5901)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar,
Note: Both the forms of death mentioned in the Hadith are a blessing for a believer.
Just as being killed in the path of Allah is termed as martyrdom, so too is death by plague.