Question
Does the martyr feel pain at death in the light of the narration, “The martyr does not feel the pain of being killed except as one of you feels the pinch of an insect bite.”?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
The Prophetic narration that you quoted is as follows:
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The martyr does not experience the pain of being killed (or the touch of being killed) except to the extent that one of you experiences the pain of a single ant bite.” [Tirmdhi, Nasaai, Tabarani]
Commentary of the Above Hadith
Imam Mulla ‘Ali Qari (Allah have mercy on him), when commenting on this narration, stated that this applies to the real martyr (i.e., the one who died in an actual battle) as well as the one legal considered a martyr. [‘Ali Qari, Mirqat al-Mafatih]
The words translated above as ‘single ant bite’ (Qarsa) were explained by Imam al-Tibi as also meaning the cutting of the tips of the finger. He says the word ‘single’ is to avert the assumption one may have that the pain of losing a fingertip may be worse than being killed. He says that may be true for some martyrs as opposed to others. Some martyrs take pleasure from their blood being spilled in the path of Allah and entirely content regarding it, like ‘Umair bin Hutam when he cast away his dates and met his death; or like Khubaib al-Ansari who recited the following lines of poetry:
‘I am not concerned, if I am killed as a Muslim,
on whichever side, for Allah’s sake, is my fall
That is in the discretion of the countenance of God
who pours down blessing upon the mutilated limbs’
Khubaib (Allah be pleased with him) was the first to be crucified in Islam. [Ibid.]
Summary
The pain experienced at death may differ from martyr to martyr. However, this narration indicates that the pain experienced is far less than one may assume. This may be since they are not in fear of death because of their faith. Instead, in some cases, elated. Furthermore, as the lines of Khubaib’s poem indicate, Allah pours down His divine blessing upon the person, and the experience of Allah’s blessings can trump any pain one may experience.
However, it is not for us to say what the martyr feels or experiences. The purpose of such narrations is not to investigate this point. Instead, it is to emphasize the virtue, sanctity, and reward one who sacrifices the most precious thing in their possession, their life, for the sake of Allah Most High and not for any ulterior motive.
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
3836 – (وَعَنْهُ) : أَيْ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ (قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: الشَّهِيدُ) : أَيِ الْحَقِيقِيُّ وَفِي مَعْنَاهُ الْحُكْمِيُّ (لَا يَجِدُ أَلَمَ الْقَتْلِ) : وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ مَسَّ الْقَتْلِ ; أَيْ شِدَّةَ الْمَوْتِ (إِلَّا كَمَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَلَمَ الْقَرْصَةِ) : وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: مَسَّ الْقَرْصَةِ وَهِيَ بِفَتْحِ الْقَافِ وَسُكُونِ الرَّاءِ هِيَ الْمَرَّةُ مِنَ الْقَرْصِ، وَهُوَ عَضُّ النَّمْلَةِ الْإِنْسَانَ. وَقِيلَ أَخْذُ الْجِلْدِ بِنَحْوِ ظُفْرٍ. قَالَ الطِّيبِيُّ: الْقَرْصُ الْأَخْذُ بِأَطْرَافِ الْأَصَابِعِ وَأَتَى بِأَدَاةِ الْحَصْرِ دَفْعًا لِتَوَهُّمِ مَنْ يَتَصَوَّرُ أَنَّ أَلَمَهُ يَفْضُلُ عَلَى أَلَمِهَا، وَذَلِكَ فِي شَهِيدٍ دُونَ شَهِيدٍ، شَهِيدٌ يَتَلَذَّذُ بِذُلِّ مُهْجَتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ طَيِّبَةً بِهِ نَفْسُهُ كَعُمَيْرِ بْنِ الْحُطَامِ وَإِلْفَاءِ ثَمَرَاتِهِ وَلِقَائِهِ الْمَوْتَ كَمَا مَرَّ وَأَنْشَدَ خُبَيْبٌ الْأَنْصَارَ حِينَ قُتِلَ:
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