Martyrdom Is the Highest Rank in Islām

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Wherever the family of our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam and his ﷺ companions go, there becomes light there. The barakah of that place increases. The light of that place increases.

Shukr to Allāh ﷻ, our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam called this island of Cyprus Jazīratu l-Khaḍra, the green island. A group of the ṣaḥābah set out to conquer it. Our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said he ﷺ saw that in his ﷺ dream.

He ﷺ was lying in the arms of Hala Sultān. Hala Sultān asked our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, “Am I among them?” He ﷺ said, “Yes, you are among them.” Our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam fell asleep again. He ﷺ saw it again and woke up with a smile. He ﷺ said again that the ṣaḥābah got on thrones to conquer Jazīratu l-Khaḍra.

She asked again, “Am I among them?” Our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam did not say anything. She understood that she would be with those who went first. Hala Sultān went there in the age of 80 years not on foot, but riding an animal. I think it was a horse. That horse stumbled, Hala Sultān fell down and became a martyr.

Martyrdom is a great rank. It is the rank that all the ṣaḥābah wanted. Martyrdom is not a bad thing. Sayyidinā Ḥamza was a martyr. Sayyidinā Ḥussein was a martyr. Many from Ahlu l-Bayt are martyrs. Their ranks are increasing. They are high themselves. And additionally, the rank of martyrdom was granted to them.

Therefore, for martyrs, even here, when their children become martyrs, people don’t want to cry. They say, “Our son has become shahīd for the pleasure of Allāh ﷻ.” Therefore, martyrdom is a high rank. It is not good to see it as bad.

What is bad; as Sayyidinā Khālid Efendi said, “There is no inch on my body that has not had a wound from a sword, or a dagger, or an arrow, or a spear. There is no place on my body without a wound. But I am dying here on a mat like an animal. I am not dying as a shahīd.” Sayyidinā Khālid was very sad. May Allāh ﷻ be pleased with him.

Therefore, Muslims should have wisdom. They should listen to their Shaykh and murshid, what he says and what’s the situation. What is good for them is to listen to that. They should obey him and attain that virtue. This is the virtue to be attained. We must know that whatever Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla granted to anyone, that is great goodness to him. May Allāh ﷻ increase their ranks.

The master of the shahīds Sayyidinā Ḥussein ‘alayhi s-salām and his friends accepted their martyrdom and drank it as a Sharbat. Others died lying in their beds. There are many people who couldn’t reach that rank. May Allāh ﷻ grant all of us their virtue, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ increase their ranks, in shā’a Llāh.

Today is ‘Āshūrā’, it is a beautiful day. Now, after ṣuḥbah, in shā’a Llāh, there is a four-rakāt prayer of ‘Āshūrā’. We will pray it together, in shā’a Llāh. And then, whoever can may recite 1,000 Ikhlāṣ. That will pass to their books. As we said, take a shower. Who cannot shower, there is the sea. The weather is hot anyway. SubhanAllah, it is like the day of the passing of Sayyidinā Ḥusayn these days. It is very hot. May Allāh ﷻ accept everyone’s worship, obedience and good deeds, in shā’a Llāh.

May Allāh ﷻ grant Islām victory for their barakah. With the permission of Allāh ﷻ, whole world will reach Islām and safety. With Islām, the world will reach peace. It cannot reach it otherwise. It cannot reach it with the shayṭān. There will be neither peace, nor goodness, nor beauty.

With Islām, everywhere will be safe. All beauties are in Islām. May Allāh ﷻ give it to everyone. May Mahdī ‘alayhi s-salām come soon. When Madhī ‘alayhi s-salām comes, there are secrets; many secrets will be revealed. When people learn these secrets, they will see how right Ahlu s-Sunnah and people of ṭarīqah are. Everyone will see that then, in shā’a Llāh.

Certainly, as we said, before all, there is Hala Sultān. Her miracles, her virtue and barakah are everlasting. And her tasarruf (abearance) is everlasting. They don’t lie there dead. Whatever everyone’s needs are, they give to whomever asks according to their needs. If they don’t ask, they don’t give.

Therefore, may their help be upon us. May their barakah be upon us. May their protection be upon us, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ bless these holy days for us in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

05 July 2025/ 10 Muharram 1447

Lefke, Cyprus

English starts from [08:02]:

Guide to the Day of Ashura here.

Google Drive to the full devotions can be found here.