How should the suicide (commando) attacks in Palestine be evaluated according to our religion? Is a suicide attack permissible in our religion?

Dear Brother / Sister,

As you know, when Muslims die for their religion, life, property and progeny, they are regarded as martyrs.

There are hadiths stating that those who die for their religion, property and life will be martyrs.

As for the events in Palestine, which are discussed a lot in the Islamic world, are they regarded as suicide or martyrdom? We see that there are two different understandings: suicide and not suicide. Our opinion and conclusion are as follows:

1. Since we do not know the inner world and intentions of people and we are to have good thoughts about people, when we consider that they sacrifice themselves for the sake of their religion and homeland, it is understood that their deed is not suicide but martyrdom.

2. According to our religion, one of the conditions of war is this rule: “War can only be fought against those who fight and those who participate in the war.”

When we have a look at the events in Palestine, we see that this rule is sometimes violated. Non-combatants as well as children and women are also attacked. What is more, such a deed can even lead to the perception that Islam is a religion of terrorism and that they kill innocent people including women and children.

So, sacrificing oneself for one’s religion and homeland is good. However, according to our religion, it is also necessary to do it against those who participate in the war. It is not appropriate to do it against innocent people. Therefore, we find it appropriate to make such an evaluation instead of making a final decision. Allah knows best.

Questions on Islam