my closest friend, 18yrs of age, has recently passed away by an accident. she got hit by a van on returning home from university. she was in hospital for 7 days.

We express our condolences to the family of the deceased. May Allah grant her Jannatul Firdaws and bestow you all with Sabr (patience), Aameen.

1. Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] mentioned, ‘There are seven types of people who are considered as Shaheed although they were not killed in the battlefield: a) A person who has lost life in a plague, b) Person who has drowned, c) Person who had suffered from a side pain, e.g. appendix, etc. d) Person who suffered from a stomach ailment, e) Person who was burnt, f) Person who died due to an impact, e.g. wall fell on him, hit by a vehicle, etc. g) Woman who dies due to childbirth. (Abu Dawud). From this Hadith, we understand that your closest friend is regarded as a Shaheed. In the hereafter, she will be treated as a martyr and will enjoy the rewards of a martyr.

2. It will be correct for you to recite the Qur’aan, etc. and send its reward to your friend. This can be deduced from the Hadith: Aas ibn Waai (a Kaafir) passed away and bequeathed that after hid death, a hundred slaves should be freed on his behalf. One of his sons, Hishaam, freed fifty slaves on his father’s behalf. The other son, Amr, intended to free the other fifty slaves. He asked Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]. Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] replied, ‘If only your father was a Muslim, then the reward of freeing slaves, giving charity and performing Hajj on his behalf would have reached him.’ (Ibn Majah)

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai