Question:
There is a hadith which says that if two Muslims fight each other with weapons, both will be inhabitants of Hell. If both committed injustice, then we can say both are Hell-bound. But if one person is in the right and the other is in the wrong, how should we understand this hadith? When it says they are people of Hell, does it mean permanent Hell? If the one who was wronged is killed, is he considered a martyr (Shaheed) or is he also Hell-bound as mentioned in the hadith?
Answer:
The hadith he refers to is narrated in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 31 (and also appears elsewhere). It states that if two Muslims confront each other with swords and fight, both the killer and the one who is killed will be in Hell.
When it says “sword,” it refers to a weapon meant for killing. In earlier times, swords were used, but today it could refer to guns or any deadly weapon. If people merely fight physically without deadly weapons, they may injure each other but usually will not kill. The hadith refers specifically to fighting with deadly weapons.
If two people have a dispute, they should try to resolve it through discussion, mediation, or even minor scuffles that are part of human nature. But why escalate to deadly weapons? When both people take up weapons, it means both are ready to kill each other.Therefore, the Prophetﷺ said that if two Muslims confront each other with weapons intending to kill, both the killer and the one killed will be in Hell.
Someone then asked the Prophetﷺ : “O Messengerﷺ of Allahﷻ, we understand why the killer goes to Hell. But why would the one who was killed also go to Hell?” The Prophetﷺ replied that the one who was killed also intended to kill the other person. He only died because the other person acted first. Otherwise, he too would have killed. Since both intended to kill, both are blameworthy.
However, the question then arises: how do we understand this along with other hadiths? Another hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 2480) states that if a person is killed while defending his property, he is a martyr. For example, if someone tries to rob a person and the owner resists protecting his property, and the robber kills him, then the victim is considered a martyr because he resisted injustice.
In such a case, the two people are not equal. One is an oppressor trying to steal, and the other is defending his rights. If the defender is killed, he becomes a martyr. If he kills the attacker while defending himself, he is not considered a criminal, because it was self-defence.
Similarly, another hadith in Sahih Muslim mentions that a man asked the Prophetﷺ what he should do if someone tries to take his wealth by force. The Prophetﷺ told him not to give it away. If the attacker fights him, he should defend himself. If he is killed while defending his property, he will be a martyr. If he kills the attacker, the attacker will go to Hell.
This shows that the hadith about both fighters going to Hell applies only when both parties fight without any just cause, such as gang violence or pride-based fights where both sides simply want to dominate each other. In such cases, neither side has a legitimate right, yet they intend to kill each other.
But if a person fights to defend his wealth, honour, family, or life, then the ruling is different. If he is killed, he is a martyr. If he kills the attacker in self-defence, he is not sinful, while the attacker is blameworthy.
Therefore, the hadith about both being Hell-bound applies only to unjustified violent conflicts.
Regarding whether Hell here means permanent Hell, generally in Islam, punishment in Hell is not permanent for believers unless they commit shirk (associating partners with Allahﷻ). Since Allahﷻ says He may forgive any sin except shirk, a Muslim who commits such violence may be punished in Hell but will not remain there permanently unless Allahﷻ wills otherwise.
There is also a Quran verse (Surah An-Nisa 4:93) stating that whoever intentionally kills a believer will have Hell as his punishment, remaining there forever. However, scholars explain that this applies if Allahﷻ does not forgive him. If Allahﷻ chooses to forgive, He can do so.