Death as a Result of Witchcraft

Praise be to Allah

After researching the matter,
we could not find any evidence or report which indicates that there is any
special virtue for one who dies as a result of witchcraft, except that if
the victim of witchcraft bears this calamity with patience, he will have the
reward of those who are patient, and what a great reward that is. Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“Only those who are patient
shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.”
[39:10] 

“And certainly, We shall test
you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but
give glad tidings to As‑ Sabirun (the patient).

Who, when afflicted with
calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall
return.’

They are those on whom are
the Salawat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and
(they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided
ones.”

[2:155-157] 

The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The greater reward comes with the
greater trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them; whoever accepts that
will earn divine pleasure and whoever is discontent with that will earn
divine wrath.” [al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah]

And he (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: “Calamities will continue to befall the
believing man and woman in regard to themselves, their children and their
wealth, until they meet Allah with no sins on them.” [al-Tirmidhi]

Al-Bukhari and Muslim
narrated that ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah said: Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
him) said to me: Shall I show you a woman from among the people of
Paradise?” I said, “Yes.” He said: “This black woman came to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, ‘I suffer from epilepsy
and I become uncovered. Pray to Allah for me.’ He said, ‘If you wish, you
may bear it with patience and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish I will
pray to Allah to heal you.’ She said, ‘I will be patient.’ Then she said,
‘But I become uncovered; pray to Allah for me that I will not become
uncovered.’ So he prayed for her.” 

It should be noted that
witchcraft is something real, and it may lead to the victim becoming sick,
and may even kill him. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may
Allah have mercy on him) said: In sharee’ah (Islamic law), witchcraft is
divided into two kinds: 

1 – Spells and incantations,
i.e., recitations and unclear words by means of which the practitioner of
witchcraft is able to use the devils to do what he wants of harming his
victim. But Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“… but they could not thus
harm anyone except by Allah’s Leave.” [2:102] 

2 – Medicines and potions that affect the body, mind, will
and inclinations of the victim, so that he turns away from a person or
inclines towards him or her.   

So they make a man incline
towards his wife or towards another woman, so that he becomes like a dumb
beast that she can lead wherever she wants. Or they make the opposite
happen. 

They affect the victim
physically by weakening him little by little, until he dies. 

Or they make him imagine
things to be other than they really are. 

Their effect on his mind may
go so far as to make him insane – Allah forbid. 

End quote from Sharh Kitab
al-Tawheed, 2/5. 

The victim may attain the
reward of the martyr, if the witchcraft leads to him suffering a stomach
disease, the plague or pleurisy, or it leads to a woman dying in pregnancy.
Ahmad, Abu Dawood  and al-Nasa’i  narrated that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “What do you think martyrdom is?” They
said: “Being killed for the sake of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Martyrdom is seven things besides
being killed for the sake of Allah: the one who dies of the plague is a
martyr; the one who dies by drowning is a martyr; the one who dies of
pleurisy is a martyr; the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr; the
one who dies by burning is a martyr; the one who dies beneath a collapsed
wall or building is a martyr; and the woman who dies in pregnancy is a
martyr.”

It says in ‘Awn al-M’abood: 

“… the one who dies by
drowning …” – if his journey was for a permissible purpose. “The one who
dies of pleurisy” – this refers to ulcers or abscesses which a person gets
in his side, then they open and the pain ceases at the time of death; its
signs include pain beneath the ribs and difficulty in breathing accompanied
by fever and coughing. “The one who dies of a stomach disease” – this refers
to diarrhea or dropsy, or pain in the stomach. … “the woman who dies in
pregnancy” – al-Khattabi said: this means, if she dies with a child in her
womb. End quote. 

And Allah knows best.