What is meant by “martyrs of the homeland”?

Question

What is meant by “martyrs of the homeland”, and will the noble verse apply to them: [ar]وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَن يُقْتَلُ[/ar] “And do not say of those who are killed…” (the verse) (Surah al-Baqara, 2:154) — or not?

Answer

Those who gave their lives and were killed for the protection and freedom of the homeland (watan) are customarily (‘urfan) called “martyrs of the homeland”. If, in view of the rulings of Islam, they were wronged and killed, then the noble verse will apply to them, and they will also be called martyrs in the Shari‘a sense.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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