Martyrs: Beatific Smiles, Scent Of Musk, Virgins Awaiting In Paradise

Smiling 'Martyr'

MEMRI

ALERT: Do Not Click Links If You Are Disturbed By Images Of Even The 'Happy' Dead.

In the Inquiry and Analysis Series, Report No. 990, of MEMRI (July 2, 2013), we find the article "Faces Of Death - Part II," which shows facial photos of jihadis who have died in battle and whose rigor mortis smiles (plus some likely manipulation) are given as evidence that they are martyrs already enjoying paradise, as we shall learn. First, though, let's see where these martyrdoms are taking place, and where the martyrs from from:

Over the past few months, online jihadis have been using Twitter on a daily basis to disseminate photos of martyrs killed on jihadi fronts in Syria. These martyrs are from around the world -- Italy, Spain, Belgium, Albania, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Dagestan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Bahrain, and Algeria -- and among them are prominent sheikhs, well-known writers on online jihadi forums, scientists, students, and others, from many different terrorist/jihadi organizations.

They're in Syria and seem to have come from all over the world! What's the purpose of these photos? There are several purposes, but one aim is "portraying the martyrs as heroes who should be emulated." Why emulated? Because they're smiling. Why should that serve to attract more jihadis? Because it means that these martyrs have already entered paradise. How do we know? Just Google "martyr" and "smile" together, you'll find over 5 million sites, a large percentage of these dealing with Islamic martyrs, the smile in such cases being explained as evidence that the martyr is already enjoying paradise, such as this site, "The Smile of Gaza's martyrs is one of Quran's miracles," somewhat ungrammatically shows:

There are still more rewards; the prophet says:" The soil of the battlefield won't dry from the martyr's blood before two wives from the paradise looms and make their way to him anxiously as they were two birds who lost the accompany of their folk, in their hands a dress much better than the life and its joys . . . . How great the reward, while people are crying he smiles, smiles happily because he received his rewards."

These two wives are two of the virgins of paradise, as this Tweet posted in the MEMRI report on the Martyrs' smiles also implies:

"He refrained from marriage because he was hastening to meet the virgins under the shadows and the trees. As he died, he will be honored with the company of the Prophet Muhammad's companions and the love of the Prophet Muhammad."

Not all of the photos posted by MEMRI show smiles, but some of the 'martyrs' are described as emanating a scent of "musk," evidence of a holy death rewarded by paradise, according to this website, Miracles of the Martyrs:

[T]he martyrs' bodies remain intact because their souls feed on the Heavenly fruits. This may explain the scent of musk . . .

Again, just Google "martyr" and "musk" together, you'll find over 2.5 million sites, a large percentage of these likewise on Islamic martyrs. My point is consistent with previous posts, namely, to establish that hope of paradise, to a great extent, motivates the martyr, whether in jihad generally or suicide bombing specifically.

Not that this is the sole motive . . .